Vikrant Massey Says Casting Directors and Assistants Are 'Failed Actors'

Overview

• Massey made the remarks at a FICCI FLO event in Bengaluru on Monday, June 29, 2026, when reflecting on repeated early-career rejections.
• He said many casting directors and casting assistants are former or aspiring actors who carry a “bitter feeling” into auditions and often try to direct performers from behind the camera.
• Massey described asking for directors to be present at auditions later in his career so selection would reflect the director’s vision rather than a casting assistant’s preference.
• He credited those rejections for forcing him to improve, saying auditions he lost still served as references that pushed him to sharpen his craft.
• Reporters framed the comments within common industry patterns—casting roles often held by actors-turned-casters and auditions run by assistants—and noted Massey’s recent work including 12th Fail, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, and an announced biopic role as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.