Shanaya Kapoor shares how Vikrant Massey made her feel ‘comfortable and equal’ on set

Shanaya Kapoor, making her acting debut with Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, praised Vikrant Massey for being a generous co-star. She said his inclusive approach and mentorship made her feel confident, valued, and comfortable during the shoot. The film releases July 11.

Mumbai: Shanaya Kapoor has opened up about working with Vikrant Massey in the upcoming film “Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan.”

In an exclusive interview with IANS, she shared how Vikrant’s supportive nature and collaborative approach made her feel at ease on set. More than just a co-star, he became a mentor who taught her the value of being a giving actor and treating every scene as a shared effort. Sharing her experience, Shanaya expressed deep admiration for Vikrant not just as an actor, but as a person.

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“I have learnt a lot. I think the first thing I truly learnt from Vikrant is that, as a human being, he is incredibly generous. That quality really shows in his work because he is such a giving actor. And I believe that’s a very big thing—because when you’re an actor, you often tend to focus only on yourself and your lines.”

“You think about your costume. You think about your character. But I think he taught me something that I will hopefully carry forward—fingers crossed—as I aim to have a long career ahead. I’m going to take this learning from him: that you have to be a very giving actor. You have to think about the scene as a whole. You can’t keep thinking only about yourself. I learnt a lot from Vikrant. But more than that, he made me feel very comfortable. I never felt like I was a new student and he was, you know—yes, an incredible actor, more than anything else. And I think that is, it’s incredible because he didn’t have to do that for me. But he did. He gave me a sense of calmness and he just made me feel like we, it’s both our scenes here today.”

Shanaya Kapoor also recalled how Vikrant would often ask for her input on scenes, saying things like, “You also tell me, how are you feeling? What do you think? Should we do it this way or that way?” The star kid admired that for a newcomer, this level of inclusion was both surprising and comforting. Shanaya also revealed she was initially unsure how to respond, given Vikrant’s stature, but felt truly valued something she believes reflects both his character and his craft as an actor.

“Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan”, which marks acting debut of Shanaya Kapoor, is slated for a theatrical release on July 11.