In a conversation with GQ India, Vikrant Massey talked about how he prepared for the role. He said, “I spent almost a year and a half preparing for the film, and the three months prior to the shooting were filled with extensive workshops and reading sessions. I had to lose weight and tan my skin. While tanning, my skin actually got burnt, and I freaked out, thinking we’d have to push our shoot by a couple of weeks.”

Massey said that he informed director Vidhu Vinod Chopra about the skin burn. However, the director took it in his stride and said that they could shoot with the burn. He continued, “He said that this was a boon and now we wouldn’t need any makeup. We’d be going in raw.”

However, the actor revealed that the physical transformation was not the tough part. He revealed, “The toughest part of this journey for me, however, was the emotional weight that came with playing this character. Someone who represents the dreams of millions of Indians. To tell a real India story that would resonate with the masses.”

Based on the life of IPS Manoj Kumar, ‘12th Fail’ is based on a book written by Anurag Pathak. The book revolves around Kumar’s life as he starts his journey from Chambal and is determined to clear the highly competitive UPSC exam.