Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Vikrant Massey Explains Impact Of Playing Sector 36 Killer
Vikrant Massey played a frightening character in the movie Sector 36.
The movie was inspired by the real Nithari case in Noida.
Massey did not accept the role immediately because he wanted the story told carefully.
He did not want to play the killer in an exaggerated way.
He said actors can sometimes feel the effects of difficult characters.
These effects can include feeling heavy or having sleepless nights.
Another movie, A Death In The Gunj, affected him so much that his mother noticed a change.
Massey said therapy helped him learn how to separate his acting roles from his personal life.
Vikrant Massey played a serial killer in the 2024 Netflix crime thriller Sector 36.
The film was inspired by the 2006 Nithari case involving deaths in Noida’s Sector 31.
Massey initially hesitated because he wanted the role handled without exaggeration or shock value.
He said dark roles can cause sleepless nights, though actors learn to separate work from personal life.
Massey said A Death In The Gunj affected him deeply and led him to begin therapy.
- Who
- Actor Vikrant Massey, director Aditya Nimbalkar, and the people connected to the Nithari case, including Moninder Singh Pandher and Surinder Koli.
- What
- Massey discussed how playing a serial killer in Sector 36 affected him and explained how therapy helped him detach from difficult roles.
- When
- Sector 36 was released in 2024; the Nithari case emerged in 2006; the reported legal and death developments occurred in 2023, November 2025, and September 2026.
- Where
- The real case occurred in Sector 31, Noida; Surinder Koli was reported to have died in Haridwar; the film was released on Netflix.
- Why
- Massey discussed the role because he had reservations about portraying another serial killer and wanted the character handled without sensationalism.
- Film
- Sector 36
- Release
- 2024 on Netflix
- Director
- Aditya Nimbalkar
- Real-life inspiration
- The 2006 Nithari case in Noida
- Massey's role
- A serial killer
- Earlier affected role
- Shyamal “Shutu” Chatterjee in A Death In The Gunj
- Support mentioned
- Therapy helped Massey detach from challenging roles