With "Bareilly Ki Barfi", Behen Hogi Teri" and most recently "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", Bollywood seems to be banking on the small-town North Indian love stories.
But Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari says today films are becoming more about tracing one's origin in the wake of information explosion.
In an interview with PTI, director of "Bareilly..." says, "Nowadays everything is a touch away. The younger generation comprises of people who are educated and have gone to work in IT companies and banks. People have migrated from smaller towns and have settled in bigger cities.
"I feel when you make your mark in the city, you want to go back to your roots. Now, we just want to revisit the simpler things in life because there is so much of influx of everything around us."
Her first film "Nil Battey Sannata" won over both the audience and critics for the deft handling of a mother- daughter relationship and with "Bareilly..." Ashwiny says she tried to present a hopeful and futuristic equation between a father-daughter (Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi).
"I wanted to create a father and daughter relationship which reflects a lot about our society today. But I didn't want to overtly talk about it because I was not making a very socially inclined film.
"I was still talking about the little intricacies very important in the day and age when girl is getting married after education, the father is also equally worried about her and what she wants to do. Here was a father who understands that his daughter has her own faults. Instead of blaming them, he rejoices in them and that's what is important."
The filmmaker says she had an inkling the people will enjoy watching the movie but she wants them to have more fun in theatres than she did on the sets while making the film.
"I watch and make films from the audiences' point of view. If I'm laughing while making the film, I can safely say the audience will enjoy it too.
"But if I'm having a tough time in trying to make sense out of what I've done, I cannot expect the people to like it. It'll be selfish of me to deliver something like that. I can't take them for granted or be overconfident."
The director says she did not expect such an overwhelming response but life is still the same for her.
"It is only my second film and I want to keep doing better and better. I think I have little more experience today. I never really feel confident about the success," she says.
The film features actors Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa.
It was Rajkummar's performance in the dual version as Pritam Vidrohi that seems to have floored the audiences the most.
But Ashwiny says the actor simply did full justice to his role, like other cast members.
"He is an am amazing actor but he didn't outshine others. I'm the mother of the movie and I can never differentiate amongst my characters. They are all equal in my eyes. All of them had been author-backed roles - be it him, Kriti, Ayushmann, Pankaj ji or Seema ji. They have been written like this. Everyone has done what they were supposed to do.
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