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Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a latest example of Bollywood’s old fixation with small-town love stories

Alia Bhatt-Varun Dhawan starrer Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a fresh example of how Bollywood filmmakers are choosing to portray love stories set in non-metro cities

The much-awaited trailer of Alia Bhatt-Varun Dhawan starrer Badrinath Ki Dulhania was unveiled on Thursday. The promo of Shashank Khaitan directorial venture looks impressive and might turn out to be a paisa vasool film. The film is set in Jhansi, revolving around a guy-next-door named Badrinath Bansal (Dhawan) who falls in love with Vaidehi Trivedi (Alia).

In recent times, Bollywood films have undergone a major change as the makers want the viewers to know about stories beyond the metropolitan cities. Today, an average cinema-goer is more interested to know about what kind of love stories blossom in cities like Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi, Bhopal, Ranchi or Kanpur. Young girls want to be a badass like Tanuja Trivedi from Tanu Weds Manu who is sought after by a Kundan in Raanjhanaa.

With the multiplexes finally making it to Tier II and III cities in India, a cinema-goer expects to connect himself or herself with the characters portrayed on the silver screen. Alia Bhatt, who played an Ambala girl in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, wanted a designer lehenga worn by Kareena Kapoor for her wedding. Now, don’t confuse with Badrinath, haan? I am just giving an example.

Similarly, when a 20-something man watches Deepak (Vicky Kaushal) in Masaan, he is reminded of how much he must have sweated it out to woo his love interest—from adding her on Facebook to finally taking her on a date. Or, he recalls the snub received from the lady when he wants to hold her hand without seeking her ‘permission’ (remember Gangs of Wasseypur?)

In Bollywood films, we have always followed a simple formula: boy meets girl, they fall in love and get married. Happy ending! This formula has remained more or less the same with the passage of time. But a couple like Raghu and Gayatri choosing not to marry in Shuddh Desi Romance has also been received well by the audience. Whether Badrinath has a different ending or not, it will be only seen when the flick hits the theatres on March 10.

But a change in the approach is indeed praiseworthy. After all, a viewer wants to spend 300-odd bucks in a cinema hall for a movie which touches their lives in some way or the other.

 

Also readBadrinath Ki Dulhania trailer: This Alia Bhatt-Varun Dhawan film is utterly colourful and total fun