Aditya Aman, a debutant filmmaker, believes that stories set in the Hindi heartland are connecting well with audiences. He shot his feature film, Rajni Ki Baraat, in his hometown of Darbhanga, Bihar, which he says is a more realistic approach to filmmaking.
According to Aman, the storytelling mode has changed, with either big-budget films or very realistic story settings. He notes that real locations bring out natural beauty and that people connect with the Hindi belt and the Ganga basin.
Aman chose to shoot in Darbhanga to showcase a different side of the region, which he feels hasn't been accurately portrayed in cinema. He was inspired by the film policies of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which opened the door for filmmakers to shoot in Bihar.
The film's protagonist, Ulka Gupta, has roots in Bihar, and most of the other actors are from the region. Aman's story is inspired by real-life events, including a news article about a girl who took her baraat in 2010.
Aman started his journey in media as an executive producer and gradually transitioned to films. He is hopeful about his film, which he believes will work commercially and help him scale up his next project.
