From the Tanu Weds Manu franchise and Raanjhanaa (2013) to Raksha Bandhan (2022), all Aanand L Rai films have one thing in common — they are all rooted in a middle-class setup. While the filmmaker hails from a similar background and has come a long way, he still likes to be rooted for the sake of his craft. 

“Mujhe pata hai main agar bahut zyaada badal gaya toh meri kahaniyaan bhi badal jaayengi and I want to retain them. My effort is to stay the way I was 20 years ago and keep the middle-class boy in me alive. By that, I don’t mean I want to be the same in terms of age. I know I will grow aur soch badlegi. But the basic crux of my identity aur mere andar ka middle-class boy corrupt nahin hona chahiye,” says the 52-year-old.

Rai, who is currently working on his next project, Tere Ishq Mein, adds, “Whether I live in a bigger house, with a bigger car, if the middle-class core gets corrupt, then it’s like a disease that will keep spreading,” adds Rai, who doesn’t consider filmmaking a job.

He explains, “I spend a lot of time on my stories. My target is to reach the audience with a lot of purity. You reach them, entertain them, give them what they are seeking... if you take that as a job, it will not happen. You need to be passionate [about your craft].”