Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani Warns Against Formulaic Rooted Storytelling

In October 2025, renowned filmmaker Nikkhil Advani cautioned against the tendency to treat rooted storytelling as a formula, even as it continues to resonate deeply with audiences. Advising a more nuanced approach, Advani cited the example of Sabar Bonda, a film he backed as an executive producer.

Sabar Bonda tells the story of a city-dwelling man who returns to his hometown in rural Maharashtra after a family bereavement and rekindles a romance with his childhood friend. Advani explained that the film's universal appeal lies in its exploration of emotions like grief and the fear of acceptance, rather than just its rooted setting.

"How does the audience in Utah (America) understand the rootedness of Sabar Bonda, which is set in a village in Maharashtra? Because they wouldn't have seen something like that. It is the emotion which is rooted and the emotion is universal," Advani said, drawing parallels to the global success of films like Call Me By Your Name.

Advani emphasized that while rooted storytelling can be a powerful anchor, not every story needs to be firmly grounded in a specific location or cultural context. "There are some stories that don't need to be rooted. They only need suspension of belief," he added.