Over the last five years (2020–2025), there's been a notable rise in Hindi language films and web series set in rural areas and Tier 2/Tier 3 cities. This trend reflects a growing interest in regional narratives, grassroots issues, and small-town realism. Around 30–40 mainstream and indie films have been set in or heavily featured rural/tier-2/3 settings, and close to approximately 20–25 major Hindi web series have explored these settings, especially on platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, SonyLIV, and Zee5. Some of the most notable content includes Panchayat, a fantastic web series, cinematic in scope, set in Phulera, a rural village in Uttar Pradesh. Other memorable ones include Anurag Basu's Ludo and Amit Masurkar's Sherni (2021) helmed by Vidya Balan, who put the spotlight on the man-animal conflict set in a forest inside a remote village. Then there was Anubhav Sinha's Bheed (2023) and Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies (2023), both set in the countryside, bringing lesser-known stories to life.
On day three of WAVES 2025, celebrities were seen talking about the many advantages of shooting in tier-two and tier-three cities and how "Bollywood is now increasingly training its lens in smaller towns while also telling their stories". In separate events, both Vikrant Massey and Ekta Kapoor stressed the need "to look beyond one's horizons" and make the most of the "green pastures" being offered by governments in smaller cities across India.
When asked what the top three facilities she looks for were while choosing a production destination, Ekta Kapoor said that the most important consideration for her while choosing a location was the "ease of doing work there".
"Making a movie or a show is a commercial business, and when you leave your own city to shoot, there are additional costs like accommodation, food, etc. So when you actually choose a destination, you choose it for the financial rebates you will get in return for setting your entire shooting in that city. Then, of course, the policies, because you need that one window where you can get all your permissions sorted. Third is the availability of scenic locations and cinematic beauty. But more than anything else, I want a city that offers me quick execution and passing of files when it comes to permissions; I do not want to be answering hundreds of calls while I'm at work."
Kapoor was speaking at a roundtable during a session titled 'Digital Dreams and Cinematic Visions: Madhya Pradesh As the Next Creative Hub'. She officially launched the Film Tourism Policy 2025 of the Madhya Pradesh government. The session also witnessed the launch of the AVGC XR Policy 2025 and the Second Phase of the Madhya Pradesh Film Cell Portal. Kapoor was accompanied by Shobha Sant, CEO of Creativeland Studios and a seasoned producer, who shot the film Stree 2 in MP using local talent and technicians. She also spoke about an upcoming Australian co-production that has also chosen MP as its location.
“People who come once to Madhya Pradesh want to keep coming back,” said Sant, adding that international productions like Lion and A Suitable Boy were also shot in the state.
Massey, whose 12th Fail received huge acclaim both nationally and internationally, spoke on 'why the film industry's choice of moving locations has a direct bearing on the kind of content it churns out and the form of storytelling it inspires," echoing Kapoor's sentiments, albeit in a different event at WAVES 2025.
"I have been fortunate to work on all entertainment platforms, from a decade of television to short films on YouTube, then on OTT platforms and the big screen, but a lot has changed now. One thing that has remained constant is our appetite for entertainment, but that also led to the problem of plenty. I think we are, in a way, democratising content by shifting to smaller towns and cities and incubating talent there, as well as bringing back the best of creative content that they have to offer," said Massey. "Today a guy from Sitamarhi in Bihar is watching global cinema on his phone. So entertainment, in a way, is the big equaliser today."
"Of course, at the heart of it is also that we get huge discounts and financial leverage at these places that we continue to shoot in smaller towns, and so many stories are now coming from there. That is the most fundamental reason," added Kapoor. One thing actors and producers alike had on their wishlist was "more financial benefits and ease of doing business and a single window for permission clearance"; smaller towns will soon "witness an even more significant surge in production houses and content studios moving there not just to shoot but also to be inspired."