Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari Aims to Break Barriers with Star-Studded Tentpole Film
Renowned filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, celebrated for her heartfelt movies like Nil Battey Sannata and Bareilly Ki Barfi, has openly expressed her desire to direct a high-budget tentpole film. In a recent interview, she shared that her dream cast for such a project would feature Bollywood icons Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt, along with acclaimed actress Sai Pallavi.
Challenging Gender Norms in Big-Budget Cinema
Iyer Tiwari raised a poignant question about the film industry's gender dynamics, asking why event films with budgets of Rs. 100 crore or Rs. 1,000 crore are predominantly helmed by male directors. She remarked, "Why can't a woman make a Rs. 100 or Rs. 1,000 crore film, why only a male director has to make? I have one in the house (referring to her husband, director Nitesh Tiwari) but still." This statement underscores her ambition to shatter the glass ceiling in Indian cinema.
Creative Vision Meets Studio Backing
While Iyer Tiwari emphasized that she possesses the creative vision for a massive project, she highlighted that securing studio support is the most critical hurdle. "I just put it out there into the universe because you need a kind of platform, budget, and everything is there. I may have an idea today, but if the studio is putting in money, then they also need to have that much faith and a long-term plan on it. So, it's a two-way process," she explained. She hopes her wish list of Deepika, Alia, and Sai Pallavi will catch the attention of key industry players.
Exploring New Genres and Supporting Fellow Filmmakers
Beyond tentpole films, Iyer Tiwari expressed a keen interest in venturing into the action genre, citing favorites like Incredibles, Spider-Man, and Shahenshah. She also voiced her support for fellow director Geetu Mohandas's upcoming pan-India film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups, starring Yash, praising it as an encouragement for more storytellers.
Understanding Audience Preferences
To stay connected with market trends, Iyer Tiwari recently watched Dhurandhar in theaters, aiming to grasp what resonates with audiences. "For me it was more of a market check to see what makes the audiences happy and that is very important for us. We cannot shy away from that as a storyteller," she noted. She plans to watch the highly anticipated sequel, Dhurandhar 2, upon its release on March 19.
