New Delhi, May 31 (PTI): His characters have ample dose of middle-class sensibilities and come from places like Kanpur, Varanasi and Haryana but "Tanu Weds Manu Returns" director Aanand L Rai says he is not trying to sell small-town India through his films.

"Tanu Weds Manu Returns" has crossed Rs 100 crore at the box office and a lot can be contributed to the snappy, smart and deeply-rooted dialogues in his movies.

The director says it is easy to tell a story if you keep it in a real place rather than putting it where it does not belong.

"I have not lived in a small town for a long time now, the only thing I can do is stay real... As a filmmaker I have to change. I am not selling small town. I have not caught onto a formula. I have caught onto an emotion. I feel if nobody else is thinking about a boy from Varanasi or a girl from Jhajjar, then I should do it," the director told PTI during a visit here.

Rai said the reason behind his attraction towards small-town and middle class stories is his upbringing. And it is this mentality that has helped him find a connect with the Indian audience.

"My films are synced with the heart-beat of small town India. We Indians basically by thought process are middle class... My middle class is the small town middle class. It has helped me to portray the middle class in an honest way.

What is working with the audience is actually real India.