'I'll keep making these films': 'Bison' director Mari Selvaraj on crafting films with social impact

Mari Selvaraj is basking in the success of his latest directorial release, Bison, starring Dhruv Vikram. The movie is a sports drama with a societal theme and has been performing well at the box office. Recently, during the success meeting of the film, the director shared about making socially impactful themes.

According to a report by Gulte, during an event, he addressed critics who questioned why he focuses on socially charged narratives rather than mainstream entertainment. "Don't ask why I take these kinds of films. It affects me heavily. I am very adamant that I will make films addressing caste issues. 300 films are being made purely for entertainment. Leave me alone," he stated.

The 41-year-old filmmaker also shared his approach to filmmaking, which is that cinema should either entertain or educate.

He also mentioned that while entertainment films dominate the industry, few stories tackle pressing social concerns. "Films like Bison are meant to shed light on social realities while still engaging audiences," he added.

His recent film 'Bison' tells the story of a kabaddi player, Kittayya, who comes from a marginalized community and faces difficulty making his place in the sport. The movie stars Dhruv Vikram in the lead role, supported by actors like Pasupathy, Ameer, Lal, Anupama Parameswaran, Rajisha Vijayan, and Azhagam Perumal.At the box office, it performed impressively, collecting more than Rs 30 crore in India over 9 days. The film has become a decent commercial success after making more than its budget.The movie has been released on October 17, 2025.