Mari Selvaraj: ‘I Will Keep Making Films on Caste Inequality, Leave Me Alone’

Tamil director Mari Selvaraj, known for making films with social messages, spoke at a success meet for his latest film, Bison. The film, starring Dhruv Vikram, released in Tamil on October 17 as a Diwali release. The Telugu version was not released for Diwali due to multiple films competing at the box office. It was released in Telugu on Friday, opening with good word of mouth and decent occupancy.

Since its release, Bison has received positive word of mouth. Several theatres reported full houses, while a section of the audience shared critical comments on social media. Many discussions have focused on the type of films Selvaraj chooses to make, noting that his work often highlights caste and social issues rather than mainstream entertainment.

At the success meet, Selvaraj addressed these comments and made an emotional request. “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. There are 300 films being made purely for entertainment. Leave me alone,” he said.

He further explained his approach to filmmaking. According to Selvaraj, cinema should either entertain or educate. While entertainment films are common, movies that address social issues are few. This has guided his choices in stories and themes. He emphasized that films like Bison are meant to shed light on social realities while still engaging audiences.

Selvaraj made his directorial debut with Pariyerum Perumal, which received a good response. His later film Karnan, starring Dhanush, also performed well. Bison continues his focus on socially relevant themes, combining storytelling with a message.

Bison Kaalamaadan stars Dhruv Vikram, Pasupathy, Ameer, Lal, Anupama Parameswaran, Rajisha Vijayan, and others. Written and directed by Mari Selvaraj, the film is produced by Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal, P.A. Ranjith, and Aditi Anand under Applause Entertainment and Neelam Studios.