A quick look at Puri Jagannadh’s filmography tells you that he swears by masala films. For the director, mainstream cinema is the ticket to keep the industry functioning. “There is more money and employment generated, and it offers three hours of escapism. Everyone wins,” he reasons. Yet, his next, Liger, is releasing at a time when only a handful of films have performed well at the box office.

Salman Khan and Puri Jagannadh. Pic/Satej Shinde