masala films of indian cinema are those that mix genres in one work. typically these films freely mix action, comedy, romance, and drama or melodrama. they also tend to be musicals that include songs, often filmed in picturesque locations. the genre is named after the masala, a mixture of spices in indian cuisine. according to "the hindu", masala is the most popular genre of indian cinema. masala films have origins in 1970s bollywood (hindi) films, and are most common in bollywood and south indian films.