The term "Masala" was first used in the 1970s to describe a type of film that combined various elements of Indian cinema, such as song and dance numbers, melodrama, and action sequences. The Masala film emerged as a response to the changing tastes and preferences of Indian audiences, who were looking for more entertainment and escapism in their cinema. The genre was popularized by filmmakers like Vijay Bhatt, K. Balachander, and Manmohan Desai, who experimented with different storylines, characters, and film styles.