A reader messaged me after they finished reading The Wedding Chase. “It was a good read for passing time,” they said. “But the story felt familiar.” That line’s been sitting with me. I’ve been thinking about whether I should make what I love or what will sell. The tension between choosing what might work commercially vs what I would like to make. The business and marketing skills I spent the last 5 years developing vs the artistic and filmmaking skills I spent the five years before that developing.

A Return to Writing After Five Years Away

After I couldn’t get my debut feature film Munnariv where I wanted it to, I had been head-deep into learning the business and marketing side of the industry. I thought I’d be gone a year. It stretched into five.

During those 5 years, I didn’t write anything. Nothing creative at least. When I finally came back to writing fiction, I didn’t know how to begin. So I began where it was easiest. A novella. A rom-com. Something that was light, easy to write and probably easy to read.

I see The Wedding Chase as me starting to walk again. Not running, yet.

Commercial Reach or Artistic Alignment?

But now the question is: which direction?

On one side is The Wedding Chase. Something that can easily be turned into a screenplay for a Malayalam feature film. The story has marketability. It is easy for a reader to follow and easy to explain to potential investors. People are curious just by seeing the cover of The Wedding Chase. They want to know more when they hear its logline. A wedding. A missing bride. A police groom. Chase. Crashes. Comedy. Romance.

It is an easy sell, to a reader, to a producer and later as a film to an audience.

And on the other side is Bed Demons (working title). A screenplay that is still being written. Unlike The Wedding Chase, this is a story I still don’t know how to describe, other than it being a psychological horror thriller. And at the same time, it is not a true horror either. Else it might have been attractive to the pure horror fans.

All this makes it harder to pitch, to a producer, and later as a film. But it has a lot more layers and nuance than The Wedding Chase. And a story I feel drawn to. The idea even first came to me in a dream.

So here I am, confused, wondering which to choose. Which to pitch to a producer. Should I make what I love or what will sell?

The Fear of Being Boxed In

Because whether I like it or not, many a time the thing that opens the door may decide which rooms you’ll be allowed into later. Especially in creative fields, what gets noticed first often becomes what you’re known for. And what people expect from you.

And maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe I’m just afraid. Maybe I am procrastinating.

But I’ve been reading and noting this for years. According to Hidden Brain (Apple Podcasts), making art in line with current trends may help you find early success. But it can also reduce your chances of long-term originality.

In other words: you can’t play to the crowd first and then expect to be seen as different later. Not impossible. But not easy.

What I think I’m afraid of is this: if The Wedding Chase succeeds, I’ll be boxed in. Seen as the director who makes timepass movies. And what if I can’t break out of that?

Finding Hope in Other Creators’ Journeys

I once listened to this story by YouTuber Adam Ragusea. He went viral for a food video he didn’t think much of and became known as “The guy who seasons his cutting board”. He didn’t feel restricted by the identity people gave him nor did he resent it. Instead, he embraced it. He said he was grateful for the chance.

“I’ll play the hit all night long.” Adam Ragusea

That gives me hope. That maybe one need not be boxed in. Or even if you are, maybe it’s not so bad.

Maybe it’s not even about those things. Maybe it’s about doing whatever it takes to get noticed in the first place.

I remember listening to an interview of actor Karthi though I don’t know which. He was just getting started with his career and was offered two choices. One was a more artistic role, and the other a more commercial one. He went to director Mani Ratnam for advice. Mani sir told him to do the commercial role first. And later to shift to whatever artistic roles he wished. I am paraphrasing here from memory. I saw this many years back.

Karthi went on to have a celebrated career. This too gives me hope. Even if I get seen as the director making passable films, I can still choose to break free of that.

Maybe Both Can Coexist

Maybe I should follow Mani sir’s advice as well. Let the rom-com, The Wedding Chase, open the door. I will walk through it and then do the psychological horror thriller Bed Demons or whatever story I wish to tell next. Let the crowd first come for laughter. Let the horror follow.

Whatever way opens up next, what still holds true is that writing The Wedding Chase brought me back. And Bed Demons hasn’t let me go.

So I wait. I will do what I have to do to finish the work with The Wedding Chase. I will also do what needs to be done for Bed Demons. And see whatever door opens.

Some door always opens somewhere. Let me just be prepared with my guns when that happens, as lyricist Gulzar once said.