Merry Christmas by Sriram Raghavan was one of the most anticipated films in early 2024. The film stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles and marks the former actor’s debut in the Tamil industry. The Hindi version of Merry Christmas has talented stars like Sanjay Kapoor, Tinnu Anand, Vinay Pathak and Radhika Apte in pivotal roles. It is produced under the banners of Tips Films and Matchbox Pictures. Finally, the film has been watched! Merry Christmas was an engaging ride in the first half but it progressively loses its fun factor! However, The Katrina and Sethupathi film has many moments of surprise that make you laugh. And, here’s our detailed spoiler-free review of what works and what doesn’t in Merry Christmas.
Plot
Albert (Vijay Sethupathi) returns to Bombay on Christmas Eve after working for several years in Dubai. He is welcomed home by his neighbour (Tinnu Anand), and the two reminisce about some old days together. On the same evening, Albert meets Maria (Katrina Kaif) and her little daughter at a restaurant after she gets stood up by her date. The story progresses to show how the two strangers bond on Christmas Eve and spend valuable time together until everything goes upside down! Both of them go to Maria’s place to bring Christmas together but the date doesn’t go as planned when the clock strikes midnight. Maria and Albert discover the dead body of Maria’s husband Jerome in the living room of her house and that’s where the thrill begins!
Characters And Performances
Vijay Sethipathi (Albert) was a delight to watch on the big screen because of his very adorable and mysterious character. The actor’s perfect dialogue delivery gave the most amount of comic relief in this suspense thriller. In many scenes, Vijay Sethupathi was effortless which kept the audience hooked to the film. On the other hand, Katrina Kaif also delivered an impressive performance and did justice to her role as Maria. However, the trouble and disappointment stemmed from the characters’ lack of depth and mystery, which we had hoped to see. The revelations about the characters’ past did not have the shock value like other Raghavan films. Throughout, there was a feeling of disconnect with the lead characters, their stories and miseries. As supporting actors, Tinnu Anand and Sanjay Kapoor’s performances were memorable. Radhika Apte’s cameo is eventually forgotten. Well, that was new!
Music
Since Merry Christmas is a mystery thriller, the background score and music had a crucial role to play in building the audience’s interest in the film and of course, for that one scary jump. This film has a few songs like the title track, Nazar Teri Toofan and Raat Akeli Thi. The slow and soothing songs were enjoyable and were used perfectly as background scores in the film. It was one of the most memorable parts of Merry Christmas. There were moments where I found myself swaying away with the music while Maria and Albert enjoyed their cute date!
Also Read: Merry Christmas Trailer: Katrina Kaif, Vijay Sethupathi Promise A Dark And Twisted Romantic Date In 2024!
Direction And Screenplay
We of course had a lot of expectations because it was Sriram Raghavan’s film and we have seen his other works like Andhadhun and Badlapur. However, to my surprise, the storytelling in Merry Christmas was quite bland. In the first half, despite the pace being slow, the story builds up engagingly because we are clueless and want to know more about the characters and what happens next. But once the mystery starts unfolding, it gets more and more predictable. Just like other mystery thrillers, everything in the plot is interconnected but once the dots are connected, it either makes you say “What” or you’re just left feeling more disappointed. There were some hearty moments in Merry Christmas and most of it came from Vijay Sethupathi’s character and his dialogues.
Verdict
Merry Christmas was an average watch that failed to stand up to the set expectations. The performances are impressive, and the punchlines make the film a delightful watch. But with the lack of thrill in the storytelling and a predictable mystery barring a few intelligent surprises, Merry Christmas is a one-time watch. It is currently running in the theatres.