Merry Christmas (2024)

On Christmas Eve, an architect returns to his hometown, Mumbai (when it was called Bombay), after seven years to mourn his deceased mother. As he goes through her belongings in their now-empty house, a burden of sadness and nostalgia overwhelms him.

Filled with the desire to disappear into the city for the night, he soon discovers that disappearing is not as easy as he expected. As fate unfolds, his journey becomes intertwined with that of a captivating and mysterious woman and her young daughter. Over the coming hours, they share stories and bond, hope fluttering like delicate butterflies around them amid the city’s festive cheer.

However, the pleasant atmosphere takes a sharp turn, and what begins as a dream-like encounter soon turns into an unexpected and horrifying nightmare.

Movie Storyline

Meet architect Albert, played by Vijay Sethupathi, and mysterious Maria, played by the dazzling Katrina Kaif. It’s a strange but captivating pairing. Superstar Kaif, known for her stunning looks, sometimes hesitates to take up acting roles.

On the other hand, Sethupathi, fondly called Makkal Selvan, is an actor who is deeply loved by his wide audience. The year 2024 has already presented us with some dynamic first-time cinematic pairings, starting with Konkona Sen Sharma and Manoj Bajpayee in Abhishek Chaubey’s quirky drama, Killer Soup.

Now, we have Kaif and Sethupathi sharing the screen, and there is more to come, including the much-awaited pairing of Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan in Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film, Fighter.

Merry Christmas unfolds as a classic neo-noir thriller, based on French crime writer Frédéric Dard’s 1961 novel “Bird in a Cage.” The film’s mastermind Sriram Raghavan pays homage to renowned director Shakti Samanta, known for his iconic Hindi blockbusters in the 1960-70s. These include gems like “Kashmir Ki Kali,” “An Evening in Paris,” “Aradhana,” “Kati Patang,” and “Amar Prem.”

In Raghavan’s nuanced storytelling, he devotes time to setting up the world and introducing the key players. Along the way, he sprinkles the narrative with plenty of pop-culture references, challenging the audience to pick up on the clues and solve the mystery before it’s finally revealed.

Starcast Performance

Sriram Raghavan adds layers to his narrative with clever motifs and satire. In a world where deception is common, he asks Albert and Maria to see “Pinocchio” at a theater – a film featuring a wooden puppet whose nose grows with every lie.

The motif of birds, particularly the origami swan drawn and released by Albert, becomes a recurring theme with important plot implications.

The little bird in the cage, who was initially the Christmas tree’s helper, also plays an important role from the beginning of the film. Meanwhile, Maria’s daughter clings to a giant teddy bear, a symbol of their burdensome past. The weight is too heavy for her alone, but Albert offers to share it.

As the story approaches its climax, the revelation of the two teddy bears reflects the duality in the personalities of both Maria and Albert. When one of them is burned, it symbolizes Maria’s liberation from her burden and marks a turning point in the story. The film’s motifs intertwine, adding depth and nuance to the storytelling.

Katrina Kaif’s role in “Merry Christmas” is one of the best acting opportunities she’s had in years, and she accepts it with obvious enthusiasm. Sriram Raghavan, along with co-writers Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti, and Anukriti Pandey, capitalize on Kaif’s strengths by imbuing the character of Maria with charm and ambiguity, giving Kaif enough material to deliver a compelling performance.

However, despite her honesty, it seems like Kaif has room for improvement. Even when her character stops pretending, the sense of play-acting persists, and doubts about her devotion to her daughter persist until the final moments. This comparison has been made considering how someone like Tabu would have approached the role.

Direction and Production

Vijay Sethupathi has been making his mark in Hindi cinema with projects like “Farzie,” “Jawaan,” and now “Merry Christmas.” In this film, he plays the role of Albert, who is neither a cop nor a villain but a tired lonely man like Maria. Sethupathi’s quiet magic and assured charm, long appreciated by Tamil audiences, are now being discovered by Hindi cinema lovers.

His performance keeps the film engaging, especially as it gets a little long and entertaining and tests the audience’s patience.

The notable cameos of Sanjay Kapoor, Radhika Apte, and Ashwini Kalsekar add an extra layer of enjoyment. Daniel B George’s background score, as expected from a Sriram Raghavan film, is excellent.

Cinematographer Madhu Neelakandan has beautifully captured the dreamy and charming essence of South Bombay. Despite the success of “Andhadhun,” Raghavan chose Pritam instead of reuniting with Amit Trivedi for the music, and though the songs may not be as memorable, they contribute to setting the right mood and taking the story forward.

Yomovies Conclusion

Raghavan’s distinctive talent is evident in moments throughout the film. The scene where Albert and Maria dance with abandon is particularly poignant, full of heart despite the initial awkwardness. The climactic sequence, where nothing is said explicitly yet everything is implied, resonates emotionally.

Despite being billed as a crime thriller, “Merry Christmas” is essentially a love story. However, the big reveal, when it finally happens, fails to justify the elaborate build-up.

“Merry Christmas” shares thematic similarities with “Jaane Jaane,” another murder mystery adapted from an international novel, in this case, Keigo Higashino’s “The Devotion of Suspect X.” However, despite the similarities, “Merry Christmas” doesn’t match the eerie and thrilling atmosphere of its counterpart.

It falls into the category of films where the final revelation is jaw-dropping, leading the audience to seek meaning and satisfaction in the journey rather than the destination.

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