Review: 'Merry Christmas' is another beguiling Sriram Raghavan concoction as Katrina Kaif delivers career best

Merry Christmas

We have done something good with our karma (just a bit) to have a  new year begin by watching first an Abhishek Chaubey project and now, a Sriram Raghavan film. The latter, being the master of black-comedy suspense thrillers, is back after a rather long gap of five years, where so many of us are still talking, loving, debating and wondering about his knockout, Andhadhun (2018).

Now, with Merry Christmas, times have changed, but Raghavan hasn't and in the best way possible. Assembling a commercial megastar, Katrina Kaif and pairing her with the powerhouse that is Vijay Sethupathi, he grabs your attention right from the outset. While doing so, Raghavan is staying true to his calling and weaving out a mind-bending suspense saga. A recipe filled with slow-burning moments, big revelations, mysteries, betrayals and, of course, delicious dark comedy and still, everything is merry about it. Having had the chance to see Merry Christmas beforehand, here's what I thought about it-

Dark, Mysterious and Incredibly Funny

Just like with Chaubey's series, Killer Soup, I felt like a kid in a candy store yet again watching Raghavan's Merry Christmas. His supreme sense of inserting a truckload of homages, easter eggs, references, and, of course, nostalgia leads to being a fun exercise in itself, even if you are somehow not invested in the film (which isn't possible, though). As a nerd, you might find yourself noting down and revelling all the instances that are filled with the aforementioned aspects and this film, too, has that in abundance. 

Right from a small tribute to the late great director Shakti Samanta and the retro tunes, a few dialogues and quotes from films and actors, some subtle parallels between Andhadhun and Merry Christmas in terms of staging, being self-aware and more and more and more - this might be one of the most il-formed sentences in grammar but encapsulates all the madness that ensues. This can be an infinitely long piece just mentioning all these things it won't be. Rest assured. 

Raghavan, yet again, takes his sweet time to set things up, and the first half might feel a drag to you as little to nothing happens in terms of you being on the edge of your seat. But the second half promises that you're in for a ride of 'woahs', 'man!', 'I did not see that coming's. To not oversell the impact, the basics are indeed rather basic, and one of the first revelations isn't as surprising, but the director man's talent to still somehow bend your mind, twist your thoughts and destroy all your assumptions reign supreme. You might know you know everything, but you will be left questioning almost every time.

Vijay Sethupathi -What Can't You Do!

Just like we are lucky to see the likes of Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sensharma have a blast in Killer Soup, we should consider ourselves lucky to be witnessing Vijay Sethupathi in one masterclass act after another. The unstoppable force continues to be a commercial player with negative roles in mega films but reminds us of his capability of being a thespian with performances like those in Farzi, Vidhuthalai - Part 1 and now, Merry Christmas. Here, he exudes a sense of charm while being as quiet and mysterious as Albert and trust me when I say his comic timing is extremely underrated and should be appreciated and used even more. What an actor, and what an incredibly funny, poignant and effective performance.

Meet Katrina Kaif 2.0

And oh, my world! If there is one actor whose maturity and growth have been exponential and jaw-dropping over the past few years, it is Katrina's Kaif. Merry Christmas is her best Hindi film performance so far, and that was a tall order considering she spawns a two-decade long career. Not only does Kaif hold her own against the stalwart that is Sethupathi, but the actor is as fearless and confident as Maria. From showcasing her vulnerability to being a protective mother, a lady making perplexing choices to being fierce - Kaif plays Maria with incredible ease and deserves all the plaudits possible.

Raghavan gets the best out of his entire cast, which also has delightful cameos from Radhika Apte, Vinay Pathak, and Ashwini Kalsekar, especially with Kalsekar, where I just couldn't stop laughing. And, in classic Raghavan fashion, the man knits a tight screenplay leading to the big moment in the climax that, once again, leaves you with more questions than answers. His films are designed to be open-ended and ho for discussion, which also became a factor as all of us exited the cinema hall.

The Verdict

Merry Christmas justifies and fulfils the unshakeable legacy of Sriram Raghavan and his style of filmmaking just the way you expected it to be. It might not have the same gravitas and impact that his earlier films had, but they still satisfy your visit to the theatre, knowing what you have signed up for. Be hooked, pay attention and enjoy this wild ride.

Rating - ***1/2 (3.5/5)