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Merry Christmas Movie Review Rating: 4 Stars
Star Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Katrina Kaif, Radhika Apte, Sanjay Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Tinnnu Anand, Ranjan Raj, Aditi Govitrikar
Director: Sriram Raghavan
What’s Good: The kid in Vijay Sethupathi, Katrina Kaif matching the VS brilliance & Sriram Raghavan delivering back-to-back bangers like a boss
What’s Bad: People will compare this with Andhadhun; please don’t!
Loo Break: This won’t leave you even for a second!
Watch or Not?: This should be the first film you watch as soon as you finish this review
Language: Hindi
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 2 hours 24 minutes
User Rating: ★★★☆☆
Story:
It’s Christmas evening in Bombay. Jingle Bell plays as Santa (Vijay Sethupathi) on a Bajaj Chetak spots a lady (Katrina Kaif) getting dumped at a restaurant. He follows her and things get messy. Little does he know, she has a masterplan to frame him for her husband’s murder. The story unfolds in one night, changing their lives.
Merry Christmas Movie Review: Script Analysis
Sriram Raghavan’s ‘Merry Christmas’ is a delightful mix of comedy and thrills, borrowing from Frédéric Dard’s ‘Bird In A Cage.’ The script, co-written by Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti, and Anukriti Pandey, weaves immaculate writing into the narrative. While it’s not a typical thriller, the film introduces a new genre – “Thrilledy,” combining humor and suspense.
The movie pays tribute to Shakti Samanta and evolves from a romantic film to a thrilling story with the right touch of drama. Unlike Andhadhun or Badlapur, it’s not dark or fast-paced like Johnny Gaddaar. ‘Merry Christmas’ has its unique DNA, offering a rollercoaster of emotions. Madhu Neelakandan’s cinematography beautifully captures vintage Bombay, creating a believable setting. To truly enjoy the film, set aside expectations from other Raghavan movies and embrace the unique charm of ‘Merry Christmas.’
Merry Christmas Movie Review: Star Performance
Vijay Sethupathi breaks traditional Bollywood rules with his unique style and effortlessly handles various characters like Sandhanam and Albert. His Hindi delivery captivates audiences more than the technical aspects.
Katrina Kaif surprises with her best performance yet, embodying Maria’s emotional journey convincingly. Sanjay Kapoor, in a special appearance, adds his natural presence. Radhika Apte, as always, shines in her supporting role. Vinay Pathak and Pratima Kazmi bring humor to the police characters, and Tinnu Anand contributes well in a lending role. The ensemble cast, inspired by Sethupathi’s aura, delivers a commendable performance overall.
Merry Christmas Movie Review: Direction, Music
Sriram Raghavan impresses once again, no surprise after Badlapur and Andhadhun. The unexpected humor is a shocker, making this film stand out from ‘Le Monte-Charge’ (a 1962 French film on the same novel). Despite the Noir element, Raghavan treats it as an entertaining film, not just about thrills.
Switching from Sachin-Jigar to Amit Trivedi and now Pritam, Raghavan proves he has the best ear for songs. Varun Grover’s lyrics, inspired by ‘Some Enchanted Evening,’ perfectly fit the film’s situation. Raghavan’s go-to, Daniel B. George, delivers outstanding background score.
Read Also: Merry Christmas Box Office Collection | Worldwide | Day Wise | Budget | Hit Or Flop
Merry Christmas Movie Review: The Last Word
In Last Word, Merry Christmas is a rare gem that you can enjoy anytime, anywhere, without regrets. Its enduring appeal sets it apart, making it a film with a long shelf life – a rarity in today’s cinema.
Four stars!
Merry Christmas Trailer
Merry Christmas releases on 12 January 2024.
Share with us your experience of watching Merry Christmas.
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