'Merry Christmas' review: Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif open 2024 with a bang – India Today

In the course of big-budget motion movies and formula-ridden sequels and remakes comes a Sriram Raghavan movie to remind us all that nice cinema is within the areas between dialogues and the way unconventional pairings can do fantastic issues on the large display screen. ‘Merry Christmas’ has Vijay Sethupathi paired reverse Katrina Kaif in a scrumptious whodunnit that takes its time to simmer and ship a scorching climax.

Raghavan’s approach and execution has at all times been top-notch. His movies could be studied and meticulously damaged right down to dish out chapters on the right way to body a stellar scene. ‘Merry Christmas’ is a thriller however not your common run-of-the-mill varieties.

Watch the trailer of ‘Merry Christmas’ right here:

It tells the story of two strangers – Albert (Vijay) and Maria (Katrina Kaif) – who unknowingly cross paths and are sucked right into a vortex of unlucky occasions. You realize you’re in for a roller-coaster experience when it’s a Sriram Raghavan movie and ‘Merry Christmas’ doesn’t disappoint. It retains you on the sting of your seat, guessing and anticipating Albert and Maria’s subsequent transfer.

For those who go in anticipating an ‘Andhadhun’, then you’re in for a disappointment as a result of ‘Merry Christmas’ can’t be in comparison with the director’s earlier work. The movie has its fair proportion of points – the first one being its tempo and the way lengthy it takes for the ball to begin rolling. The primary half is spent on lengthy pauses, lovely photographs of Bombay within the 80s and the interiors of a mysterious home. Raghavan is in no rush or hurry to place tempo to his screenplay.

What works for the movie is the stable second half the place you’re seductively drawn into Maria and Albert’s eerie waltz. Sethupathi is a delight, and he simply fills up each body together with his easy one-liners and that impossible to resist attraction. There’s a scene that drew applause primarily based on his sheer expressions, no dialogue required. Katrina Kaif surrenders to Raghavan’s imaginative and prescient and follows his cues. That is simply a efficiency that may break the shackles of any preconceived notions you may need concerning the ‘hard-working’ actress.

Sanjay Kapoor, in his brief however impactful cameo, is spectacular and so are Vinay Pathak and Ashwini Kalsekar. Apart from its two lead actors, the most important supporting pillar of the movie is its digicam work and background rating. Each seamlessly work with one another to create this world of thriller and intrigue. The climax and the Easter eggs main upto it’s a main spotlight of the movie. I can say that your endurance can be well-rewarded because the movie rolls into its post-credit scenes.

‘Merry Christmas’ is a terrific begin to 2024 and a welcome break from the tailored cinema that feels repetitive. Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif’s pairing is the ace of spade that makes the movie a sure-shot winner.

It is 3.5 out of 5 stars for ‘Merry Christmas’.

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