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

Movie Reviews 12 Jan 2024

Rating:***

We have executed some thing precise with our karma (just a piece) to have a  new year begin with the aid of looking first an Abhishek Chaubey assignment and now, a Sriram Raghavan film. The latter, being the grasp of black-comedy suspense thrillers, is back after a alternatively lengthy gap of 5 years, in which so a lot of us are nevertheless talking, loving, debating and wondering approximately his knockout, Andhadhun (2018).

Now, with Merry Christmas, instances have changed, but Raghavan hasn't and within the nice way viable. Assembling a business famous person, Katrina Kaif and pairing her with the powerhouse that is Vijay Sethupathi, he grabs your interest right from the outset. While doing so, Raghavan is staying authentic to his calling and weaving out a thoughts-bending suspense saga. A recipe packed with sluggish-burning moments, big revelations, mysteries, betrayals and, of course, scrumptious darkish comedy and still, the entirety is merry about it. Having had the hazard to see Merry Christmas beforehand, right here's what I notion approximately it-

Dark, Mysterious and Incredibly Funny

Just like with Chaubey's series, Killer Soup, I felt like a child in a sweet shop another time watching Raghavan's Merry Christmas. His perfect feel of putting a truckload of homages, easter eggs, references, and, of route, nostalgia leads to being a a laugh workout in itself, even if you are by some means now not invested within the movie (which is not viable, although). As a nerd, you might find your self noting down and revelling all the times which can be filled with the aforementioned components and this movie, too, has that in abundance. 

Right from a small tribute to the overdue fantastic director Shakti Samanta and the retro tunes, some dialogues and quotes from movies and actors, some diffused parallels between Andhadhun and Merry Christmas in terms of staging, being self-conscious and increasingly and extra - this is probably one of the most il-formed sentences in grammar but encapsulates all of the insanity that ensues. This can be an infinitely long piece just mentioning all this stuff it might not be. Rest assured. 

Raghavan, over again, takes his sweet time to set things up, and the first half may sense a drag to you as little to nothing occurs in phrases of you being on the threshold of your seat. But the second one half of guarantees which you're in for a trip of 'woahs', 'man!', 'I did not see that coming's. To now not oversell the effect, the basics are indeed instead primary, and one of the first revelations isn't as surprising, but the director man's expertise to nonetheless by hook or by crook bend your thoughts, twist your mind and smash all of your assumptions reign splendid. You might realize you recognize everything, but you'll be left wondering almost whenever.

Vijay Sethupathi -What Can't You Do!

Just like we're lucky to see the likes of Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sensharma have a blast in Killer Soup, we have to take into account ourselves lucky to be witnessing Vijay Sethupathi in a single masterclass act after another. The unstoppable pressure continues to be a business participant with terrible 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 attraction even as being as quiet and mysterious as Albert and accept as true with me after I say his comedian timing is extremely underrated and should be liked and used even greater. What an actor, and what a really funny, poignant and effective performance.

Meet Katrina Kaif 2.0

And oh, my world! If there is one actor whose adulthood and boom had been exponential and jaw-losing over the past few years, it is Katrina's Kaif. Merry Christmas is her first-rate Hindi movie overall performance to date, and that became a tall order considering she spawns a two-decade long career. Not handiest does Kaif keep her personal towards the stalwart that is Sethupathi, but the actor is as fearless and confident as Maria. From showcasing her vulnerability to being a protective mom, a lady making perplexing choices to being fierce - Kaif plays Maria with exquisite ease and deserves all of the plaudits viable.

Raghavan receives the pleasant out of his complete forged, which additionally has pleasant cameos from Radhika Apte, Vinay Pathak, and Ashwini Kalsekar, especially with Kalsekar, where I simply couldn't prevent giggling. And, in conventional Raghavan fashion, the person knits a decent screenplay leading to the big moment in the climax that, over again, leaves you with more questions than answers. His films are designed to be open-ended and ho for dialogue, which also became a component as every body 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 anticipated it to be. It won't have the identical gravitas and effect that his earlier movies had, however they nonetheless satisfy your visit to the theatre, knowing what you have got signed up for. Be hooked, pay interest and experience this wild ride.

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

Read News Review: Merry Christmas is another beguiling Sriram Raghavan concoction as Katrina Kaif delivers career best Online.