Merry Christmas

Started off quite well and looked promising. Kind of fell apart halfway.

The whole initial set up though of the two lead characters first meeting seemed quite trite and unnatural. Actually it looked forced as if the director wanted to start off the narrative in a hurry and couldn't bother to build upon characterisation.

First half is intriguing and definitely watchable. Shame that in the second half everything went for a toss.

Vijay is a very good actor there's no doubt, but this is not for him. He looked totally uncomfortable and particularly so in the intimate scenes with Katrina.

Katrina does decent work - nothing amazing. She does try hard but the efforts show. I think if the dialogues were in English, she would be much better placed.

The narrative itself is weak in the second half and by the final scenes, you lose interest. Anyway still a better watch than what's coming out of B/wood these days, in the name of cinema.

Film Review: Merry Christmas now screening in theatres Synopsis - The paths of 2 lonely souls (Albert) Vijay Sethupathi & (Maria) Katrina Kaif cross on a Christmas Eve somewhere in the 1990's when Mumbai was still called Bombay. They get drawn towards each other before a chain of horrific events threaten to derail their lives forever!!

All events depicted on the film happen in the course of one night ... Sirf Ek raat ki kahani hai boss🙂 !!

Shreeram Raghavan who has given us pathbreaking films like Johnny Gaddar, Badlapur & Andhadhun has again tried to do something different!! But if u r expecting a fast paced film like Andhadhun or Johnny Gaddar u will be sorely disappointed!!

Most of the film, especially the first half trudges along with the pace of a tortoise which might seem boring to many . However each scene in the first half sets the tone for an interesting 2nd half where most of the action happens . Re-creation of the old world charm of Bombay in the 90s with tunes of old songs playing in the background, the iconic Regal cinema in SoBo , old BEST buses etc speaks volumes of the effort that the makers have put in!!

Sethupathi is just brilliant, cracking funny jokes that leave u in splits in the most serious moments. Katrina too has given a restrained performance. Others in the cast - Vinay Pathak as the cute inspector, Sanjay Kapoor, Ashwini Kalsekar, Tinnu Anand & Radhika Apte in a cameo have played their parts well .

This is a film which will be considered a masterpiece by some while being panned by others at the same time!! Not for people who r fond of usual masala Hindi films .

I loved the film , even with its slow pace . It will be well worth the wait of u hang on till the end !! Not as exciting as Andhadhun but not bad either . Worth a watch guys .. go for it !!

Going with 3.5/5 for this one ... Adios 🙂!!

#sanjuzzreviews #merrychristmas #vijaysethupathi #katrinakaif #merrychristmasfilm.

Forget the fruitcake and spiked eggnog, "Merry Christmas" is the real holiday treat you deserve. This isn't your grandma's feel-good Christmas movie; it's a suspenseful, stylish, and morally ambiguous masterpiece from Sriram Raghavan. Picture "Inception" meets "Casablanca" with a dash of Mumbai masala chai, and you're getting close.

Imagine a forbidden romance between a lonely housewife and a mysterious stranger, set against the twinkling lights and bustling chaos of Christmas Eve Mumbai. Pari Maheshwari Sharma smolders as the housewife, trapped in a gilded cage, while the enigmatic Vijay Varma saunters in with secrets simmering in his eyes. Raghavan paints every frame like a visual poem, using light, shadow, and even the way a sari swirls to hint at the tangled web of desires and betrayals to come.

Get ready for Hitchcockian twists that'll leave you gasping, like unwrapping a perfectly-shaped present only to find a ticking bomb inside. But Raghavan isn't just playing games; he's using this suspense to dig deep into the messy heart of human relationships. Is love a refuge or a prison? Where does loyalty lie when faced with temptation? And can you ever truly escape your past?

The music in this film is like a monsoon rainstorm on a Mumbai rooftop, swirling with sitar twangs and melancholic cello cries. It seeps into your bones and adds another layer to the film's intoxicating atmosphere. You'll be humming these tunes long after the credits roll.

Raghavan isn't afraid to borrow from the best, weaving the suspenseful chills of Hitchcock with the philosophical musings of Eric Rohmer. It's a genre-bending cocktail that's both familiar and refreshingly unique. He throws in unexpected pop culture references and Bollywood winks that'll have you grinning between gasps.

"Merry Christmas" isn't a film to passively watch; it's an invitation to participate, to puzzle over clues, question characters, and grapple with the moral tightrope they walk. It's a slow burn that explodes into a finale that will leave you shaken, stirred, and maybe a little bit hungover on existential questions.

So, ditch the fruitcake and dive into "Merry Christmas." It's a cinematic feast that will linger long after the last bite, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew about love, loyalty, and the magic (and mayhem) of the holiday season.

P. S. Don't forget to pay attention to the little details in this film. Raghavan loves hiding clues and symbolism in every frame, from the color of someone's shirt to the stray object on a table. It's like a treasure hunt for the observant viewer!

One word that sums up this whole film is "Magnificent".

This was Kaif's one of the best performance I've seen. And, no doubt in Sethupati sir's act as well. The whole cast did an amazing work. Stellar performance from every actors who were seen on the screen.

I have always been an enthusiast of crime thriller noir cinema and this is a film which I will add up to my list.

The first half of the films was just 2 characters having conversation and some might feel tedious, but that part of the film did okay for me. It was kind of like Before Sunrise. I knew that it was creating an unhurried build-up for the second half. It really tests your ability to stay patience. As it was sir Raghavan's sir film I was pretty sure that the characters were hiding something which we are going to experience with some massive twists and turns in the second half.

And when the second half hit the show not even a single person that were watching the film in theater got distracted, they were wholly into the film.

The cinematography and the direction of the whole film was top notch. It really was offering a beautiful shots with momentous secrets of the characters.

I was expecting more people to be on theater for this film. But, sadly there were only few. And If I am not wrong people will talk more about this film after it comes on OTT.

A Pure Sriram Raghavan style murder mystery but not yet upto the mark.

Movie starts off with slow pace screenplay with good character development and storyline.

Music is good in the 1st half and well suited with the characters but screenplay could've been much better and can easily trimmed few scenes to make it more engaging.

2nd half is the main highlight of this film where the film gets interesting and the plot demands your attention. Though I'm little surprised in the climax the way director has shown in the different style of his movie making is good but still to be considered as an open ending from my view.

Acting Performances of VIJAY & KATRINA carries the whole film from start till end though the story doesn't demand much characters and supporting cast did a good job too.

Cinematography & Bgm is well good in some scenes and specially in climax music is on another level From storywise yes it has some unique way to present murder mystery with a few twist but still it is average as compared to director old filmography.

It's definitely a one time watch for cinema fans and those who love watching Sriram Raghavan's film......