A movie ends with an abrupt scene–You look around, and everyone in the theatre looks at one another, wondering, “What just happened?”

This isn’t the first time Sriram Raghavan made the audience go, “Whaaaaaaat….!!!” He has a penchant for doing that over and over. And Merry Christmas is yet another masterstroke in that genre. With his movies, each scene matters. You need to look at the intricate details and remember all of them because each element comes together to connote something in the mystery.

The many scenes depicting Bombay (now Mumbai) of the late 70s and 80s mention classic murder mysteries like Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940). Rajesh Khanna and Kamal Hassan feature in a prominent scene because that was their era in Indian cinema. There’s a reference to The Merry Widow (1934), and the musical piece “In the Hall of the Mountain King” plays a key role in the story. 

There’s nothing “Merry” about a Christmas where a murder happens. But there’s a lot to be merry in the story. No one expected a movie with Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi to be endearing in terms of romance. Yet their chemistry somehow works! Several scenes in the movie – the dance of joy, the almost-kiss, the care, and the concern spilling from the eyes of the characters – fill up your heart. 

Katrina Kaif plays a single mother to a 6-year-old mute girl. She gets abandoned by the men in her life, except for Albert (Vijay Sethupathi), who understands where she is coming from, even when she tells him who she really is. Albert, too, decides to tell her the truth. But this isn’t the beginning of a love story between two hopeless romantics who are driven by circumstances to do the unthinkable. It’s the onset of a mystery that grips everyone in the theatre, especially in the second half. 

There’s nothing uncommon in Merry Christmas. The movie is an adaptation of the French novel “Le Monte Charge” (Bird in a Cage) by Frédéric Dard. And this isn’t the first adaptation, either. A French movie of the same name (English title: Paris Pick-Up) was released in 1962. What’s uncommon is the performances. Katrina Kaif has come a long way in terms of acting and nuances. She makes for a beautiful, mysterious, seductive, yet innocent Maria. Her expressions in certain scenes make you wonder why she hasn’t played a ghost in any horror flick yet! She holds you by her eyes and captivates you with her charm. A solid performance, indeed!

Vijay Sethupathi is lovable and soothes your eyes. He carries this story of innocence. A man defeated by his circumstances. The dialogues just add a bit to his vulnerability, and you wonder why we don’t get to see more male characters like him on-screen. Even when he says, “Sometimes violence is better than sacrifice,” you know what he means. Every human being has gone through that phase where fighting back remains the only option. He makes you root for him right from the very beginning and up until the end when you are not sure what really happens to him. 

The supporting cast are the winners here, too. The movie stars prominent actors from the Hindi and Tamil movie industries in their respective languages. All of it is a surprise because none of these actors were revealed in the trailer. It’s a joy to see them in the movie. 

While talking about the movie, Raghavan insists that the audience not miss any scene. Each adds to the story. And this is not a movie for OTT. Thrillers are best enjoyed on a 70mm screen because you get to witness the anxiety and the anticipation of unfolding the mystery in each character. The collective gasp when the movie ends and the reactions make you understand the true meaning of experiencing cinema instead of passively watching it on OTT, where you can pause or quit a flick. 

Merry Christmas has its beautiful moments of joy, including the climax. You just need to notice the symbolism everywhere, including the bird in the cage, which reveals everything so carefully layered up in the end. 

Review Courtesy of Neha Jha

Feature Image Credit to Pen Studios via IMDb