Some Thoughts on Merry Christmas

 I watched Merry Christmas a month ago, so what I write down are not some fresh opinions, but well weighted considerations.

I only heard about Merry Christmas the movie just a few days prior to its release. The marketing of the movie was non-existent, and unless one followed any of the persons associated to the movie on social media (I do not), its easy to miss.

On the whole Merry Christmas seems a series of misdirections strung together. To a person used to the current Bollywood fare, the story may seem to meander and drag, searching for a  plot to develop. But all the slow pace of the first half pays off handsomely in the second half, as the actions become more apparent.

The plot seems simple enough: Vijay Sethupathi, on his first night upon releasing from prison, meets Katrina Kaif, whos date runs out on her after discovering that she has a daughter. Two lonely souls connect on a Christmas night. Things take a turn for the worse when Katrin's husband is found dead, apparently having shot himself. Vijay's reluctance to be involved in any police procedural, even if it is a straight case of suicide, results in him witnessing the same events occur before him, though with someone else (Sanjay Kapoor) doing what Vijay did earlier. The plot thickens, and as the mystery unfolds, the viewer is rewarded with 'ooh' moments galore. All that the audience saw earlier was not just story development, it was the story itself.

The roller-coaster of character development keeps the viewer guessing about their true motivations. Why was Katrina looking for a date on a Christmas night daughter in tow? What crime did Vijay Setupathi commit? Is Sanjay Kapoor just a creep who wants to score on a lonely woman? How much did Luke Kenny charge for his role?

The movie does a good job of setting up a noir look; Mumbai noir is enticing. It sets up the characters expertly and then toys with the viewer's expectations. Vijay trying to adjust to his new life as a free man is perfect as the weary loner. Katrina with a kid in tow convinces as the vulnerable woman that can pull the weary hero's heartstrings. Her character turn in the second half transforms her into a femme fatale, all the while building up a mystique about the little girl. Sanjay Kapoor enters the story as a good samaritan and progressively transforms into a creep. In fact, his clean looks and jovial demeanor lend well into his good guy act. Vinay Shukla's performance in the last act effectively pivots the movie from a crime thriller to a cat-and-mouse game. He may come across as a comic foil, but it is this turn that gives a new direction to the happenings..

I enjoyed the shots of Mumbai that are rooted in a particular location rather than zooming out to the entire city. The close of the city adds to the atmosphere of the film. The repeated use of the same location makes the movie more lived in and familiar.

To end, Merry Christmas is the kind of film that stays in your mind even a month after viewing it.