Merry Christmas
Director: Sriram Raghaven
Year: 2024
Duration: 144 minutes
Music: Pritham Chakraborty
Rating: 7.5
This is my Christmas movie for this year. So,
a Bolly Bolly Christmas to all of you. It is the night before Christmas in
Mumbai and all is quiet on the streets except for the occasional festive
greeting by passerby's. Other than the dead husband in the living room and
finding out the man you invited in for a drink just got out of jail for murder,
the Christmas decor and the little sleeping girl are a picture of a cozy
Christmas Eve. Director Sriram Raghaven is up to his tricks again of
producing a wonderfully complicated tense story of murder and chance. He
may be in danger of being called the Bollywood Hitchcock if he is not careful.
His film before this was the twisty Andhadhun that was brilliant - and I
just realized that back in 2004, he directed Ek Hasina Thi, one of the best
female revenge films ever.
This is a guy to keep my eye on and try
to find some of his other films. I have already said this a few times with
the current crop of Bollywood films - this is the New Bollywood and though
I really miss the old Bollywood of high drama, big action and fabulous music
- these films have been as good as any anywhere - well-conceived stories
and fine acting with a minimum of music. People can't use the tired excuse
of thinking it ridiculous that people break out in song to avoid these films
any longer. This was based on an old French book/film called Le Monte-charge
(Bird in a Cage). It would be fun to see that too.
I will keep this short, not to give away
too much. Just the basic set-up. The film takes its time to get to the crux
of the story, but it is necessary for what comes later. Albert (Vijay Sethupathi)
has just come back home after seven years away - the neighbors think he has
been in Dubai and that is what he tells people. His mother has died while
he is away. And he goes out on Christmas Eve for his first night out in years.
First a drink at a club and then to have something to eat. When he goes into
the men's room, a man accosts him for a favor. Please tell that lady at the
table with a large teddy bear that I was called away - and he runs off. He
was on a blind date and when he saw that she brought a young girl to dinner,
he made a quick exit. This small request turns his life upside down. It is
the little things in life that can screw you over.
He tells her and then later sees her at
the movie Pinocchio - ah if we could tell when humans lied. He and the child
and mother have a small chat and after the film he volunteers to carry the
sleeping child home. He comes across as a slightly strange bird who seems
almost too average, too nice. This kid (Pari Sharma) may be the cutest big-eyed
child you have ever seen. Out of some doll factory. She also is mute. When
they get to Maria's home, she thanks him by inviting him upstairs.
A stranger and at this point you are wondering
where this film is going - romance or serial killer - well neither. They
have a drink, she puts on some music and then says let's go for a walk -
Annie, the girl is fast asleep - it will be ok. It is a nice walk - lots
of Christmas cheer out on the streets - fireworks - and they go back home.
One last drink. And her husband is sitting on a chair in the living room
with a bullet hole in his chest, the gun at his feet and a note. At this
point, Albert tells her the truth - he killed the woman (Radhika Apte) he
loved seven years ago in a rage and just got out of prison. He can't be here
when the police come. They will think they were both in on it. So, he leaves.
Grabs a cup of coffee from an outdoor vendor - gets in a near fight - and
then sees her with Annie going to church. What the hell is going on. Quite
clever and tucked in there is sacrifice and a love story. Maria is played
by Katrina Kaif, one of the glamour actresses of Bollywood - she is a fine
dancer and has been in some good action films - here there is no glamour
- though she is undeniably beautiful - and no dancing - just very appealing
and motherly in a well-acted drama.
