Merry Christmas brims with Sriram Raghavan's signature style and ample cheeky look-what-I-did-there moments, notes Mayur Sanap.
After leaving us intrigued with cool retro posters, we now know a little bit more about the world that Director Sriram Raghavan has created in Merry Christmas.
The seductive and pulpy vibe of its trailer promises yet another twisty crime tale from the maestro, which features the first time pairing of Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead.
This is the jodi that nobody knew they wanted, but is now everything we need. That's refreshingly good casting!
The over two minute video introduces to Kaif and Sethupathi's characters, who are strangers to each other.
Sparks fly as they meet on Christmas Eve and decide to spend the night together.
Nothing is as it seems as this unexpected encounter takes a suspenseful turn when Kaif's mystic aura comes to the front.
When she cryptically asks Sethupathi to plump for between her two fingers, it reveals a postcard featuring a young Rajesh Khanna that reads, 'The night is darkest before the dawn.'
The trailer ends with a voice-over that says, 'Sometimes violence is better than sacrifice.' This leads to erratic yet entertaining effect that leaves us curious about the plot.
We also get a glimpse of Vinay Pathak's flabbergasted look and a gleeful Sanjay Kapoor, who make for the film's supporting cast.
Raghavan's frequent collaborators Ashwini Kalsekar and Radhika Apte are visible on the thumbnail, but don't make the cut in the clip.
There's little doubt that Sriram Raghavan is one of the most exciting and original film-makers of our times.
And Merry Christmas brims with his signature style and ample cheeky look-what-I-did-there moments.
With that, the film has flashes of Raghavan's Andhadhun and Vasan Bala's Monica O My Darling, promising us a smart cocktail of drama and comedy that Bollywood severely lacks.
A new cinematic gem on the way? Hopes are flying way up!
Jai Sriram!
Merry Christmas arrives in theatres on January 12.
