Merry Christmas (2024) is a Hindi-Tamil bilingual mystery thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan, known for his acclaimed films Andhadhun and Badlapur. Released in theaters on January 12, 2024, the film stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles, with supporting performances by Radhika Apte, Sanjay Kapoor, and Vinay Pathak.
🎬 Plot Overview
The film is an adaptation of Frédéric Dard's French novel Le Monte-charge (Bird in a Cage). Set in Mumbai, it follows Albert (Vijay Sethupathi), who returns to his late mother's apartment after years abroad. He encounters Maria (Katrina Kaif) and her daughter Annie, who are abandoned by a man at a restaurant. Albert offers to accompany them, leading to a night that intertwines their fates in unexpected ways.
🎠Cast
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Katrina Kaif – Maria
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Vijay Sethupathi – Albert
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Sanjay Kapoor – Ronnie (Hindi version)
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Vinay Pathak – Police Inspector (Hindi version)
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Radhika Sarathkumar – Police Inspector Laxmi P. (Tamil version)
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Shanmugarajan – Police Constable (Tamil version)
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Pratima Kazmi – Police Constable (Hindi version)
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Tinnu Anand – Yadhoom Uncle (Hindi version)
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Ashwini Kalsekar – Cameo
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Radhika Apte – Cameo
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Pari Maheshwari Sharma – Annie (Child Actor)
The film was produced by Ramesh Taurani, Jaya Taurani, Sanjay Routray, and Kewal Garg, under the banners of Tips Films and Matchbox Pictures. It features music composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Varun Grover. The cinematography was handled by Madhu Neelakandan, and the editing was done by Pooja Ladha Surti.
💰 Box Office Performance
Merry Christmas had a modest box office performance. In India, the film earned approximately ₹14.75 crore during its first week, with the Hindi version contributing ₹13.35 crore and the Tamil version ₹1.35 crore. The worldwide gross collection stood at ₹28.3 crore, surpassing its estimated ₹30 crore budget. Despite positive reviews, the film's performance was considered underwhelming, with some analysts labeling it a failure .
📺 Where to Watch
Merry Christmas is available for streaming on Netflix as of March 8, 2024.
🎵 Soundtrack
The film's music is composed by Pritam, marking his Tamil debut. The soundtrack includes:
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"Merry Christmas Title Track" – Released on December 25, 2023
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"Nazar Teri Toofan" – Released on January 4, 2024
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"Raat Akeli Thi" – Released on January 10, 2024
