'Merry Christmas' movie review: Unlikely pair shines in an intriguing tale

Two strangers with their fair share of dark secrets meet on Christmas Eve. The truth takes a while to tumble out but the Hitchcockian build-up makes it worth the wait.

Sriram Raghavan's slow-burn thriller plays out on a balmy night in Bombay, where a what-next teases you at every corner. Maria (Katrina Kaif) hauls her sleepy daughter and a huge teddy bear along the illuminated alleys where she crosses paths with Albert (Vijay Sethupathi). 

There is intrigue as the unlikely pair ends up watching a movie together and roams around streets that boast some beautiful architecture. Then, it's time to get some things off their chest. Albert is mourning the loss of his doting mother while Maria is trapped in an unhappy marriage with a suspicious husband. 

A fleeting kiss in the lift, a delightful dance around the Christmas tree, a drink together... And then, a dead body gets in their way.  

The oddball pairing works well in Raghavan's slice-of-the-past that oscillates between romance and suspense. Wallpapered living rooms, vintage bars, a family bakery, goldfish in a bowl, stacks of books — the palette is warm and vivid. 

Sethupathi acts through his eyes while Katrina does a convincing job as the confused and fragile Maria. 

'Merry Christmas' may not be as dark as 'Andhadhun', one of Raghavan's finest works. But then, the carols here are not about care and compassion alone. You see, sometimes violence is better than sacrifice.