What made you decide to make Merry Christmas?
In 2004, when Ram Gopal Varma watched the final cut of Ek Hasina Thi, he told me, ‘you have made a good film.
Now don’t try to repeat it. You should do something completely different.’ That stuck with me… Andhadhun was a big success with the audiences and critics. I was very clear that I do not want to follow that template for success. I had the story of Merry Christmas for a few years, and felt it was a good time to do it. Since the earlier film was a success, I felt encouraged to take some fresh risks.
Did the title Merry Christmas evolve over time?
Oh yes, I had a couple of Hindi titles based on some of my favourite songs. Some options I remember are Raat akeli Hai, Raat ke Hamsafar, Baat ek raat ki and so on. Then came Honey Trehan’s Raat akeli hai and I felt any title with raat would give a similar vibe. It was Dinesh Vijan who suggested MERRY CHRISTMAS as a title. It was simple, and yet perfect in the context of our story.
Were Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi the original choices? If yes, why did you want them for their respective roles?
I wanted the story to have a dream-like quality. In my mind, I tried various conventional pairings, but some X factor seemed to be missing. Most of the stars had already worked with each other. Since the story is about two strangers meeting on Christmas eve, I wanted an out of the box pairing. Katrina is a glamorous star and Vijay is known for his rooted characters. The opposites attracted me.
Did Katrina and Vijay surprise you as actors in any way?
Definitely. It was the first time I was working with either of them. I can happily say that they enhanced the writing with their performances. I mean, how do you write chemistry in a script? That was purely on them.
In what ways are the Hindi and Tamil versions of the film different from each other?
It is the same source material but the two languages have different idioms, and there are subtle differences in both versions.
Do you think the Christmas week of 2023 was a better window for the release?
Definitely. We had announced our release in December, but then I saw that the month was packed with big releases, and we didn’t want to get caught in the blood bath. We would also not get our choice of cinemas, hence we pushed the dates.
What kind of battles do you still have to fight to make the cinema of your choice?
The usual battles. Casting choices, budgets, trailer cutting, marketing ideas and more. Most important is the battle within the mind, regarding how best to tell the story in a cinematic manner.
Merry Christmas First Day First Show Public Review: Katrina Kaif, Vijay Sethupathi, Sriram Raghavan
After Merry Christmas, what are you going to make next?
I have already commenced shooting of IKKIS, based on the story of Arun Khetarpal, the young tank commander who was martyred whilst defending a crucial sector in the 1971 war. It stars Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat, along with Agastya Nanda, who plays the war hero. We have completed an important section of the film. We will resume shooting from February this year.
How was it working with Dharmendra in Ikkis?
Dharamji is a treat to work with. As an actor, he is hungrier and more hard working than many younger actors today. Everyone loves him on the sets. I thoroughly enjoy talking to him about some of the great films and directors he has worked with in his illustrious career.
How do you look at your journey in cinema so far?
I have been lucky with my actors and even though every film wasn’t a huge hit, we never lost money, and managed to make our kind of cinema.
It’s been 20 years since you made your first feature. Do you think you could have directed more films?
Well…definitely, but for various reasons it didn’t happen. Ridley Scott and Woody Allen would have made twenty films in this period!
Is there a film that you have been wanting to make, but haven’t got the chance to make it?
Luckily, I have not had a dearth of producers who are willing to back me. I have various ideas, treatments which are half done, or half baked, so it is always a work in progress.
The way films are made (the show and the biz part of it), what is something that you’ve made peace with, considering you’ve had to fight to make the kind of cinema you want ?
I don’t enjoy promotions, but I know it needs to be done, simply to spread awareness about the film. My films mostly rely on word of mouth publicity. And hopefully, good reviews by esteemed critics.
How is Katrina as an actor? The general impression is that she is a huge star, but as an actor she still needs a role that challenges her..
Please watch MERRY CHRISTMAS and you will get your answer…
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
