The makers of Merry Christmas discussed their upcoming film with the media on Thursday. In attendance were actors Katrina Kaif, Vijay Sethupathi, and director Sriram Raghavan among others. Katrina, who looked bespoke in a red midi outfit, keeping up with the film’s theme said that working with Sriram Raghavan was always on her bucket list. She said, “When I heard the story, I was in awe that I was going to work with him on a story like this, which was so incredible but also right for me. That's probably why we came together because he must've also seen that. It was a unique journey about two fascinating characters, and the minute I heard it I was hooked.”
“Of course, there are high-octane big action drama films, and that's wonderful, that's a certain type of cinema. But there are also intimate and unique stories that are to be told, and it needs to be told on a suitable scale. The minute I heard Vijay describe and talk about a scene, I instantly realised that this is a person who sees things in such a unique way that I never can. We would do workshops on the set at least for a week before we started shooting,” she added.
Katrina Kaif |
Katrina also shared that her role in Merry Christmas is very different. “I needed to come into Sriram Raghavan’s world with an open mind. We had been discussing this film for a good year and a half before we got on the set. The first thing he asked me to do was to write a back story of this woman named Maria. So, that whole process was extremely helpful, I think we worked very hard. I did a lot of workshops with a few different people. It's not all the time that you get to rehearse the scenes with your co-actor and be able to do that over a few days. So for me, this was a fulfilling experience. A lot of work went into the preparation and I think I hope that it's come out the way that we had all hoped for and the way that Sriram Raghavan envisioned it.”
Vijay Sethupathi, who made waves on the Hindi cinematic front with Jawan last year, said that he never expected to be paired alongside Katrina. “I'm a very big fan. I can't express it but if there was another person inside me he would've danced in front of her. She's a very thought-process actor, asks many questions, and thinks too much. Still, she's very dedicated, she understands you. Even if she can't accept your thoughts, she will listen to you. She will put a lot of effort with so much sensibility. That's why she's in the industry, not just because she's beautiful. Just a beauty can't survive for so many years,” said Vijay.
Vijay Sethupathi |
Sriram Raghavan, who is known for helming films like Badlapur and Andhadhun said, “When you watch a thriller or a film like this, the audience is very engaged and they're making up their own story. They are also writing their own script when the movie is on. I thought this movie would be 90 minutes without interval but there is one.”
Merry Christmas will hit the big screens on January 12.
