Sriram Raghavan, known for films such as 'Badlapur' and 'Andhadhun', is all set for the release of his next film 'Merry Christmas' starring Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. The filmmaker had earlier mentioned how he had Saif Ali Khan in his mind for the role which is now being played by Vijay Sethupathi.?

Now as the 'Merry Christmas' trailer has been released and is getting a lot of attention,? specially for its unusual pairing, Sriram Raghavan revealed how while working on the script, he discovered that Saif wouldn’t be right for the part. He further clarified his earlier comments, which were misconstrued in a way that they suggested he’d rejected Saif for the role.

Speaking with Bollywood Hungama, Sriram said, “Actually, I had this story for about three years. I met Katrina and she said let's do something. Then, after Andhadhun, I decided to go ahead with it. Initially, when I was looking at it, I was looking at a Hindi film, no Tamil version and all. I was thinking of Saif because I have worked with him in a couple of movies earlier. So, I thought it might be interesting. I met him and he liked the subject, he liked it very much.”

He further mentioned how when he was fleshing out the part, he did not feel something right. He said, “Something was bothering me. Then I met Ramesh ji (producer Ramesh Taurani) and I said what I felt, and he said, ‘Ok, let’s go and tell him’.” Sriram and Saif earlier worked in ‘Ek Hasina Thi’ and ‘Agent Vinod’.?

Nonetheless, he did mention how Saif wasn’t happy about the change of heart. “When you go and tell an actor who had initially said that he loved it and then tell him no… It’s not that I had anyone else in mind. I want to clarify that I didn’t reject him. I sort of went and met him and he was upset,” he signed off.?

'Merry Christmas' is a romantic thriller film that has been made simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on January 12, 2024.