Merry Christmas: Katrina Kaif struggled during the Tamil version, even suggested director Sriram Raghavan to take someone else | Hindi Movie News – Times of India

Director Sriram Raghavan revealed the challenges faced while filming two versions of his upcoming thriller, Merry Christmas. The Hindi version was shot first, and then a modified Tamil version was subsequently filmed. Sriram acknowledged the difficulties, especially for Katrina Kaif, who suggested casting another actor in her place.

In an interview with Galatta Plus, Sriram shared that the film’s set remained unused for months due to scheduling conflicts, inflating the budget. Faced with the dilemma, Sriram proposed shooting a Tamil version to mitigate costs. Katrina, initially hesitant, eventually agreed despite the ‘torturous’ process, due to her inability to undersand Tamil. She even suggested casting another actress for the Tamil version, but Sriram insisted she manage both roles.

Sriram explained the evolving challenges, mentioning how rewriting continued until the last day, and how Vijay Sethupathi joined when it was still a Hindi film. The decision to make a Tamil version aimed to economize and salvage the project’s budget.

In a prior interview with Film Companion, Sriram detailed shooting the Hindi version first before the Tamil adaptation. He expressed concerns about the project’s expanding scale and costs, dubbing it the ‘most expensive low-budget film.’ Merry Christmas is set to release in theaters on Friday.