Kanguva was released amid huge expectations but flopped. After that, hero Suriya Sivakumar returned to theatres with Retro, directed by Karthik Subbaraj. Pooja Hegde plays the female lead, appearing in a de-glamorous role. How is the film that was released today? Will it be as successful? Let’s find out.
Story:
Pari (Suriya), an orphan raised by a mafia don’s wife after his father’s death, grows up under the wing of Tilak (Joju George). Though initially rejected, he’s eventually pulled into the crime world. Pari falls for Rukmini (Pooja Hegde) and plans to leave his gangster life behind. But a shady "golden fish" deal triggers a rift with Tilak, leading to chaos at his wedding. As Kanmani walks away, questions arise: Why did Pari land in jail? What led him to the Andamans? Who is Jadamani? The answers unfold on screen.
Analysis:
Suriya enjoys a cult following in both Telugu and Tamil cinema. So does Karthik Subbaraj, whose unique style earns admiration regardless of box office results. Even his flop films feature memorable characters and scenes. Naturally, the Suriya–Karthik Subbaraj combo raised expectations for Retro, despite past setbacks.
The film initially meets those expectations. The concept that “the hero never laughs” creates intrigue. The way the love story unfolds, the ‘Bujjamma’ song during the wedding sequence, and the father-son conflict all generate interest. Karthik Subbaraj appears to be weaving his signature magic.
However, the excitement quickly fades. After an impressive start, the film begins to drag. Shades of Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda Double X start appearing. The story, which starts with the question why doesn’t the hero laugh?, wanders into themes of love, slavery, god, and mother sentiment, before returning to the wedding. After a point, it becomes unclear what the director wants to convey.
Suriya Sivakumar once again proves his mettle as an actor. He brings variation, charm, and emotion to the role. The concept has potential, and Suriya gives it his all. Unfortunately, Karthik Subbaraj fails to translate the promising story into an equally impactful film. Unless you're a hardcore Suriya fan, it's difficult to truly enjoy Retro. Pooja Hegde, in a de-glamorous avatar, delivers a natural and believable performance. Audiences will witness a new side of her.
Joju George effectively blends comedy with villainous undertones. Jayaram’s comic timing, however, doesn’t land well. Nasser, Prakash Raj, and others are underutilized. Vidhu Pratap, who plays King Michael, performs well, but his character lacks proper depth and development.
Karthik Subbaraj is known for his technical brilliance, and Retro does deliver on that front. Santhosh Narayanan’s background score is solid, though none of the songs except ‘Bujjamma’ stand out. The tune for Shriya’s special number falls flat. Shreyaas Krishna’s cinematography is commendable. The effort from the art and costume departments is visible they successfully created a vintage look. The action choreography is realistic, with all fight scenes grounded in natural execution.
Finally, Retro collapses when it shifts to the relationship between the islanders and the hero. By trying to tackle too many themes, none are explored deeply enough. As a result, no emotion truly connects with the audience.
Verdict:
Overall, Retro is yet another below-par film from Suriya. He shines in a solid role, and Pooja Hegde is cute. But on the whole, director Karthik Subbaraj's narration is not that effective and disappoints the fans. Watch it only if you are a fan of Suriya.
Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
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