Retro Review: Good concept, decent execution
Director:Karthik Subbaraj
Producers: Jyotika – Suriya
Cast: Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, Jayaram, Karunakaran,Nassar,Prakash Raj,Shriya Sharan, Santosh Narayanan
Music: Santhosh Narayanan
Cinematography: Shreyaas Krishna
Editing: Shafique Mohamed Ali
Banner:2D Entertainment and Stone Bench Creations.
Release: 1 May, 2025
Rating: 3/5
Noted Tamil Star Suriya and heroine Pooja Hedge’s Retro had a release simultaneously in Telugu with the same title. Being directed by acclaimed director Karthik Subbaraj, the film is out on May 1st. Let’s review it.
Synapsis:
The film mainly revolves around the love tale of Paarivel Kannan(Suriya) and Rukmini ( Pooja Hedge). Being a gangster Paarivel Kannan has some issues with his adopted father Thilak ( Joju George). What is the issue of Paari with his father? What is the role of Rukmini in the entire context? How is a politician (role played by Prakash Raj) gets involved in a Gold fish smuggling is interlinked with the proceedings. How a Island comes into the picture? Is there any backstory between Paari and the Island, that forms a crucial crux.
Performances:
Suriya is as usual good in his role as a aggressive natured gangster and a smooth hearted lover. His role has multiple shades in it in which he performed nicely. In one one word, he carried the film on his shoulders and convinced the audience with his performance.
Pooja Hedge gets a weight role in which she did a decent job. Be it her attire in Retro getup or else her makeup, everything looks natural. Her acting plays a major role in the second half proceedings and her chemistry with Suriya is dam good.
Other actors such as Joju George as Tilak as Paari’s adoptive father , Jayaram as Chaplin Paarivel
and Karunakaran evoke good laughs. Nassar is okay his role as the King of Island.
Analysis:
Truly, director Karthik Subbaraj’s idea is brilliant and has been executed in a decent manner. The problem is with the pace of the film which drops at regular intervals. The last thirty minutes of the film is superb as all the dots in the proceedings will be connected nicely during the course of time.
The first half of the film runs on a dull note without any high moment in the plotline which could have avoided during the script stage itself for an unanimous reports.
The Island story and the people living there are handled nicely but the team. The whole concept gets a shape during the last fifteen minutes and has been handled well.
Technical Department:
As said above, the direction by Karthik Subbaraj is fine but he would have worked even more on the script stage in inserting many high moments. Music by Santhosh Narayan is fine as his songs are situational but when it comes to the background score, he proved his mettle with his typical instrumentation and definitely helpful to the film.
The photography work by Shreyaas Krishna is top-notch as he captured the mood of the film nicely. The editing by Shafique Mohamed Ali is good. The production values by Suriya’s home banner are lavish and apt to the framing.
Stuns composed by action chorographer are fine and looks so natural on the screen.
Verdict:
All in all, Retro is love drama which has a various sub-plots explored in a beautiful manner. Karthik Subbaraj’s direction and his idea are good but lack of arresting screenplay comes a major minus for the film. If you ignore a few loopholes in the narration, Retro will definitely end up as a satisfactory watch during this weekend.
