Read the full review of Retro (2025), a Tamil film starring Suriya and Pooja Hegde. A genre-blending tale of love, action, and war by Karthik Subbaraj.
Retro (2025) Movie Review: Suriya Shines in a Genre-Defying Saga
When a filmmaker like Karthik Subbaraj, known for his stylized storytelling and genre-defying narratives, teams up with a powerhouse performer like Suriya, expectations naturally skyrocket. Their collaboration, Retro, is nothing short of cinematic ambition unleashed. With its tagline “Love – Laughter – War”, Retro doesn’t just hint at its genre-fluid nature—it embraces it boldly. What begins as a romantic comedy quickly morphs into an intense action drama with elements of myth, prophecy, betrayal, and identity. And yet, it never feels jarring, thanks to Subbaraj’s masterful direction and a committed performance by Suriya.
Plot Summary
Set against a richly stylized retro-futuristic backdrop, Retro tells the story of Paarivel “Paari” Kannan (Suriya), a street-smart orphan raised by a benevolent but feared gangster in Madurai. Paari is a charming rogue, a do-gooder with a mischievous smile, and the heart of gold trope is played out with refreshing sincerity. His life revolves around his makeshift family and his love for Rukmini (Pooja Hegde), a spirited classical dancer whose ideals clash with his violent upbringing.
Just as love begins to bloom, tragedy strikes. Paari is betrayed by those closest to him and discovers that his life has been manipulated from the start. A mysterious prophecy suggests he is “the chosen one” destined to end a reign of terror led by a secretive, violent cult that operates in the shadows of southern Tamil Nadu. As Paari embarks on a journey to uncover his origins, the film evolves from romance to revenge, from laughter to loss, and ultimately to redemption through revolution.
Performances
Suriya, as Paari, is magnetic. Few actors can oscillate between humor, romance, and raw rage as seamlessly as he does here. Whether he’s pulling off slapstick comedy in the first act or delivering blood-soaked monologues in the climax, Suriya holds the screen with unwavering intensity. It’s a role tailor-made for his range—emotionally layered and physically demanding.
Pooja Hegde, in a more grounded and expressive performance than her usual glamorous roles, brings depth to Rukmini. She is not just the hero’s muse but a fully realized character with agency, dreams, and internal conflict. Her chemistry with Suriya feels lived-in and adds emotional weight to the love story.
Supporting roles from familiar Subbaraj collaborators—Bobby Simha, Kalaiyarasan, and Guru Somasundaram—add texture to the narrative. The villain, portrayed by a nearly unrecognizable Pasupathy, is chilling, with a presence that lingers long after his scenes.
Direction & Writing
Karthik Subbaraj’s screenplay is rich with metaphor and homage. Retro plays like a tribute to Tamil cinema’s golden eras, interlacing classic masala elements with modern narrative structure. The first half, filled with color, humor, and romance, feels like a nod to films from the ’80s and ’90s. But as the film transitions into its darker, more philosophical second half, Subbaraj delves into themes of identity, fate, and the cyclical nature of violence.
The writing cleverly weaves seemingly disconnected threads into a cohesive whole. Moments from early comedy scenes return as tragic motifs later. The “retro” in the title is not just stylistic but thematic—Paari’s journey is a dive into forgotten legacies and ancestral memories.
Music & Technical Aspects
Santhosh Narayanan’s soundtrack is one of the film’s biggest assets. The songs are diverse yet cohesive—from folk-inspired celebratory numbers to haunting chants and soulful romantic ballads. The standout track, “Yaaro Yaaro”, plays during a pivotal transformation and elevates the scene to near-mythic proportions. The background score is pulsating and experimental, perfectly mirroring the film’s tonal shifts.
Shreyaas Krishna’s cinematography is lush and dynamic. Every frame oozes personality—sun-drenched village vistas, smoky urban landscapes, neon-lit temples, and gritty fight sequences all look stunning. The visual style evolves with the narrative, shifting from vibrant tones to desaturated grays as Paari’s world collapses.
Editing by Shafique Mohamed Ali is slick. Despite the 168-minute runtime, the film rarely drags. Clever transitions, parallel action cuts, and emotional cross-cutting keep the pace engaging.
Themes & Symbolism
At its heart, Retro is about the eternal battle between love and power. Paari’s arc—from orphan to outlaw to revolutionary—echoes classical hero myths, but with a grounded Tamil cultural touch. The film explores how personal trauma, when channeled through ideology or prophecy, can either liberate or corrupt. It also critiques blind faith in power structures, be they criminal, religious, or political.
Rukmini represents culture and preservation—her classical dance is used as a metaphor for rootedness and resistance, especially in the face of chaos. The cult, with its disturbing rituals and war-mongering ideology, stands in contrast to the soulful traditions Paari rediscovers in his journey.
Box Office & Reception
With a modest budget of ₹65 crore, Retro has surpassed expectations, earning an estimated ₹122.1 crore in just two weeks. Positive word-of-mouth, repeat audience engagement, and praise for Suriya’s performance have contributed to the film’s success, not just in Tamil Nadu but in overseas markets like Malaysia and UAE. The film has also been lauded for its originality and artistic ambition in mainstream Tamil cinema.
Flaws
If Retro has any shortcomings, it lies in its slightly overstretched second half. The prophecy subplot, though intriguing, flirts with over-explanation. A tighter climax would have enhanced the impact. Some of the cult scenes, though visually arresting, tread into surrealism that may confuse casual viewers.
Also, while the tonal shifts are mostly seamless, viewers expecting a full-fledged commercial masala film may find the deeper philosophical turns unexpected.
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Final Verdict
Retro is bold, beautiful, and brilliantly unpredictable. It combines the grandeur of commercial Tamil cinema with the depth of an auteur’s vision. Karthik Subbaraj and Suriya deliver a film that doesn’t just entertain but invites reflection, making Retro one of the standout films of 2025 so far. It lives up to its tagline—Love. Laughter. War.—and delivers all three with style and substance.
Final Best Movie Review(BMR) Rating: 4/5
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Fantastic