Banner: Stone Bench Creations and 2D EntertainmentGenre: Romantic ActionCensor: UA
Story & Screenplay
Retro revolves around Paarivel Kannan (Suriya), the adopted son of notorious gangster Tilak (Joju George). Paarivel falls in love with Rukmini (Pooja Hegde) and tries to leave his criminal past behind. However, Tilak is obsessed with acquiring a mystical Gold Fish, believing only Paarivel can help him. With the help of King Michael (Vidhu), Paarivel escapes from prison to execute his own plans.
Karthik Subbaraj’s story is ambitious but overcrowded, leading to a confused and patchy screenplay. While the first half maintains a decent pace, the second half loses momentum. Characters lack depth, and the dialogues are largely ordinary, failing to leave a lasting impact.
Performances
Suriya is sincere and grounded as Paarivel, carrying the film on his shoulders.
Pooja Hegde is attractive but underused.
Joju George is adequate as the obsessed Tilak.
Vidhu delivers a natural performance as King Michael.
Prakash Raj and Nasser have minimal scope.
Jayaram, Karunakaran, and other supporting actors provide routine support.
Shriya Saran makes a brief but pleasant cameo in the ‘Love Detox’ song, while Santhosh Narayanan appears in another song sequence.
Direction & Technical Aspects
Karthik Subbaraj’s direction struggles to hold together a scattered narrative.
Music (Santhosh Narayanan) is average for Hindi audiences, though the background score is effective.
Lyrics are functional.
Song picturisations are okay.
Cinematography (Shreyas Krishna) is visually appealing.
Action & Stunt sequences are thrilling at times.
Editing (Shafique Mohamed Ali) could have been sharper to maintain pace.
Dubbing is nicely done.
Final Verdict
Retro is a fair entertainer with Suriya’s performance being the strongest element. The film’s cluttered screenplay and uneven pace, however, limit its impact. While not entirely unwatchable, it lacks cohesion and depth to be memorable.
Box Office: Average prospects; may appeal to fans of action-romance or the lead actors.
PUBLISHED BY SUYASH PACHAURI, FOUNDER & OWNER, GLOBAL BOLLYWOOD | THE HOLLYWOOD SCOPE