Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj Talks About Suriya's Retro, Says 'Easy To Make Action Look Cool, But Love...'
Last Updated:
Karthik Subbaraj, known for action and psychological thrillers, has directed Suriya's love story, Retro. Set in the 90s, it explores love as a transformative force.
Karthik Subbaraj, who has directed films such as Pizza and Jigarthanda, has helmed Suriya's upcoming love story, Retro. Best known for action and psychological thrillers, Retro comes as a refreshing shift for cinephiles. The filmmaker also admitted that showcasing action on the screen is 'cool", but to portray real love on-screen and make it seem believable is a 'challenge".
'People expect me to do crime, thrillers, dark comedies," Karthik Subbaraj said with a smile, adding, 'But Retro is a love story. That is what it is at its heart."
The film is set in the 90s, leaving fans on a nostalgic trip with its style, romance and action sequences. While Retro embraces the visual style of a classic gangster film, Subbaraj uses it to explore deeper themes. 'Even in my earlier films, there's always been a personal core, often emotional. But this time, I wanted romance to be the driving force. Not just love between a man and woman, but love as a transformative force, something that pushes the character to evolve," he said.
Suriya's character is about a once-feared gangster, who is trying to escape his violent past. But he is pulled into an emotional reckoning when he falls in love. 'It's not the usual arc of redemption," Karthik explained. 'It's about a man who doesn't even know what peace feels like until he meets someone who makes him believe it's possible. That tension between who he was and who he wants to be that's where the romance breathes."
Subbaraj is known for his grungy aesthetics and twisty plots. He said that working with romance as the central motif came with its own set of challenges: 'It's easy to make action look cool. But to make love feel real, especially in a world like this — that's the challenge. You have to earn it."
That's exactly where Suriya and Pooja Hegde's tuning come in. 'Their chemistry, their silences, the way they look at each other… It's about subtle shifts, glances, restraint," the filmmaker further explained.
'At the end of the day, style can grab your attention, but it's emotion that stays with you. And in Retro, that emotion is love," said Karthik Subbaraj, for whom, Retro is perhaps the most emotionally transparent film yet.
Retro hits the screen on May 25.
First Published:
April 26, 2025, 19:19 IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
No more early morning shows for big-ticket Tamil films even outside TN
Chennai: There will be no more 4.30am release of Tamil films even outside the state. Tamil Nadu stopped early morning release of big budget films in 2023 when a fan died in a stampede at 'Thunivu' screening. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Yet, producers continued to have releases at 4.30am in other states, while keeping the 9am show as the first show within Tamil Nadu. Now, big-ticket films, including Kamal Hassan's ;Thug Life;, will only hit screens from 9am onwards. Producers blame poor security in neighbouring states, rising theatre vandalism, low booking commissions for theatres, and paid reviews before release, affecting the bookings adversely. Even Ajith's Good Badly Ugly and Suriya's Retro had only 9 am releases. S R Prabhu, producer with Dream Warrior Pictures, said early morning shows are getting regulated in all states. "It's a challenge to secure police security for such early shows in other states. Fans come in craze, and mishaps tend to happen. So, many prefer not to have such shows early in the day," he said. Prabhu mentioned that paid influencers and YouTube reviewers who attend such shows give exaggerated reviews, both positive and negative, for reach. "So, even before a movie is released, it affects the booking. We just want people to directly view the show instead of getting influenced by such reviews," he said. Thiruppur Kumaran, representing Tamil Nadu Theater and Multiplex Owners Association, said fans come drunk and end up vandalising the seats and screens. "We cannot control the frenzy on such occasions. It's better to have morning shows," he said. People from Coimbatore mostly go to Kerala to watch, while those in Krishnagiri go to Bengaluru. Fans from Chennai go to Nagari in Andhra Pradesh to catch early shows. Prabhu also added that when fan clubs book in bulk, theatres don't get booking commissions.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Retro movie BO verdict: Suriya's Tamil actioner makes Rs 110 cr, trade analyst says 'figure is low compared to expectations'
Retro movie box office verdict: Suriya's Retro, which hit the screens on May 1, opened to a good response at the box office despite receiving mixed reviews. The action drama earned Rs 32 crore worldwide on the first day. It then witnessed some growth over the weekend before dipping on the weekdays. The film's run is now over and the box office verdict is out. Is Suriya's Retro a hit or a flop? Suriya, who suffered a setback when Kanguva bombed at the box office, tried to revive his career with Retro. The film created a reasonable amount of buzz among fans as it marked his maiden collaboration with Karthik Subbaraj. Now, the film's verdict is out. According to Manobala Vijayabalan, a trade analyst, the flick grossed Rs 110 crore at the worldwide box office in its full run. 'Retro grossed around ₹110 cr. The film is an average to hit venture when compared to its low budget. The story was made for a specific set of audience with old fashioned backdrop, hence the figures are low compared to the expectation,' Retro was shot on a budget of around Rs 60 crore. It needed to gross Rs 120 crore or more globally to emerge as a success but this did not happen. Its lifetime haul is comparable to that of Kanguva. The Siva-directed action drama, which was filmed on a budget of Rs 350 crore, earned around Rs 100 crore in its full run and ended up being a disaster. Retro has also failed to match the collection of Petta. Karthik's first film with the legendary Rajinikanth grossed Rs 250 crore at the box office despite facing competition from Ajith Kumar's Viswasam. Retro received mixed reviews with critics lauding the performances but panning the execution. The mixed word-of-mouth affected the film over the weekdays. According to Sacnilk, a trade website, it witnessed a drop of 58% in India on the first Monday itself and things became worse thereafter. Retro also faced competition from HIT 3, which was released on the same day and opened to a good in the Telugu states. The investigative action thriller earned Rs 38 crore on the first day worldwide. About Retro Retro is a romantic action drama directed by Karthik Subbaraj. The film revolves around a gangster who shuns his violent ways on his wife's request. Retro features Suriya and Pooja Hegde as the lead pair. Santhosh Narayanan is the music composer.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 days ago
- First Post
Pooja Hegde and Suriya starrer 'Retro' trends on top on Netflix a month after its theatrical release
Joju George, the actor who worked with Suriya in the film, said, 'I'm thrilled to work with Suriya Sir and to collaborate with Karthik again.' read more Pooja Hegde and Suriya starrer 'Retro' released in cinemas on May 1 and has now begun streaming on Netflix and is currently trending on top. In an interview, when the actress was asked about balancing North and South, she said, 'What's difficult is understanding people and authentically portraying them on the big screen. For example, a city girl from the South and one from Mumbai will have different mannerisms, just as a town girl and a village girl will.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She added, 'It is important to understand who you are playing to be able to do justice to a character. Since I was born and raised in Mumbai, I had to learn and adapt to these differences—the way a girl sits, talks, and behaves—all of which were challenging.' Joju George, the actor who worked with Suriya in the film, said, 'I'm thrilled to work with Suriya Sir and to collaborate with Karthik again (after Jagame Thandhiram). Karthi is one of my best friends. It's going to be a great movie, and I'm excited to be part of such a big project. My character plays a very important role in the film.' He added, 'For me, it all comes down to the script, and the director is key when deciding on a project. If the director is good, there's no need for further discussion; otherwise, I carefully evaluate the script before committing.'
