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Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Karthik Subbaraj wants to make an ‘indie film for film festivals' after Suriya's Retro: ‘Want to see the other side'
Director Karthik Subbaraj recently spoke about his most recent film, Retro, starring Suriya and Pooja Hegde. Talking to The Hollywood Reporter India, he revealed that he has wanted to make an independent film since Jigarthanda Double X (2023), so that might be his next project. (Also Read: 'I stopped looking at reviews as they're no longer authentic': Retro director Karthik Subbaraj) Director Karthik Subbaraj's latest release was Retro starring Suriya. Karthik was asked what's next for him after Retro, and he revealed his dream of making a film that does the rounds at film festivals. He said, 'After Double X itself, I thought I should make an indie film and send it to festivals. And then after a year or something, release it in the theatre. So, I have a script ready for it. But then, Retro happened. Now I'm thinking maybe I should do that.' When asked why he wants to venture into indie filmmaking, Karthik stated that it's because he 'wants to do it'. When prodded if it's because he can deliver what he intends to without any box office pressure, he agreed and said, 'This film (Retro), I'm telling it in a way I want, but it has some responsibilities to fulfil because of the budget, it demands such a budget because it has a big star. That film is a very small-budget film, with a new artist. It doesn't need a star. I just want to make it to see the other side. So, it might be my next.' Karthik Subbaraj's filmography Since his debut with the 2012 Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Pizza, Karthik has delivered mixed-genre films that might receive polarising reviews but leave a mark on the audience. His next film, Jigarthanda, in 2014, only solidified that. Since then, he has made films like Iravi, Petta, and Mahaan. His most recent film, Retro, released in theatres on May 1 and collected ₹ 78 crore worldwide in five days, according to Sacnilk.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘I stopped looking at reviews as they're no longer authentic': Retro director Karthik Subbaraj
He is basking in the accolades he's receiving for his latest film Retro, starring Suriya, and is grateful for all the love being showered by the audience. Director Karthik Subbaraj's Retro is his 12th directorial in a career spanning a decade which has seen some really novel films like Jigarthanda and Jigarthanda Double X. His unique storytelling style, technical prowess and strong anti-hero characters have made this talented director a force to reckon with in Tamil cinema. In this exclusive chat with Hindustan Times, the Iraivi director talks about Retro, Suriya, his production company and more. I just wanted to show how the protagonist's life – Paari - sort of takes a complete U-turn in like 15 minutes. Because just when that sequence starts, his life is all good and he's going to get married the next day. He has come out of all his previous problems and is in a happy mind-state thinking that his life is going to be better from that point. Then suddenly, the father character enters the wedding hall and in the next 15 minutes, his life is going to turn upside-down. This was there in the initial draft of the script but then it wasn't a single shot. While rewriting, I thought why not show the 15 minutes in real time and how it is actually changing his life. Let us show that moment without any cuts. And that's how the thought of doing it in a single shot came about. It was challenging. But it was a very good challenge for everyone involved like the technical team, artists, and everyone else. We had a lot of pre-planning and did a lot of paperwork before the shoot, then a lot of technical rehearsals, and then proper rehearsal with the artist, with the junior artists, etc. And then we went for the actual take. So, it was quite a learning process for all of us. It was very satisfying to pull it off because we planned it for four days - one day of complete technical rehearsal; one day with the artists and everyone; third day with costumes and we did a take as well. We got like 80% of it but there were some small flaws in that take. And on the fourth day we achieved what we wanted in the second take. I haven't attempted this before so it was challenging and new for me. Suriya sir's completely into the process of the art and he's very passionate and puts a lot of thought into his acting. It's not like he just comes to the set, asks the director what the scene is, and performs and goes. He's always immersed in the thought process of the character and runs through the performance in his head numerous times before coming and performing on set. He always wants to improve. Even when I say okay, he'll try to go for one more take to enhance his performance. I think he's one of the most sensible, dedicated and passionate actors we have. His 2D Productions and my production company, Stone Bench Films co-produced Retro. I didn't face any restrictions or constraints on the production aspect. Suriya sir comes on set as an actor and I was a director. I think every scene had its own challenges in different intensity. For instance, we shot a lot in the Andaman Islands. Logistics-wise and shooting-wise, it was very tough. We had a lot of action sequences also which had its own challenges too. The whole process of overcoming the challenges along the way and getting the best shots and performances was key and we did that. I had written a script and sort of pitched it to him once. But at that time, it was not in this shape at all – only a small part of this was in that script. But as I started writing, I felt it needed a much younger actor as it was predominantly turning out to be a story with love as the core. I think Surya sir is the best person who could have done this film. He was really excited about it but scale-wise and time-wise it is bigger. It needs a lot of time from him. I'm definitely doing that film with Suriya sir but I'm not sure when we'll start as he has numerous commitments now. Like all my films, it is genre-bending and it's a dream script of mine. I got to know him when I worked with him on Pizza (2012) and our journey has been together since then except for Petta which had music by Anirudh. We started to know each other professionally but now we are very close friends. We both know each other well and what each of us wants creatively in a particular film, what our vision is towards cinema and what his vision is towards music. A lot of things gel well with us in a good way. I'm so happy. Nothing was actually planned. I just always made sure that I worked on a script that first excites me. And when I complete the script, it should excite me more. I'm still able to do what I wanted to do and continue to do it, whether I work with actors or stars - this makes me happy. I'm very happy to be in this state. With my production house, Stone Bench, I want bring out more talent and do really offbeat and inspiring scripts. I want to back a lot of debut directors and actors and content-wise create very unique and quality cinema. That's the simple motive we have. Most of the time I lose my cool. (Laughs) Ask my assistant directors and they'll tell you! I haven't thought about it. (Laughs) I would always want to blend or erase the line that separates mainstream commercial cinema and art cinema. I didn't look at any of the reviews. I mean, I don't see authenticity in most of these reviews. So, I stopped looking at them.
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Retro movie review: Suriya powers an entertaining, layered, but slightly shaky Karthik Subbaraj film
Retro movie review: How does one know their purpose in life? Who tells them? What makes them realise? Does everyone realise their purpose? And why are some happier being the conduit in someone else's story rather than being the hero of their own? But isn't that purpose even bigger than the purpose of the 'hero'? Retro is director Karthik Subbaraj talking about a political issue that is closest to his heart. Armed with immense filmmaking knowledge, supported by a strong technical team that understands the assignment, Karthik asks himself an important question through the actions of his protagonist, Paarivel Kannan, played by a terrific Suriya. Retro begins with someone narrating the story of Lord Krishna, even as we are introduced to the Tuticorin gangster Thilagan (Joju George) and his wife Sandhya (Swasika). Through a series of unfortunate events, a boy born on Krishna Jayanthi finds himself under the aegis of this couple. No points for guessing who this boy turns into, but there is a wonderful way in which all of this unfolds. The rather upbeat narrative soon culminates in the Kanimaa sequence, which is definitely worth all the hype. The single-shot scene is the core of the first half because it beautifully introduces the primary players of the world of Paari — father Thilagan, who loves him as long as he does his bidding, lover Rukmini (Pooja Hegde), who loves him as long as he doesn't do his father's bidding — and once again, no points for guessing which path he would take. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO Now, it would have been interesting enough to see Paari's tussle between the conditional love from two different people. But Karthik Subbaraj isn't someone who is satisfied with just one layer of storytelling. He needs a few more, and this is why the film moves from Tuticorin to the jails of Madurai, and finally anchors at Andaman. It is here that Karthik takes the route of the Jigarthanda franchise. In fact, if Retro was called Jigarthanda 3, it would have made absolute sense. In the first part, he spoke about how cinema can change a person. In the second part, he spoke about how cinema can change a society. In the third part, Karthik has embarked on a narrative to change a person, and thereby a society, and it is in this journey that he has hit a few, and missed a few. Retro came with the tagline, 'Love, Laughter, and War,' and it is impressive how the laughter part fits into the narrative of the film. Although the entire subplot with the character played by Jayaram doesn't land well, it is interesting how the mind of Karthik works. But this subplot does serve an important purpose, as does the love angle. It is in search of love that Paari finds a means to an end. It is in search of her validation that he does what he does, and it is in search of acceptance that turns him into a different beast altogether. While the initial romance scenes between Paari and Rukmini work really well, courtesy a flashback that adds credence to the random liaison, the portions in Andaman don't have the same impact. And it is mainly due to the rather one-note writing of Rukmini's character. Yes, she wants him to leave the world of violence, but can't she see why he had to take it up? This arc of her character only exasperates, and it is only Pooja's convincing performance that makes us grudgingly look past it. However, Pari's past catches up, and all roads lead to Andaman, just in time for Karthik to start the third phase of his film — War. And this is also where the film starts to tread dangerously because it is quite an audacious ride to the finish. Audacious does seem like a fair assessment of the happenings in Andaman, simply because the film turns into Mad Max meets Gladiator meets The Hunger Games meets Jigarthanda DoubleX. This mishmash of events oscillates between entertaining and exhausting, and also involves mystical and mythical elements. Now, is Karthik convinced of it all? Yes. Are we? Well, that would decide if Retro really wins your fancy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SCREEN (@ieentertainment) Oh, and in between all of this, there is a 'Golden Fish' that is worth crores and crores of money that joins Pari and the antagonists at the hip. But all of this is just a smokescreen for what Karthik has decided to do. While the elevation of Suriya, and his stellar talents are there for all to celebrate, it is Karthik's strong feelings for the Eelam issue that remains after the dust settles. Be it in Jigarthanda Double X, or even Dhanush 's Jagame Thandhiram, the film was about the trampling of the oppressed, and the revolution that it ignites. It is the same in Retro, and Karthik dedicates the entire first half for fan-servicing of the star and turns the tables in the second to make it a film that services his ideologies and intentions, albeit with the support of the star. And for Retro, Karthik Subbaraj has employed the services of a star who understands his stardom, and yet wants to do films that are away from the trodden path. Even when Karthik and Suriya decide to cater to the latter's fans, it is not without the former's nuances finding its way into the scenes. There is so much going on in the film, and it is on the able shoulders of Suriya that Karthik decides to fire from a lot of cylinders. Seeing Pari well up or smile, we know it comes from a place of a supremely emotional high. It is Suriya's brilliant turn as Pari that anchors the film, which is definitely too indulgent and even ridiculous at times. Both the indulgence and ridiculousness is planned, and not inadvertent. This is clearly the film that Karthik wanted to make, and it is impressive that Suriya completely surrendered to his director's vision. It is this vision that allows Suriya to deliver a performance that hasn't come to the fore in a while. He is brooding, smiling, tearing up, loving, and even sinister at times. But he doesn't fit the moniker of a 'demon' that is bestowed upon him by Richard (Vidhu). That is why those stretches feel too stretched and uninspiring. It is disappointing that this sequence provides the platform for an even more outlandish scene, which might have worked even more if the buildup was convincing. Nevertheless, since the writing doesn't always exist to service the superstar at the centre, the references, or as they now call it, 'Fanboy moments', in Retro are intricately meshed with the narrative. A familiar dance step is written into an elaborate dance sequence. A reference to 'Irumbukai Mayavi' is used at the right place, and so is the reference to Karna, which are two Suriya projects that seem to be in developmental hell. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SCREEN (@ieentertainment) What cinematographer Shreyaas Krishna, composer Santhosh Narayanan, and editor Shafique Mohammed Ali have achieved in Retro is nothing short of brilliant. Each of them, and a lot more, have stepped up to the plate to make sense of the multiple layers written into the screenplay to make it all into a cohesive film. The background scores for a lot of the characters, and the innumerable fight sequences, is Santhosh having a lot of fun, and of course, there is a beautiful Ilaiyaraaja number and Karthik's hat-tip to Rajinikanth that puts a smile on our faces. In the outlandish phase of the film, which involves Rajadurai (Nasser) and Michael ruling the island with an iron fist, leading to exploitation of generations of people, war games, crocodiles, and crucifixion, Karthik dials up the quirks, but isn't necessarily backed by the writing. But there are one too many quirks in the film, and there is just too much happening for all of them to land well. It almost feels like the film spends too much time in the incredulous zone, and this doesn't allow the final act to reach the impact that was felt in some of his previous works. But this incredulity is also a smokescreen for a commentary on war profiteering, and the sheer ignorance towards the oppression of the many. While Karthik doesn't really spell out a lot of things in the film, it is clear what he has tried with Retro. He has delivered a film that aims to showcase the best of Suriya, and the actor has reciprocated by giving it his all. He has delivered a film that is high on quirks, and even higher on randomness. He has delved into a genre that he hasn't tried yet, and it is quite a bold experiment. At the end of it all, as the love finds its crescendo, laughter finds its meaning, and the futilities of war is pronounced, we circle back to THE question that Karthik Subbaraj has been asking himself for a while. Retro is the answer to Karthik figuring out his own Dhammam. And that is… To tell stories about the forgotten. And if he is able to tell it as an entertaining star vehicle that does go around in circles for a while… then, so be it.
India Today
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Karthik Subbaraj on why romance is the soul of Suriya's Retro
Karthik Subbaraj, the director behind 'Jigarthanda' and 'Pizza' opens up about exploring love in his latest film with has never been one to tread predictable ground. From the psychological chills of 'Pizza' to the meta chaos of 'Jigarthanda' and its audacious sequel, he has built a reputation for subverting genre expectations. But with Retro, his upcoming film starring Suriya, Subbaraj is returning to something more primal and vulnerable — love. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karthik Subbaraj (@ksubbaraj)advertisement"People expect me to do crime, thrillers, dark comedies," he says with a smile, "but 'Retro' is a love story. That is what it is at its heart." Set in the 1990s, with nostalgia, style and action, 'Retro' may carry the visual grammar of a vintage gangster flick, but for Subbaraj, it is all in service of something deeper. "Even in my earlier films, there has 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 a woman, but love as a transformative force, something that pushes the character to evolve."Suriya's character, a once-feared gangster trying to escape his violent past, is pulled into an emotional reckoning when he falls in love. "It's not the usual arc of redemption," Karthik explains. "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."advertisement Known for his grungy aesthetics and twisty plots, Subbaraj says working with romance as the central motif came with its own challenges. He adds, "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."And that is where Suriya and Pooja Hegde come in. "Their chemistry, their silences, the way they look at each other It's about subtle shifts, glances, restraint," he a filmmaker who is often labelled as 'stylish' or 'dark', Retro is perhaps his most emotionally transparent film yet. "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."'Retro' may come dressed in 90s swagger, but its beating heart is timeless Reel
News18
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
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
