06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
MEET Vidhu: All you need to know about the new-age 'Retro' villain
Small-town dreams to big-screen reality
The Madhavan comparisons and a fanboy's dream come true
A villain with a vision
Actor Vidhu, who captivated audiences as the chilling villain Michael Miraz in Karthik Subbaraj's 'Retro', is quickly becoming a name to remember in Tamil cinema. The film, which released on May 1st and stars Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, and others, has already made a strong box office impact, collecting Rs 17.75 crore in Tamil Nadu on day one alone. Vidhu's intense portrayal of Michael Miraz marked by an eerie smile and chilling presence was one of the standout elements of the film. While he had previously played the menacing 'Shattani' in ' Jigarthanda DoubleX ', 'Retro' has brought his face into the spotlight and made audiences sit up and take from Coimbatore, Vidhu has had a passion for cinema since childhood. Despite pursuing an engineering job initially, his heart remained with films. He began his cinematic journey as a junior artist in Petta and later formally trained in acting. Though he wasn't originally auditioned for the villain role in 'Retro', a clean-shaven photo he shared with Karthik Subbaraj landed him the part. Vidhu dedicated 15 days to prepare for Michael Miraz and even sent audition clips he recorded himself to secure the role. His reference for the character was cult leader Charles Manson—he wanted Michael to feel dangerous without making the performance feel Vidhu has been compared to actor Madhavan by many fans, though he humbly sees the recognition for Michael Miraz as the true compliment. He doesn't mind the extreme audience reactions, including hate, as long as people remember him. Behind the scenes, he shares a warm rapport with Suriya, whom he admired since his school days. From watching 'Sillunu Oru Kaadhal' being filmed in Coimbatore to sharing dinner at Suriya's home, Vidhu's journey has come full 'Retro', Vidhu has taken a bold step forward in fulfilling his dream of portraying memorable, Heath Ledger-level characters. He believes he still has a long way to go, but this breakout performance is proof he's on the right path.
