Retro Review: Suriya Shines In Karthik Subbaraj's Exploration Of 'Dhammam'

Retro, the recent action entertainer of Suriya and Pooja Hegde, is indeed a Karthik Subbaraj padam that talks about the purpose of life. The director, who has created his own style of exploring the concept of slavery and freedom, repeats his magic in Retro. But this time he had discussed the rollercoaster ride that life takes you on to attain your dhammam—the purpose of life.

But what makes it different? The breeze of love, which overshadows his usual setting of rage, madness, anger, rowdyism, violence and authoritarianism, is something that makes it new from his other films. Just like Karthik said, Retro is a pure love story but tightly packed with the iconic elements of the “Karthik Subbaraj padam.”

Much like his previous blockbuster film, Jigarthanda Double X, which explored the concept of slavery, freedom and sacrifices, Retro also defines the concept of freedom but from a different perspective. The director’s passion for cinema and his deeper knowledge of its potential to change the world are the elements that bring life to Retro.

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At its core, Retro is all about the gangster Parivel Kannan and his journey of finding the purpose of his life. Retro narrates the story of a former gangster who tries to lead a peaceful life after vowing to his girlfriend, but when his past catches up with him, the purpose of his life changes. While offering a complete action entertainer, Retro promises one thing: life will take you through the toughest paths, but wait, it will eventually lead you to complete the purpose of your birth.

The symbolic representation of Pooja Hegde as a Buddha and Suriya as a beast pretty much occupies the first half of the film. But the real show begins when the path of transition opens. Karthik skillfully balances the elements of mystery and entertainment while defining the simple concepts of life. While hiding the true purpose of the film to the very end, the screenplay of Retro drives you through the exploration of the chapters of love, laughter, war and dhammam.

Amidst the chaotic storyline, Karthik’s subtle explanation about a smile or laughter and its importance in life will pull you back for a moment and might make you wonder about the value of that emotion. And this is the magic that a Karthik Subbaraj film creates.

The director, who previously proved his excellence in making a convincing period film, yet again recreates the world of the 60s, just like the faded page of an old book. The cinematography handled by Shreyaas Krishna is the backbone of the director’s vision to bring life to the world of Retro. It doesn’t just radiate the classic vibe but also sets the mood for the diverse concepts of love, resilience, madness and freedom.

Like Suriya previously explained, the 15-minute-long single shot introduces the world of Retro as it brings the major turning point of the film. Hats off to the entire cast, who convey all the emotions of love, action, celebration, rage, and betrayal in that chaos-filled sequence.

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Suriya lives every moment of the film as Paarivel Kannan; the transformation of the actor from the rugged rowdy to a calm and composed Buddha proves the actor’s experienced acting prowess. From mastering the perfect Thoothukudi dialect to bringing back the retro flavors through his mannerisms, Suriya surrenders himself to the world of Retro. His acting skill peaks at the particular scene where he attempts to smile. The moment when he sparks his first smile will make you fall in love with his skill.

Pooja Hegde, being the soul of Retro, also delivers a stellar performance while pushing the story to its deeper layers. Jayaram, as doctor Chaplin aka laughing Buddha, captures your attention with his perfect comedy timing and funny body language. Other actors like Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, Prakash Raj, Shreya Saran, and others perfectly execute the drama that explores the concept of freedom.

The music scored by the excellent composer Santhosh Narayanan elevates the screenplay. The songs and the background scores composed by Sana take the audience to the vintage era. Overall, Retro is another action thriller by Karthik that resonates with the concept of freedom while exploring the purpose of life.

Direction: Karthik Subbaraj

Writer: Karthik Subbaraj

Cinematographer: Shreyaas Krishna

Editor: Shafique Mohamed Ali

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Cast: Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, Karunakaran, Prakash Raj, Shreya Saran, Sujith Shankar, Vidhu among others.