'Retro' Director Karthik Subbaraj: The Man Behind The Trademark Cinema 'A Karthik Subbaraj Padam' (Image-X/2D_ENTPVTLTD)
Actor Suriya’s upcoming action thriller Retro is currently setting the stage for the grand launch on May 1. Amidst all the buzz around the film, it is also interesting to note the exciting career graph of the mastermind behind the film, director Karthik Subbaraj. Here is the interesting cinematic journey of Karthik, who promises to elevate his trademark anticipation on “a Karthik Subbaraj padam,” with the upcoming film.
With a career spanning more than a decade, director Karthik Subbaraj has created a trademark for himself and his projects among the renowned filmmakers of the Tamil film industry. And now he is offering a vintage-style action entertainer with Retro.
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Introducing director Karthik Subbaraj
This creative mind doesn’t need any introduction and his above-mentioned entertainers are the ones that define him as a director. Born and brought up in Madurai, Karthik Subbaraj grew up with an avid love for cinema. For him, cinema has played a major role in his life since his childhood. Karthik, who enjoyed the theatrical experiences since childhood, eventually developed an intense passion for cinema and filmmaking.
Nalaya Iyakunar and Karthik’s entry into cinema
Nalaya Iyakunar, the Tamil reality show, became the turning point in Karthik’s life. In 2009, he stepped into the show as a contestant showcasing his vision of making cinema. Teaming up with actor Vijay Sethupathy, who was then working in short films, Karthik made his first short film titled Thuru.
“It was a turning point. I had an interest in filmmaking when I was in college but I never pursued it. Participating in the show gave me the right push I needed to take up filmmaking seriously and if not for it, I might still be a software engineer,” Karthik once said recalling the initial days of his career.
Pizza: The first Karthik Subbaraj padam
In 2012, Karthik made his directorial debut with his lucky charm, Vijay Sethupathy. The duo presented a mind-blowing horror thriller titled Pizza, establishing him as a talented director in Tamil cinema. The film, then considered a revolution in Tamil cinema, was widely appreciated for its storyline and controlled execution.
Petta: The Breakthrough
Along with a passion for cinema, Karthik Subbaraj is also a self-proclaimed admirer of superstar Rajinikanth. In 2019, he set records at the box office with his action entertainer, Petta, featuring Rajinikanth as the lead.
As an avid fanboy of Rajinikanth, Karthik offered an intense action drama with his favorite star on board. The film, released as a Pongal festival entertainer, earned around Rs 250 crore at the box office and became one of the second-highest-grossing films of the year.
Jigarthanda to Jigarthanda Double X: Back to back hits of Karthik
Kicking off his full-fledged directorial journey, Karthik then delivered blockbuster films like Jigarthanda with Siddharth, Iraivi with SJ Suriyah and Vijay Sethupathy, and other films like Bench Takies, Mercury, and Putham Pudhu Kaalai.
He also etched his excellence in filmmaking in OTT platforms as well. During Covid-19, the director continued to entertain the audience with his back-to-back OTT releases like Jagame Thandhiram with Dhanush, Navarasa, and Mahaan with Vikram, among others.
His film, Jigarthanda Double X (2023), takes him to newer heights. Starring SJ Suriyah and Raghava Lawrence, the film was praised for its direction, script, cast performances, music, cinematography, production values, editing, emotional depth, and action sequences.
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Retro: A Karthik Subbaraj padam
And now, Karthik, an extreme lover of action sequences, will be offering Retro, a love story tightly packed with intense action sequences. The film incorporates the concepts of love, violence, promise, rowdyism, and hooliganism.
Jointly produced by Stone Bench Films and Suriya’s 2D Entertainment, the film boasts a stellar cast including Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, Prakash Raj, Shreya Saran, and others on board.
