Retro(2025)
Raised by a criminal father, Paarivel Kannan leaves behind his adoptive family to build a quiet life with his love, Rukmini. But his violent past won't let him go.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 30 April 2025
- Director
- Karthik Subbaraj
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 42m
- Rating
- 6.5/10
Storyline
A man with a violent history tries to leave it all behind for a peaceful new life. However, his dangerous past catches up with him, dragging him back into old fights. He must now confront these conflicts to decide what his future will hold.
“Can he outrun the man he used to be?”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Retro
Cast reunions in this film: Nassar & Prakash Raj (41 films together), Nassar & Jayaram (9 films together), Prakash Raj & Jayaram (9 films together), Nassar & Santhosh Narayanan (7 films together), Karthik Subbaraj & Santhosh Narayanan (7 films together), and Nassar & Suriya (6 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Retro' was inspired by the director's love for 1980s Tamil cinema aesthetics and music.
- Karthik Subbaraj wrote the script with actor Vijay Sethupathi in mind, but scheduling conflicts led to a different lead.
- A key action sequence was shot in a single take lasting over five minutes, requiring two days of rehearsals.
- The soundtrack features a rare collaboration between composer Santhosh Narayanan and a classical Carnatic vocalist.
- Parts of the film were secretly shot in Karaikudi to capture its unique heritage architecture for flashback scenes.
- The climax was rewritten three times after test audiences felt the original ending was too dark.
- A vintage motorcycle from the 1970s was restored specifically for the protagonist's introductory scene.