Trailer
Plot summary
In 1960s Thoothukudi, Sandhya adopts an orphaned infant who bears a spear-shaped scar on his stomach and names him Paarivel Kannan, though her gangster husband Thilagan will not acknowledge the boy. After her death, the teenage Paari meets Rukmini in Varanasi, where both families are observing funeral rites for their mothers. On the train home an ambush targets Thilagan, and Paari saves him, earning the older man's reluctant respect. By 1989 Thilagan has remarried and has a son, while Paari stays loyal to his criminal empire. Paari and Rukmini meet again; she works as a veterinarian, and after four years of courtship they plan to marry in 1993.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Retro (2025)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- While filming an action sequence at Nawanagar Palace in Ooty, Suriya sustained a head injury that halted the shoot; producer Rajsekar Pandian called it minor, and Suriya returned to the sets on 14 August, when scenes with Russians and Afghans were shot.
- For the title teaser, a night-time sequence featuring Suriya and Pooja Hegde was shot in Varanasi, where 100-200 clay oil lamps were used to create a twilight effect.
- The CBFC granted Retro a U/A certificate only after a few words and excessive violent scenes were censored, with the runtime finalised at 168 minutes, or 2 hours 48 minutes.
- Kannada actor Dhananjaya was approached for a prominent role in Retro but could not take it because of scheduling conflicts.
- Director Karthik Subbaraj cast Pooja Hegde after being impressed by her performance in Radhe Shyam (2022); after a look test, she began learning Tamil for the role.
- The announcement poster, released on 28 March 2024, became the most viewed announcement poster for an Indian film within 24 hours on Twitter.
- The title teaser became the most watched Tamil title teaser in 24 hours, with over 10 million views on YouTube.
