Director Karthik Subbaraj has voiced his displeasure over the reception of his recent film Retro, starring Tamil actor Suriya, stating that he will refrain from reading film reviews going forward. Despite high expectations and a positive response in Tamil Nadu, Retro, which released on May 1, failed to impress audiences in the Telugu states.
Subbaraj addressed the criticism surrounding the film and questioned the credibility of certain online reviews. “I am not against reviews being written. However, some of the reviews posted online appear to be driven by other agendas. As a filmmaker, I can discern whether what’s written holds truth or not. Many reviews lacked authenticity, especially those written for Retro. That’s why I’ve decided to stop reading them altogether,” he said.
The director also revealed that Retro was initially conceptualised for superstar Rajinikanth. “I had planned to include more action and mass elements. But at one point, the narrative shifted towards a love story. That’s when I felt Suriya would be a better fit. Interestingly, when I gave him the script, he guessed that I had originally written it for Rajinikanth,” Subbaraj added.
While Retro managed to garner favourable reviews in its home state, the film struggled to connect with Telugu-speaking audiences.