Director Karthik Subbaraj has opened up about the mixed reactions to Retro, saying that while many connected with the film, some audiences found its narrative ambition difficult to follow, especially in the second half.

Speaking on Chai With Chithra, Karthik reflected on the intention behind the Suriya-starrer and explained that the film was always conceived as a spiritual journey beneath its commercial exterior.

“All the cult elements and everything in the film were meant to lead the character towards that purpose. That was always the idea,” Karthik said. However, he admitted that presenting such themes within a commercial format starring a major actor may have created a different expectation among viewers.

“When we did it in a commercial space with a big hero, I probably should have approached it differently. First of all, there was the title Retro, and then it got projected a little like a love story. That created a different expectation,” he said.

According to Karthik, once audiences entered the film expecting one kind of experience, the layered storytelling may have felt overwhelming to some. “When that expectation came in, people started feeling like there were too many things happening at once. We got a lot of good feedback, but a lot of people also said they didn’t connect, especially with the second half, because they felt like the story was going in too many directions,” he added.

The filmmaker, however, defended the internal logic of the screenplay and explained that from his perspective as a writer, the narrative had a clear emotional and philosophical throughline. “But as a writer, when I look at it, that was the story. Like you said, there’s a Krishna layer running in the background, and there’s also a girl who follows Buddhism and, in a way, helps this Krishna-like figure reach his destined place. That was the journey we were trying to tell.”

Karthik concluded by acknowledging that somewhere in execution, the intention may not have translated seamlessly to audiences. “But somewhere, I feel it got a little messed up,” he said.

Released last year, Retro marked Karthik Subbaraj’s first collaboration with Suriya and generated significant anticipation ahead of release. The film blended romance, action, mythology and spiritual themes and also stars Pooja Hedge, Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, and Vidhu, among others.