Suriya’s much-anticipated film Retro, directed by Karthik Subbaraj, hit theaters on May 1 but failed to live up to the hype. Fans who were eagerly waiting for the Ghajini star’s strong theatrical comeback were left disappointed, as Retro struggled to strike a chord with the audience and missed the mark at the box office.
Despite high hopes, Retro couldn’t enter the coveted 100 crore club. As of Monday, May 12, the film has collected ₹48.5 crore gross in Tamil Nadu, ₹22 crore gross in the rest of India, and ₹24.5 crore gross from overseas markets. This brings the worldwide gross to approximately ₹95 crore — likely its final number.
In contrast, Suriya’s other recent film Kanguva did manage to cross the ₹100 crore milestone, even though it too underperformed overall. Compared to that, Retro couldn’t achieve the same feat, despite being backed by a solid non-theatrical revenue stream and a moderate production budget, which helped it avoid major financial losses.
Trade Analysts Call for a Comeback
While Retro didn’t bomb financially, trade analysts are still concerned. Given Suriya’s massive fan base and star power, a film grossing under ₹100 crore is seen as underwhelming — especially when contemporary stars are delivering ₹250–400 crore blockbusters.
The pressure is now mounting on Suriya to deliver a much-needed comeback. His next film, a comedy-drama directed by RJ Balaji, is scheduled for release in October 2025. He also has a major project with Venky Atluri lined up for summer 2026, which fans and the trade are already watching closely.
