Karthik Subbaraj’s Retro, starring Suriya and Pooja Hegde, was released last week, but the film struggled to make an impact at the box office.
While many appreciated Suriya’s character, especially his cool and trendy style paired with his usual intense performance, others felt that Pooja Hegde appeared in a deglamorous role that didn’t quite land.
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Audiences felt that while she attempted to portray a restrained, understated character, it didn’t work, largely because the material and her character came off as irritating and repetitive.
Many viewers voiced their opinions on her casting.
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Recently, Karthik Subbaraj opened up about why he chose Pooja for the role, and the reason left many surprised.
Karthik admitted that he wanted someone who hadn’t performed in this emotional zone before but had the potential to pull it off. He had seen Pooja Hegde’s performance in Radhe Shyam, opposite Prabhas, and felt she handled some intense scenes well.
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He also added that Pooja trained extensively for the role and even worked with a language coach. However, based on audience feedback, the performance didn’t land the way the director had hoped.
To begin with, Radhe Shyam itself was a flop, and many didn’t find Pooja’s performance memorable. While she looked stunning, her acting was largely viewed as mediocre and occasionally grating.
Netizens on social media questioned Karthik’s choice, wondering why he believed she could carry such an emotional role.
Many suggested that the part would’ve been better suited to someone like Sai Pallavi or Nithya Menen.
Fans were disappointed that Karthik drew inspiration from a flop film and, in doing so, may have given rise to another flop, one that perhaps could’ve been saved with stronger casting.
