Director Karthik Subbaraj has revealed his reasons for casting Pooja Hegde in his recent gangster drama, "Retro". The film, which stars Suriya in the lead role, hit theaters on May 1, 2025, and has been enjoying a successful run.

Subbaraj stated that he was looking for an actress who hadn't been typecast in similar roles before. "Initially, I wanted someone who could perform really well, somebody who had not performed in this zone," he explained. "I wanted an actor who had not done this sort of role or this acting space".

The director's search led him to Pooja Hegde, whose performance in "Radhe Shyam" caught his eye. "I thought Pooja Hegde would be good because I saw 'Radhe Shyam' film and a few intense scenes wherein she performed really well," Subbaraj said. Following this, the team approached Hegde, who expressed excitement about the role and the opportunity to focus on her performance.

Hegde dedicated herself to the role, diligently preparing for the part. "She also did a lot of homework," Subbaraj noted. "She had a language trainer, she also had a lot of discussions with the acting trainer, and prepared her lines for the character". Subbaraj was impressed with her commitment, stating, "I believe she is a really good performer. She got the character in her mind, and the flow of it was very good".

"Retro" revolves around Paarivel “Paari” Kannan (played by Suriya), an orphan raised by a gangster. He faces betrayal and a violent cult while searching for his origins, fulfilling a prophecy, and attempting to reunite with his lost love, Rukmini (played by Pooja Hegde).

The film is produced by Stone Bench Creations and 2D Entertainment. The music is composed by Santhosh Narayanan, with cinematography by Shreyaas Krishna and editing by Shafique Mohamed Ali.

Prior to its release, "Retro" was known under the working title "Suriya 44". Filming took place across various locations, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ooty, Kerala, and Chennai.

Karthik Subbaraj had conceived the idea for a love story long ago and was thrilled to have the opportunity to create one with Suriya and Pooja Hegde. The film, however, also incorporates a significant amount of action. The director collaborated with Charukesh Sekar and Sritharan Someetharan on the script.

Pooja Hegde's casting marks her first collaboration with both Suriya and Subbaraj. This is also her third Tamil film, following "Mugamoodi" (2012) and "Beast" (2022).

"Retro" has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of Suriya and Hegde, as well as the film's technical aspects. Some criticism has been directed at the film's pacing and its promotion as a romance film, which some felt didn't align entirely with the actual content.

Following "Retro", Pooja Hegde is set to appear alongside Varun Dhawan in "Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai", a romantic comedy directed by David Dhawan.