Suriya’s new film, Retro, opened in theaters on May 1, 2025. The action-romantic-drama created quite the buzz for itself before it released. The film was made by Suriya and Jyothika’s 2D Entertainment and Subbaraj’s Stone Bench Creations. The film had a powerful cast, with Pooja Hegde playing the female lead, and Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, and Prakash Raj playing supporting roles. With music by Santhosh Narayanan and cinematography by Shreyaas Krishna, Retro promised a visual and emotional treat. Fans were excited to see Suriya in a stylish new role alongside Pooja Hegde. However, despite a strong start, Retro didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office.
Strong Opening, Mixed Response
Retro collected a great first day, earning ₹23.40 crore gross at the domestic market in India, with Tamil Nadu contributing ₹15 crore itself. Worldwide, on the first day, the film’s gross was ₹32.75 crore, thanks to Suriya’s fan base and the buzz surrounding its eclectic blend of romance, action. Critic reviews were mixed. While there were those who appreciated the performance of Suriya and the stylish direction of the film, particularly a 15-minute single-shot sequence, others complained that the second half was dull and the plot confusing.
After the opening day, collections declined sharply. On Day 2, the movie raked in ₹9.20 crore gross in India, a 61% decline compared to Day 1. The weekend boosted earnings with ₹9.60 crore on Saturday and ₹9.75 crore on Sunday. Weekdays experienced a steep fall, with collections reaching as low as ₹2.35 crore by Wednesday (Day 7). By the end of the first week, Retro had earned ₹61.16 crore gross in India.
During the second week, Retro could not pick up pace. Everyday earnings fell to a low of ₹0.72 crore.
By the third week, Retro’s theatrical was coming to an end and the producers asserted that the film had collected ₹235 crore globally, which number was controversial. This controversy points to a larger problem in the South Indian film business, where some movies mix theatrical and non-theatrical earnings (such as streaming rights) to show greater numbers, leading to suspicion from audiences and trackers.
Final Box Office Collections:
| Region | Gross |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹51.41 Cr |
| Karnataka | ₹6.95 Cr |
| Andhra/TG | ₹8 Cr |
| Kerala | ₹4.62 Cr |
| Rest of India | ₹1.33 Cr |
| Overseas | ₹26.60 Cr |
| Total | ₹98.91 Cr |
Several factors contributed to Retro’s underwhelming performance:
- Mixed Reviews: While Suriya’s acting and the film’s technical aspects, like Santhosh Narayanan’s music and Shreyaas Krishna’s cinematography, were praised, the story’s pacing and second-half issues disappointed some viewers.
- Competition: Releasing alongside big films like Raid 2 and HIT: The Third Case split the audience.
- Regional Performance: The film relied heavily on Tamil Nadu, with weak collections in Telugu and Hindi.
- High Expectations: Fans expected a massive hit like Suriya’s earlier successes, but Retro didn’t fully connect with the general audience.
What’s Next for Suriya?
Retro is set to stream on Netflix on May 31, 2025, which could give it a second life among viewers. Meanwhile, Suriya is already working on his next projects, including a film with RJ Balaji (Suriya 45), a collaboration with Venky Atluri, and Vetri Maaran’s Vaadivaasal. Fans are hopeful these will mark his big comeback.
Disclaimer: The box office data on this website are compiled from various sources and our own research. Movie Hubway does not take any responsibility for the authenticity of this data.
Related News
HIT: The Third Case Box Office Collection
Good Bad Ugly Closes Box Office Run as Top Tamil Grosser of 2025
