‘Retro’: Karthik Subbaraj plans to release Suriya-starrer as a limited series-OxBig News Network

Karthik Subbaraj; poster of Suriya’s ‘Retro’
| Photo Credit: Johan Sathyadas/The Hindu and Netflix

Ace filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj on Monday (June 16) revealed that he is planning on releasing a limited series version of his recent release, Retro, starring Suriya. This comes just weeks after the film, which hit theatres to mixed responses on May 1, began streaming on Netflix on May 31.

In an interview with film critic Baradwaj Rangan of Galatta Plus, Karthik spoke about how he isn’t a writer who pens a screenplay keeping the stipulated two-and-a-half-hour runtime as a yardstick, and revealed that he had a lot of footage from Retro that didn’t make it to the final cut. “We tried this one-page-equals-one-minute technique when we write our scripts, but it never worked out. We even give our draft to our editors to get their opinion on what could be removed from the script. But what inadvertently happens is that when we begin to shoot a scene, it ends up becoming longer on screen; for instance, a dialogue that looks small on paper might take up quite some time when performed,” he said, adding that he had to cut down significantly to fit to the runtime stipulated for a theatre release.

“But OTT has become big, and it allows you to have a longer format.” Karthik added that he tried something for his previous release, the widely acclaimed Jigarthanda Double X. “I tried talking to the streaming service to see if we could release a limited series version of the film on streaming. I told them, ‘See, anyway the film is releasing in theatres, and you are buying it and releasing it on OTT. So let it run there for three to four months, and after that, I will give you a limited series version.’ By that, I don’t just mean a version with more deleted scenes, but it’s a version where the emotions will be deeper and the action more detailed. But they didn’t agree for that.”

For Retro, the director added, he wished to try it since the film had many exciting portions that didn’t make the final cut. “There are four to five episodes of 45 minutes each. This version will have more details and explanations about the many themes we have touched on in the film. So I want to somehow bring all that to the audience. I am not sure how, but I am trying.” Karthik even went on to take the example of how Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight has a limited series version exclusively streaming in the US. “That version is actually on Netflix, and so whenever I meet them (Netflix), I tell them, ‘hey, you are giving that option in the US, why can’t you do it here?.’”

Karthik added that if this is the idea of a limited series version for a film finds takers, “there won’t be a restriction for the filmmakers. Even if they something more, they will find an avenue to showcase it.”

Starring Pooja Hegde as the female lead, Retro also features Joju George, Nassar, Jayaram, Karunakaran, and Prakash Raj, with a cameo by Shriya Saran. Produced by Stone Bench Films and 2D Entertainment, the film has music scored by Santhosh Narayanan.