Retro is Suriya's new film that created a lot of buzz ahead of its release. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film features Ala Vaikunthapuramloo fame Pooja Hegde as the female lead. Her look, songs, and chemistry with Suriya were major talking points before the release.

Retro struggles to get going in Telugu

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However, none of this helped, as Retro opened to mixed reviews. While the film is attracting its target audience and Suriya fans in Tamil Nadu, it has turned out to be a disaster in the Telugu states.

The pre-release business of the film was done on a record scale in Telugu, despite Suriya's recent poor track record. Naga Vamsi of Jersey and DJ Tillu fame bagged the Telugu rights for Rs 9 crore, twice the price of Suriya's last film Kanguva.

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Promotions were conducted aggressively, but Retro failed to register even basic openings. On day one, the film made Rs 2 crore, but collections dipped sharply on the second and third days, with Retro earning only Rs 67 lakhs and Rs 65 lakhs respectively. This clearly indicates the film has been rejected by the audience.

Suriya still enjoys a massive fanbase in the Telugu states, but that craze has been dwindling over the last two years due to a lack of hits. The Ayan actor’s films used to get solid openings, but the dismal numbers of Retro in its opening weekend are quite shocking. Pooja Hegde had also pinned high hopes on this film to mark a comeback in Telugu cinema, but with its failure, things are back to square one for her.

HIT 3 wave crashes Retro in Telugu

Another major reason for Retro's low occupancy is the release of Nani’s HIT 3. The Jersey star promoted the film heavily, and strong word-of-mouth has worked wonders for the action drama, sidelining Retro at the Telugu box office. Several screens initially allotted to Retro are now being given to HIT 3, which is nearing the Rs 100 crore mark, thanks to Nani’s current stardom.

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