Retro ending explained: How and why Suriya’s Paarivel becomes the Chosen One in Karthik Subbaraj’s film

Actor Suriya joined hands with filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj of Pizza and Petta fame for the first time with Retro. The recently released film is a romantic action drama, which is now streaming on OTT in multiple languages. If you are a fan of the Varanam Ayiram actor, then Retro should be on your weekend watchlist.

With a mix of violence, romance, and drama, Retro revolves around a Paarivel who gets adopted as a little child by gangster Thilagan (Joju George)’s wife after his guardian is murdered. Paarivel grows up to share a dysfunctional relationship with Thilagan, with the latter not considering him more than a henchman. There comes a time when Paarivel has to leave violence to settle down with his lover Rukku (Pooja Hegde). But his past, identity, and who he is in reality haunt and pull him to his origins as he finds his dhammam (true purpose).

Retro ending explained: Why Suriya is the Chosen One? SPOILERS AHEAD

All seems to be going well until Paarivel’s last assignment to his father Thilagan, which includes smuggling mysterious goods called ‘Gold Fishes’, creates trouble between the father and son. As Paarivel hides them in a place not known to Thilagan, the latter comes to his son’s wedding venue to address it. In a turn of events, Paarivel chops off Thilagan’s hand, and a shocked Rukku, who had been begging her lover to leave violence, is fed up and leaves the wedding hall with no trace.

The scene soon shifts to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where Rukku now resides as a vet. Paarivel, while serving his sentence in jail, gets smuggled illegally to reach the island to meet her, only to come to know how the place is brutally ruled by a cult leader, Michael, and his father, Rajavel. The father-son duo run a battleground where the weakest islanders are pitted against strong musclemen to compete in a fight. When Michael first sees Paarivel as a potential candidate for the fight, the journey to find his real dhammam begins.

Slowly, Paarivel's true identity is revealed. He was born to the island couple who had twins. He was sent out along with a guardian (who was killed earlier in the film), fearing a prophecy that foretold a child with a spear-shaped mole on the stomach would kill Rajavel and Michael. Paarivel, who was called Jada Muni at birth, sports the very same birthmark, is indeed the child, and is destined to fulfill his dhammam by becoming the Chosen One.

The next day, Paarivel enters the fighting area and fights for the weakest this time as he nominates Michael and Rajavel as the weakest to finish them off, as per the cult ritual. We see Suriya winning the combat and killing Michael, as Rajavel, knowing his fate, has already killed himself. Just as things begin to settle on the island, we see the Pani actor and his gang, who have been tracking down for Paarivel to know the location of Gold Fishes, coming to the island. Upon their arrival, they are shocked to see Paari and the population pointing bazookas at them, revealing to the Gold Fishes.

Outnumbered by a large margin, Paarivel asks his mother to shoot with the bazooka, forcing Thilagan’s group to retreat. Further, the islanders, who were once oppressed, now laugh at their opponent with newfound empowerment. However, in Karthik Subbaraj’s own flavour, we are revealed that only one bazooka was fully loaded, making the protagonist have the last laugh. The film ends with Paari and Rukku marrying each other, thus fulfilling the prophecy and love, as he chooses to leave violence.

Where to watch Retro on OTT

You can stream Retro on Netflix. The film is produced by Suriya and Jyotika under 2D Entertainment. Santhosh Narayanan has scored the music for the film. Retro opened to mixed reviews upon its release.