Pooja Hegde Impresses Audiences and Critics With an Emotionally Charged Performance in ‘Retro’; Fans Call it Her ‘Career-Best’

The much-awaited Retro, starring Pooja Hegde and Suriya, has finally hit the big screens — and audience and critics’ reactions are pouring in. While Suriya delivers a power-packed performance in this gangster drama, Pooja Hegde is winning hearts with what many are calling her career-best performance. Fans and critics are praising her for holding her own opposite Suriya and bringing emotional depth to the film.

As reviews continue to surface, netizens have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share their reactions. One user wrote, “Pooja’s career-best performance. She literally gave it all for this film.” Another added, “@hegdepooja – what a role! What a performance! The chemistry has worked big time!” A third comment read, “#PoojaHegde blasts with a core performance. Gangster back to business to save his estranged wife.” Pooja’s screen presence in the now-viral song Kanimaa is also being widely appreciated, with one user writing, “Kanimaa… What a dance! Suriya and Pooja Hegde rocked it.” And the praise continues to flow.

Another user wrote, “@hegdepooja is a big plus in the film, she is the lifeline of Paari and Retro as her character is the driving factor of the film. Probably, her best performance ever!” Lauding Pooja’s chemistry with Suriya, a part of a comment read, “- #Suriya & #PoojaHegde pair just stole the screen.” Another user wrote, “@hegdepooja makes strong impact. 17-min single shot is audacious.” Another comment read, “#Kanimaa song is @hegdepooja is refreshing in a pivotal role.”

In this Karthik Subbaraj directorial, Pooja Hegde brings a heartfelt romantic layer to the gritty gangster narrative. As Rukmani, she delivers a believable, emotionally grounded performance that has resonated strongly with audiences. Her portrayal adds warmth and vulnerability to the film, further proving her range as an actress.

With Retro adding another strong title to her growing filmography, Pooja Hegde continues to cement her position as a pan-Indian actress with wide appeal. The consistent appreciation she’s receiving for her performances shows her steady evolution as a versatile performer.

Next up, Pooja is busy shooting for her upcoming Bollywood project Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, alongside Varun Dhawan. Directed by David Dhawan, the film is slated to release soon.