Pooja Hegde in Retro.
Credit: Instagram/@hegdepooja
Pooja Hegde’s recent outing with Suriya and Karthik Subbaraj for the gangster drama, Retro, is getting her immense praise. While the film is witnessing a successful theatrical run and is seeing rave reviews, audiences are not only praising Suriya’s fierce acting but also Pooja Hegde for her powerful portrayal as Rukmini.
Pooja Hegde’s portrayal of Rukmini in Retro is one such performance that doesn’t scream for attention but quietly settles in, becoming more impactful the longer you sit with it.
From the very first frame, Pooja feels like she is living the character. Pooja, as Rukmini, is effortlessly convincing and has a presence that feels both grounded and quietly radiant. There isn’t a single moment where Pooja feels detached from the world of Rukmini.
What sets this performance apart is not only its simplicity but also its depth. Rukmini may not say much, yet Pooja conveys a whole range of emotions through her silences. Her eyes express pain, hope, love, and resilience in a way that words alone could never capture. That emotional subtlety is both rare and deeply moving.
For those who know Pooja’s past work, her transition into this role is particularly striking. There’s a noticeable change, not only in the character she takes on but also in the depth with which she inhabits it. It’s as if we’re seeing a completely different side of her.
Her command over the Tamil language, the subtlety in her performance, and the overall tonal match with the film’s emotional rhythm all point to a refined artist. The kind of performance that slowly but surely makes an impact, this one stays with you. It resonates deeply and leaves you looking forward to Pooja Hegde’s future roles, especially in her upcoming films like Jana Nayagan with ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay, Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Kanchana 4.