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Stuns you with breathtaking levels of soullessness

The New Indian Express

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December 27, 2025

EVERY time a character trails off into a backstory-montage, we get a sloppily made AI video that already looks dated.

- PRASHANTH VALLAVAN

Maybe this is the future, and maybe we cannot entirely fault the makers for their lack of budget.But, even if you are a wide-eyed devotee of our algorithmic Gods, the Al-generated clips in Retta Thala would still leave you disappointed at the lack of originality in the prompts they typed out to create these clips. Breathtaking indolence aside, the most baffling thing about Retta Thala is not the AI clips but how everything around it feels like they were written by AI. How else would you explain everyone in the film looking like they walked straight out of Louis Vuitton's winter collection catalogue (the film happens in Pondicherry and Goa), or Siddhi Idnani's character unironically revealing she wants to move to France because of crippling financial issues?

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