# Karthik Subbaraj says Dorothy changed him as Keerthy Suresh film hits theatres

Published 2026-09-25T17:51:26Z

> Karthik Subbaraj calls Dorothy, starring Keerthy Suresh, the most emotional story of his career and asks fans to avoid spoilers as the Tamil film opens in Indian theatres after its TIFF premiere.

Karthik Subbaraj has called Dorothy, his new film with Keerthy Suresh in the title role, the most emotional story he has ever told. The Tamil film opened in Indian theatres on September 25, and the director shared his feelings on social media just hours before the first shows.

Dorothy is his 10th film as a director. Even so, he admitted that he felt as excited and nervous as he did on the release day of his debut, Pizza. He said the days spent making the film changed him "as a person, as a filmmaker, as an artist, as a human." He also called it the film closest to reality that he has made, as the story draws on many real incidents from the 1990s.

Subbaraj said people often asked him what belief pushed him to take such a story to mainstream cinema. His answer, he wrote, was his faith in the audience. He urged fans to watch Dorothy in theatres and to stay away from spoilers. He also asked viewers not to post clips or give away key moments, so that others can feel the film the same way.

The film is set in rural Tamil Nadu in the early 1990s. It follows two childhood friends, Karthi and Subbu, played by Rishikanth and Sananth, whose bond shifts once Dorothy enters their lives. Ilaiyaraaja has composed the music, S Thirunavukkarasu handles the camera and Ganesh Siva is the editor. Subbaraj produces the film under Dhammam Films along with Guneet Monga and Achin Jain of Sikhya Entertainment and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.

Dorothy had its world premiere in the Centrepiece section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, and the screening ended in a standing ovation. It is reportedly the first Tamil feature to premiere at the festival in a decade. Dhanush reportedly praised the film as a masterpiece, and one early review has hailed it as the director's boldest work yet.

The overseas rollout, however, has reportedly hit a hurdle. Reports say the film has been denied a release in Malaysia, allegedly over LGBTQ-related content, though no official censorship order has been cited so far.

## Related titles
- [Dorothy](https://clapnumber.com/movies/dorothy)

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Retrieved: 2026-09-25