Keerthy Suresh's Dorothy Heads to Telugu Theatres on October 2

Keerthy Suresh's new film Dorothy is on its way to Telugu audiences. Rana Daggubati's Spirit Media is reportedly bringing the Karthik Subbaraj film to theatres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on October 2, the day of Gandhi Jayanti. The Tamil version opened in cinemas on September 25.

The film's start at the ticket window has been modest. According to reports, Dorothy made a net of 90 lakh in India on its first day from 749 shows. Critics have praised the film, but that praise has not yet turned into big numbers. Talk around its bold content is expected to help collections grow over the weekend.

This is Keerthy's first release of the year. Reports say the day one figure is her fifth lowest opening since COVID, although it is ahead of last year's Revolver Rita, which reportedly earned 65 lakh on its first day. Her biggest post-COVID opening remains Sarkaru Vaari Paata, reported at 47.4 crore.

Set in rural Tamil Nadu in the early 1990s, Dorothy follows two childhood friends, Karthi and Subbu, whose lives change when a woman named Dorothy enters their world. Keerthy plays the title role, with Sananth and Rishikanth in the other lead parts. The film deals with caste, violence and toxic masculinity. It has also drawn attention for its LGBTQ themes, and reports claim Malaysia refused it a theatrical release, though no official censorship order has been cited. The film carries an A certificate.

Dorothy premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it reportedly received a standing ovation. Ilaiyaraaja composed the music, and reports say this is his first project with Karthik Subbaraj and the director's tenth film. S. Thirunavukkarasu handled the camera and Ganesh Siva the editing, while Guneet Monga Kapoor, Achin Jain and Jyoti Deshpande produced it.

With Rana Daggubati backing the Telugu release, the next test for Dorothy is how audiences in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana respond.