Mari Selvaraj Praises Dorothy, First Tamil Film at TIFF in Decade

Mari Selvaraj’s late viewing, instant admiration

Filmmaker Mari Selvaraj went public on Wednesday with a rare piece of praise: he had only just watched Dorothy, and it stayed with him. Writing on X, he admitted the viewing came “very late,” then called it “a film that gave me immense satisfaction.”

His note was less a review than a filmmaker’s response to seeing something he hopes Tamil cinema does more often.

What Dorothy does differently

Mari wrote that the film brings to the forefront the kind of people and experiences many filmmakers want represented more openly in mainstream cinema. He pointed to the way Karthik Subbaraj‘s film engages with the emotional lives of its characters—their stories, pain, desires, betrayals, dreams and hopes—without softening or filtering them.

That honesty, especially around people outside conventional ideas of masculinity, identity and social acceptance, is what made the film land for him. He also credited Ilaiyaraaja’s music as a pillar of the film and sent wishes to Subbaraj, Ilaiyaraaja and the whole Dorothy team.

The film behind the chorus

Written and directed by Subbaraj, Dorothy is his 10th directorial. The story follows the friendship between Karthi and Subbu, played by Rishikanth and Sananth, until the arrival of Dorothy, played by Keerthy Suresh, changes their lives. Set against the rural landscape of Madurai, it explores friendship, masculinity, gender identity, violence and acceptance.

• Karthik Subbaraj’s 10th film and his first collaboration with Ilaiyaraaja.
• World premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
• The first Tamil feature to premiere at TIFF in a decade, where it received a standing ovation.
• Suriya, Mammootty, Mani Ratnam and Dhanush have also praised it.

Why the fraternity is paying attention

Mari is not alone. Suriya earlier praised Dorothy for addressing a subject rarely explored openly in mainstream cinema, and highlighted the performances of Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth along with Ilaiyaraaja’s music. Mammootty, Mani Ratnam and Dhanush are among the other prominent names who have expressed appreciation.

For an audience that values the whole picture, that is the point: Dorothy is being championed not by one corner of the industry but by filmmakers with very different sensibilities. As it moves from a festival premiere toward wider release, the word of mouth is becoming part of the film’s story.

Source: Filmfare