Rajinikanth praises Dorothy as Ilaiyaraaja hits 1,540 films

Superstar Rajinikanth didn’t just watch Dorothy — he sat down with director Karthik Subbaraj, actor Sananth and actor Rishikanth for an hour to talk about how the film was put together.

What Rajinikanth told Karthik Subbaraj

Karthik Subbaraj shared the reaction on social media with the words “Thalaivaaaaa. Fantastic. Beautiful. Mindblowing!” but what stayed with him was a single line from the superstar: “Intha Karthik Subbaraja thaan thedittu irunthen,” which translates to “This is the Karthik Subbaraj I was looking for.”

Subbaraj wrote that he would remember the conversation forever, and the post made clear that the hour-long discussion covered several aspects of Dorothy. The validation carried extra weight because Subbaraj has never hidden how much Rajinikanth means to his own filmmaking journey.

Sananth gets an early awards prediction

Sananth, who earlier played Anwar in Rajinikanth’s Petta, shared what the superstar told him after watching Dorothy. Rajinikanth praised the physical and emotional demands of the role and went a step further with a prediction: “Award confirm!” Sananth wrote on X.

The actor also recalled Rajinikanth asking whether this was the same Anwar from Petta, a comparison that underlines how differently Sananth presents himself in Dorothy.

Dorothy’s world, and a composer milestone

Written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, Dorothy stars Keerthy Suresh alongside Sananth and Rishikanth. Sananth and Rishikanth play Subbu and Karthi, two friends who grow up inside a world shaped by toxic masculinity, caste prejudice and violence. Their beliefs begin to shift once Dorothy challenges what they have taken for granted.

The film also carries a historic marker for its composer: Dorothy is Ilaiyaraaja’s 1,540th film as a music director. It is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain, with cinematography by S Thirunavukkarasu, editing by Ganesh Siva and choreography by Sherif M.

Why this matters for fans

• A superstar endorsement can widen the audience for a film that takes on social themes.
• Sananth’s role is now part of the early awards-season conversation.
• Ilaiyaraaja’s 1,540-film milestone adds another layer to Dorothy’s legacy.

Industry figures such as Dhanush, Suriya, Mani Ratnam and Upendra have already praised Dorothy, and Rajinikanth’s detailed reaction adds to a growing chorus of support. The personal connections also make the moment feel close-knit: Sananth appeared in Petta, while Rishikanth was part of Coolie alongside Rajinikanth.

For Subbaraj, the meeting reads as both a celebration of Dorothy and a public acknowledgement from one of the industry’s biggest figures. For audiences, it signals a film worth paying attention to — not just for its themes, but for a performance that could become one of the year’s breakout turns.

Source: India Today