Dorothy Is a Very Personal Film for Me, Says Karthik Subbaraj

Director Karthik Subbaraj’s upcoming Tamil film “Dorothy”, starring Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth, is creating interest ahead of its release. The film marks Subbaraj’s 10th directorial venture and features music by legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja, marking their first collaboration.

Speaking about the film, Karthik Subbaraj described “Dorothy” as a very personal film for him. Set in 1990s Madurai, the story was written during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the script was ready, the director’s other commitments meant that the project had to wait before going into production.

The film revolves around two friends from Madurai and the changes that occur in their lives after a woman from Kerala enters their world. Keerthy Suresh plays the woman at the centre of the story, with her character named Dorothy. Subbaraj has also explained that the name Dorothy means “gift of God” in Greek.

Sananth plays one of the central characters and underwent a physical transformation for the role. According to Subbaraj, the actor had been waiting for the opportunity for several years. Rishikanth, whom the director has known since his short-film days, agreed to join the project after hearing the story. Keerthy Suresh also reportedly came on board immediately after listening to the script.

One of the biggest highlights of “Dorothy” is Ilaiyaraaja’s music. Subbaraj has revealed that collaborating with the veteran composer had been a long-standing wish. After completing part of the shoot, he showed the footage to Ilaiyaraaja, who subsequently agreed to begin work on the background score. Subbaraj has described the approximately 25 days he spent working with Ilaiyaraaja as an unforgettable experience.

The film has already generated attention through songs including “Kalyana Virundhu” and “Muthumani”, with another song expected to be released. The makers are also organising a special event on September 5 focusing on the film’s background score. Subbaraj has further revealed that Ilaiyaraaja has appeared in and sung for the promotional song created for the film.

“Dorothy” is expected to be another distinctive outing from Karthik Subbaraj, while the association with Ilaiyaraaja adds another major point of interest to the project. The film is set to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before its worldwide theatrical release on September 25, 2026.