‘Dorothy’ will make Tamil cinema proud, says actor Keerthi Suresh

CHENNAI: The pre-release event of Dorothy was attended by director Karthik Subbaraj, actors Rishikanth and Sananth, actress Keerthi Suresh, cinematographer Thiru and other members of the cast and crew. The film, which recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), received a tremendous response, with the team now looking forward to its theatrical release on September 25.

Speaking at the event, Rishikanth thanked Karthik Subbaraj for bringing together a group of people who gave him the confidence to pursue cinema. Recalling his preparation for Dorothy, he said that he and Sananth were sent to Madurai for two months to prepare for their roles and underwent training sessions.

“We were trained like in Jigarthanda, which didn’t go well,” he said with a laugh, before adding that Karthik took them through script-reading sessions and prepared them for their characters.

Rishikanth also spoke about his 15-year friendship with Sananth and their shared struggles to find opportunities in cinema. The two would often joke about becoming heroes and asking each other to act in their respective films. “But that has become a reality today,” he said.

Revealing that Dorothy was technically his first film, Rishikanth said he began shooting for Modha Rathiri only after completing this film. He credited Karthik for preparing him thoroughly before sending him in front of the camera.

Sananth, meanwhile, said the experience of screening the film at TIFF had been special even before its theatrical release. Recalling how a few people came up to him and hugged him after watching the film, he said the response had made the experience memorable.

“It is destiny that Rishi and I had to come together for Dorothy. This is a very special film for everybody,” he said. Sananth also recalled that his short film Madhu and Rishikanth’s Puzhu were part of Karthik Subbaraj’s Bench Talkies 12 years ago, adding that working together under Karthik’s direction now felt like a full circle.Keerthi SureshKeerthi Suresh

Keerthi Suresh said she immediately agreed to be part of the film after Karthik sent her the synopsis and asked if she would be interested. Expressing pride in being associated with the project, she said, “Dorothy means ‘gift of God’, and this movie is exactly that.”

She also praised Rishikanth and Sananth’s performances, saying the three of them had become friends during the making of the film. “When the movie releases, I’ll be whistling for them,” she said.

Keerthi expressed confidence that Dorothy would make Tamil cinema proud, not just in India but across the world. She added that the film would spark several discussions and bring about changes.

For Karthik Subbaraj, one of the biggest achievements of Dorothy was getting music maestro Ilaiyaraaja to compose its music. Recalling the 25 days he spent sitting beside the composer during the music sessions, the director described the experience as a special one.

He also expressed confidence in the future of Rishikanth and Sananth, predicting that the two actors would go on to become big stars. “For all the talent they have and the struggles they have gone through, they will be rocking the Indian film industry very soon,” he said.

Karthik said it had been his dream to have a world premiere for the film and subsequently release it in theatres in India. He clarified that the version screened at TIFF was exactly the same as the one set for theatrical release, with not even a single frame altered.

Addressing questions about whether Tamil audiences would accept the film, the director said he had written the script keeping them in mind and had complete faith in them.

“I am looking forward to screening the film for Tamil audiences on September 25. I am very eager to show it to everyone, and I am sure everyone will enjoy it,” he said.

Karthik also urged audiences not to reveal spoilers, saying he wanted everyone to experience the film for themselves in theatres.