Veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam recently showered praise on Karthik Subbaraj’s latest film Dorothy. He called the young filmmaker a “very, very special talent” and even admitted that he was “envious” of the film’s technique. This comes at a time when the Keerthy Suresh-starrer has been facing ban in Malaysia over its LGBTQIA+ content.
Mani Ratnam praises Dorothy
The makers of Dorothy shared a video note by Mani Ratnam on X, wherein the veteran filmmaker also praised the film’s visual language, shots and music by Ilaiyaraaja. Talking about Karthik among the new generation of filmmakers, Mani Ratnam said, “Karthik is a very, very special talent. We have many, many young and promising new directors with us and Karthik is leading the pack. Dorothy is a very special film.”
Director Mani Ratnam’s Special Appreciation for #Dorothy 🫡 pic.twitter.com/aeCenMdhnZ
— Tharani ʀᴛᴋ (@iam_Tharani) September 26, 2026
He further praised the way the film has been made, especially its technical aspects. “The film language is very, very good. Extremely good. Very impressive. I am envious. The control over the language, the shots. The technique. Ilaiyaraaja’s music is really something very, very special. I am very happy. I wish him all the best,” he said.
The praise comes at a time when Dorothy is receiving mixed responses from audiences after its release on Friday. The film earlier made an impression at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere and even earned a standing ovation.
About Dorothy
Dorothy is set in the 1990s and follows the story of two men whose lives change after a woman enters their world. The film also explores themes of LGBTQIA+, which has led to mixed reactions among audiences. The Tamil-language film has music by Ilaiyaraaja, marking his 1540th film. The film is backed by Jio Studios and Sikhya Entertainment.
According to a report by The Hindu Tamil, Dorothy has been denied a theatrical release in Malaysia. The ban was reportedly due to the LGBTQ-related content and same-sex attraction depicted in the film’s narrative, along with others. However, these reports of the ban have not been confirmed. The official Malaysian censorship order has not been cited to support the claims. As a result, the exact reason for the reported denial remains unconfirmed.
