Karthik Subbaraj’s 10th feature, Dorothy, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, marking his first collaboration with Guneet Monga Kapoor’s Sikhya Entertainment and Jio Studios. Starring Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth, the Tamil film blends intimate themes of friendship, identity and masculinity with Ilaiyaraaja’s landmark 1,540th score, ahead of its India release on September 25.
Jio Studios and Sikhya Entertainment have officially announced that writer-director Karthik Subbaraj's 10th feature film will be called Dorothy, and it will be led by Tamil actress Keerthy Suresh. The announcement comes ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Dorothy marks Subbaraj's first collaboration with Guneet Monga Kapoor's production house Sikhya Entertainment, the Oscar-winning Indian production house behind The Elephant Whisperers. The film is headlined by Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth in pivotal roles.
On Tuesday, Monga Kapoor also took to Instagram, unveiling the film's poster and her thoughts on the grand premiere. The poster captures the colourful yet fading tradition of Indian highway truck art, bringing out the spirit of the open road while hinting at the journey central to Dorothy's story.
She wrote, "Some films find you. Some stay with you. Dorothy has been one of those rare journeys for us..My heart is full of gratitude, to every person who believed in this film and to everyone who helped bring it to life."
The Tamil-language feature will champion an original score composed by the legendary musician Ilaiyaraaja in his milestone 1,540th film. Dorothy has also joined TIFF's acclaimed international program, formerly known as Contemporary World Cinema, which showcases renowned filmmakers, festival favourites and highly awaited world premieres from across the globe.
Writer-director Subbaraj says that though the film is rooted in the landscape and culture of Tamil Nadu, it speaks a universal emotion.
"Dorothy is a film I've carried with me for a long time. It comes from a world I know intimately, one where friendship becomes a refuge, where love survives in silence, and where tenderness exists even in the harshest of places," he says, adding that he essentially wanted the story to be about caste, identity, masculinity and compassion, "not through spectacle, but through deeply human characters...We're proud that its journey begins on a global stage like TIFF."
Jyoti Deshpande, President – Jio Studios, says, "The most powerful stories are rooted in authenticity yet speak to audiences everywhere. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, it is human emotion that remains timeless. Dorothy embodies that beautifully."
Produced by Deshpande, Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain in association with Dhammam Films, Dorothy is set to be released in theaters across India on September 25.