The backlash around Dorothy has not changed Karthik Subbaraj's view of what the film set out to do. Despite online hate and boycott calls over its queer themes, the filmmaker says he is paying more attention to the conversations the film has started, including reactions from men who said they felt guilty about how they had treated transgender people.
Karthik said the response after screenings has shown him that the film is making people look at issues they may otherwise avoid. He told Hyderabad Times, “The film has become a mirror to realities and harsh truths that we often fail to acknowledge. I have seen people get emotional after watching the film, with some men even expressing guilt over how they had treated transgender people in the past.”
For Karthik, the bigger purpose of Dorothy is the way transgender people are seen and treated. He said he hopes the film can help bring a more positive change in how audiences view the community, instead of letting the controversy around its queer themes become the main talking point.
“With Dorothy, I hope that change translates into a more positive attitude towards transgender people — treating them with dignity, accepting them and recognising them as an integral part of society. Their stories, struggles and realities deserve to be represented on screen. If the film can contribute even a little towards that change, that is a victory for me. For a long time, transgender representation in Indian cinema was largely reduced to comic or stereotypical characters, although that is slowly changing,” he said.
Dorothy stars Keerthy Suresh as the titular character, with Sanath and Rishikianth in key roles. Set in the 1980s, the crime drama follows two childhood friends whose lives take an unexpected turn after a woman enters their world. The film explores gender identity, relationships and the way society treats people who do not fit conventional expectations.
The film has also faced criticism and online backlash, particularly after a same-sex kiss scene was leaked ahead of its release. Its queer themes have led to accusations of homophobia and transphobia online.
However, the conversation around Dorothy has not been limited to its controversies. The film received a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival before its theatrical release in September. It was later released in Telugu on October 2.
Produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor, Achin Jain and Jyoti Deshpande, Dorothy has now become a talking point for both its storytelling and its portrayal of transgender characters.
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