Director Mari Selvaraj has praised Karthik Subbaraj’s latest directorial Dorothy, calling it a deeply satisfying watch and applauding the film for bringing stories of people whose lives and emotions deserve to be seen on screen into the mainstream.

Taking to X on Wednesday, Mari wrote that he watched the film only recently, admitting that his viewing came “very late”, but said it left him with immense satisfaction. “Today I watched Dorothy. It was very late, but it was a film that gave me immense satisfaction,” he wrote.

Elaborating on what moved him about the film, Mari said Dorothy captures the kind of people and stories that filmmakers often wish to see represented on screen. He praised the film for portraying their “stories, tears, desires, wishes, betrayals, dreams and hopes” with an unfiltered honesty. The filmmaker added that he was particularly happy to see such lives being documented without holding back, suggesting that cinema should make room for stories and emotions that are often pushed to the margins.

Mari also reserved praise for Karthik Subbaraj, whom he credited for making such a story possible, and for Ilaiyaraaja’s music, which he described as a major pillar supporting the film. He concluded his note by extending his wishes and love to Subbaraj, Ilaiyaraaja and the entire team.

Dorothy, Karthik Subbaraj’s 10th directorial, revolves around the friendship between Karthi and Subbu, played by Rishikanth and Sananth respectively, whose lives change with the arrival of Dorothy, played by Keerthy Suresh. Set against the rural landscape of Madurai, the film explores masculinity, friendship, gender identity, violence, acceptance and the restrictions imposed by societal ideas of how people are expected to live.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, where it received a standing ovation. It was also the first Tamil feature to premiere at TIFF in a decade. The film marks Karthik Subbaraj’s first collaboration with Ilaiyaraaja, whose music has been widely highlighted as one of the film’s defining elements.

Mari’s appreciation comes after several members of the film fraternity have spoken positively about Dorothy. Suriya had earlier praised the film for daring to address a subject that often remains unspoken in cinema, while also appreciating the performances of Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth and Ilaiyaraaja’s music. Mammootty, Mani Ratnam and Dhanush, among others, also praised the film.