Exclusive: Why Karthik Subbaraj Kept Dorothy’s Core Twist Under Wraps

Cult filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj sat down with Gulte Pro’s Ram Venkat Srikar after the release of Dorothy for an interesting conversation about the film’s writing, characters and social message. The director discussed why he chose a sensitive subject and how he wanted to bring it to mainstream audiences through an emotional story.

Dorothy sparked a major debate on social media after its theatrical release over its LGBTQ themes and portrayal of transgender people. While the film faced criticism from a section of online users, Karthik explained that he wanted audiences to watch the story without forming opinions based on its subject. He said revealing the theme before release could have kept some people away from theatres.

Karthik said his main intention was to make audiences understand the lives of people they often judge without knowing their struggles. He believes that if a film can create even a little compassion, it can make a difference in society. The director wanted viewers to come out of the theatre with a better understanding of the transgender community and treat them with equal respect.

The filmmaker also explained why he chose a mainstream commercial format instead of making a niche film. He wanted the story to have friendship, love, celebrations, violence and other familiar elements while gradually introducing its deeper subject. Karthik said he wanted audiences to connect with the characters before understanding the larger message behind their journey.

Speaking about the film’s writing, Karthik revealed that it went through nearly 11 to 12 drafts. He initially wrote a basic story before asking writer Chandran to develop it into a detailed novel. The novel explored darker aspects of the characters and their surroundings, but Karthik later rewrote several portions to make the story work better on screen.

Petta director also discussed the original three timeline structure, which was eventually simplified during editing. He said the team felt that the narrative technique was becoming more important than the characters and their emotions. The final version retained selected black and white portions for the present timeline and colour for the past, helping audiences follow the story more naturally.

The director further spoke about the film’s portrayal of toxic masculinity, violence and the treatment of women in rural society. He explained how certain characters represent attitudes that continue across generations without being questioned. Through Dorothy, Karthik wanted to explore these realities without losing the emotional connection with audiences, making it a mainstream film with a strong social message.