Karthik Subbaraj’s Tamil film ‘Dorothy’ has sparked discussion since its release. While many praised the filmmaker’s grounded storytelling, some of them were disappointed with the LGBTQ+ themes represented in the story.

Several social media users called for a boycott of the film.

One user wrote, “Guys, please don’t encourage these types of movies. Let’s boycott #Dorothy. Didn’t expect this from a director like @karthiksubbaraj. Talking about LGBTQ+ is fine, but forcing it on people isn’t. It’s not a good direction to go.”

Others argued that normalising such topics in films would lead to the downfall of Tamil cinema.

Director Mohan G, known for films such as ‘Draupathi’ and ‘Bakasuran’, added to the conversation.

“Supporting LGBT in Tamil cinema is not an idea or revolution. It’s completely funded by various NGOs to influence youth and erode our tradition and culture,” Mohan G said.

They spoiled North America and are now targeting India. Already many countries are awake, and it’s time for us to wake, he added.

Director Karthik responded to the negative comments online, saying, “Twitter is a small world and those who think about my film like what you said belong to a smaller world. But audiences who are watching a movie are bigger. Why should we be talking about that?”

The ‘Petta’ director said online hate is much smaller than the audience response and gets unnecessary importance.

“You are asking me about it based on four people who spoke against it. There’s online hatred. I couldn’t see it among the audience who visited the theatre. But when I go on press tours, people are asking about that specifically,” said Karthik.

He added, If someone has a problem with seeing a transgender’s life as just a movie, then that’s their internal problem. They should also come and watch the film.

What Do We Know About ‘Dorothy’?

‘Dorothy’ explores the story of two childhood friends, Karthi and Subbu, set in 1990s Madurai. It plays out against the patriarchal society the boys grow up in, with its rigid gender rules, regressive ideas on masculinity and inherent caste system.

The film premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in theatres worldwide on September 25.

‘Dorothy’ is Subbaraj’s 10th feature film. It has Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth as the leads. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja has composed the music and background score, making it his 1540th film.

The movie is produced by Jio Studios and Guneet Monga Kapoor’s Sikhya Entertainment.