Mani Ratnam has some strong words of praise for Karthik Subbaraj’s latest film dorothyCalled the filmmaker a “very, very special talent” and admitted he was “envious” of the film’s technique.
In a video note shared by the makers on X, the veteran filmmaker also praised the film’s visual language, shots and music by Ilayaraja.
Talking about Karthik’s place among the new generation of filmmakers, Mani Ratnam said, “Karthik is a very special talent. We have a lot of young and promising new directors and Karthik is leading the pack. dorothy It is a very special film.”
He praised the way the film was made, especially its technical aspects. “The film language is very, very good. Very good. Very impressive. I’m jealous. The control over the language, the shots. The technique. Iliyaraja’s music is really something special. I’m very happy. I wish him all the best.”
Maverick filmmaker #Maniratnam Expressing your thoughts about #Dorothy #DirectorsForDorothy pic.twitter.com/abPGcCOrvU
— Dhammam Films (@DhammamFilms) September 26, 2026
Came as a compliment dorothy After its release on Friday, it received mixed response from the audience. The film had already made an impact at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere earlier this month to a standing ovation.
Set in the 1990s, dorothy Follows two men whose lives change after a woman enters the world. While some viewers went in expecting a more familiar story about friendship and love, the film also explores LGBTQIA+ themes, drawing mixed reactions from audiences.
The Tamil-language film has an original score IlayarajaMarks his 1540th film. Backed by Jio Studios and Shiksha Entertainment, dorothy According to the press release, was part of TIFF’s acclaimed international program, formerly known as Contemporary World Cinema.
Mani Ratnam, meanwhile, is known for films like Iruvar, the hero, President And Kanthil Muthamital. His recent works include Poniyin Selvan 1 And Poniyin Selvan 2.
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