Let’s get all emotional: A review of Karthik Subbaraj’s “Dorothy”

There is a rather extraordinary moment in the first hour of “Dorothy.”  The two leads of the film, Karthi (Rishikanth) and Subbu (Sananth) are on either edge of the frame.  A heinous act happens in the middle of the frame, at a distance.  One of them asks, “Why are you getting all emotional for this?”  Pat comes the response, “Why aren’t you getting all emotional for this?”  This pithy exchange, the lines spoken and the manner in which the sequence is staged, are symptomatic of what makes this film work.  “Dorothy” is Karthik Subbaraj’s 10^th full-length feature, which I reckon is his best work yet.

Karthik’s films work best when the twists and turns of his screenplay feel completely organic in hindsight.  His films also work well when his writing suggests that the characters’ actions, more than circumstances (which can feel manufactured), drive the narrative.  In "Dorothy", his writing is at its finest.  He has structured his screenplay ever so intricately that payoffs occur in the most unexpected ways.  (One character says, “anbuku edhuku da kaasu <expletive>?”  Later on, we see a character hurl away currency notes in a pivotal scene.)  His sense of humor, at times earthy and at times twisted and dark, leavens the most serious of situations without feeling tonally inappropriate. 

The craft in his films, which has always been top notch, is probably the most invisibly effective here.  S Thirunavukarasu’s cinematography is stupendous.  The way the camera pans between the two characters in the bus stand scene, is a marvel.  In a tense action scene, there are frames with just the barren landscape and the characters entering it instead of the usual motion sickness-inducing focus on the ones duking it out.  It enhances the tension in a way that the typical breakneck pace of the gravity-defying kicks (that we are accustomed to in Tamil cinema) rarely does.  The editing by Ganesh Siva is…razor sharp. The father’s blessings in the theatre, cutting to the same pose outside a temple, is an inspired comic touch.  The movie references are numerous yet seamlessly woven in. (I especially liked the scene where we hear the lines, “vaazha pirandhaayada…” play in the background.)

“Dorothy” is the story of…let me say no more than ‘of two friends.’  The rest of it is best discovered in the confines of a movie theater.  The childhood of these two leads is showcased in a delightful little segment, filled with subtle character establishing moments, peppered with uproarious humor.  Once the film shifts to the adult life of these characters, Karthik assembles the pieces in the first half like a puzzle solver, showing us everything bit by bit before things change drastically afterwards.  As I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a single lazy reference or a superfluous moment.  But the moment the narrative hones in on one particular character transformation, the tension is ratcheted up immensely.  I watched this film in a packed theater and was literally at the edge of my seat during a key scene on a hilltop.  I was happy to not fall off.  But I would have been just as glad, as a movie lover, had I actually!

Where I really do want to fall is at the feet of Ilayaraja, who has composed one of the most amazing scores of his long and illustrious career.  The background theme that plays in the portions after Subbu and Karthi meet after a hiatus, is haunting.  And “Muthumani”, both the lilting tune and the lyrics take one's breath away, for the sheer appropriateness for the situation.  His lyrics too, especially the divine references, do as much to elevate the core theme in the five-minute duration of the song, as Karthik does in the 150-minute length of the film.

Karthik extracts some splendid performances from all his actors, be it the leads or the supporting cast.  Sananth is supremely effective in showcasing a gamut of emotions in a difficult role.  He makes several of the tender moments in the last act of the film work solely because of the control he has with his facial expressions.  Rishikanth, who is having a dream run, owns the final 10 minutes of the film, be it the way he delivers some superbly written lines or in his now-patented gentle smiles, nailing the key moments of his character’s arc.  Keerthy Suresh is a consummate performer who does not need ample screen time to make an impression.  Just with a few exquisite expressions, she makes some of the crucial moments in the film work wonderfully.  She also possesses a certain unforced sweetness in her on-screen persona, which Karthik utilizes beautifully.  Muthukumar is scarily effective in his role.  That he is utterly believable without resorting to over-the-top theatrics makes his performance that much more viscerally impactful.

Prior to its release, “Dorothy” received a fair amount of completely unfair reactions based on mere speculation.  The blind prejudice against anything LGBTQ-related is exactly what the film opposes.  The film, in a non-preachy manner, advocates for love and acceptance of every human being regardless of how they identify themselves.  Except for one scene at the end where we sense a bit of editorializing on the part of the director, what we see is a narrative which invites us to witness a few lives whilst questioning the biases, prejudices and hatred that we carry as a society.  The film, through its memorable lead characters, urges us to possibly shed all the weight of negativity, to allow ourselves to luxuriate in the buoyancy of positive emotions.  As seen in that aforementioned shot of the two leads, the film asks us to extend our empathy and display our emotions for the right reasons.  So, if someone sees you vehemently defend this film with the question, “why are you getting all emotional,” just ask them in return, “why aren’t you?!”