Karthik Subbaraj’s Dorothy was among the top five films considered by the Film Federation of India for the Oscars. The film missed out because it had a theatrical run of only six days. Anil Thomas said, “In Dorothy’s case, the film had released only six days before the final application deadline.”
Karthik Subbaraj’s Dorothy was among the Tamil films that came close to representing India at the Oscars this year. The Rishikanth, Sananth and Keerthy Suresh-starrer, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before its September 25 theatrical release, was among the top five films considered by the Film Federation of India from a pool of around 300 entries. However, the film eventually missed out on the final selection, with the Marathi film Gondhal chosen as India’s official entry. An Oscar selection committee member has now revealed the key reason Dorothy could not progress further in the race.
Karthik Subbaraj’s Dorothy was one of the five films shortlisted by the Film Federation of India (FFI) while considering India’s official entry for the Oscars. The film was selected from around 300 submissions, placing it among the strongest contenders for the honour.
In a recent interview with On Manorama, Anil Thomas, a member of the Oscar selection committee, revealed that Dorothy was among the final five films considered by the FFI. However, the film had a disadvantage when it came to its theatrical release timeline.
As per the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ eligibility rules, films competing in the general categories need to have a commercial theatrical run of at least seven days. Dorothy had completed only six days in theatres by the final application deadline. “In Dorothy’s case, the film had released only six days before the final application deadline,” Anil said.
The Marathi film Gondhal was eventually selected as India’s official entry. While Dorothy did not make the final cut, its inclusion among the top five marks a big win for the Tamil film, given the range of themes explored by Karthik Subbaraj.
Interestingly, Anil Thomas also mentioned Angh, a film centred on the Konyak tribe of Nagaland, while discussing Oscar eligibility. He said the film secured direct entry into the Oscars after premiering at TIFF and winning the prestigious Platform Prize.
Dorothy marks Karthik Subbaraj’s 10th directorial and received a standing ovation following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film explores friendship, identity, caste discrimination, patriarchy and LGBTQIA+ themes against the backdrop of rural Tamil Nadu. It follows lifelong friends Subbu and Karthi, whose difficult upbringing shapes their lives and relationship. Keerthy Suresh’s character enters their world and brings a sense of compassion to their harsh lives.