Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj ’s last film, Retro, starring Suriya and Pooja Hegde, was panned by the critics and audiences alike. His recent film Dorothy, starring Sanath, Rishikanth and Keerthy Suresh, was much more well-received. At the film’s success meet, fellow filmmaker Mysskin got brutally honest in his criticism of Retro. He also defended Dorothy’s climax, as the film faces queerphobia.
However, that proves to be more difficult than planned when certain things are revealed about his past. Retro is a romantic action drama produced by Stone Bench Creations and 2D Entertainment. It tells the story of a gangster who promised his wife that he would give up his violent ways. Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth play the leads in it. It tells the story of childhood friends who grapple with life in the 90s amid rampant toxic masculinity, casteism and violence.
It was released in theatres in May 2025 and starred Suriya, Pooja Hegde and Joju George in lead roles. The film collected ₹ 97.35 crore worldwide. Dorothy has collected ₹ 12.25 crore worldwide so far, but it had a limited release compared to Retro. It was released on September 25 and is produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor, Achin Jain and Jyoti Deshpande. Dorothy premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival early in September and received a standing ovation.
Their lives change due to a woman.
Mysskin calls Retro a ‘lame film’
Mysskin called Retro a ‘mokka padam’ (a lame/useless film) during his speech at the Dorothy success meet. “Karthi did a film before this (Retro)…adhu oru mokka padam dhan adhu (it’s just a lame film). It’s lame, actually, I don’t mind saying it. Even my assistants say that Karthi’s films are good. I usually go to the theatres to pray to Gods, I prayed to Gods while watching this film.”
That was the first film I watched of Karthi’s,” he said, adding, “There was a single take dance and all.
The climax of Dorothy got a polarising response , inviting homophobia and transphobia with the way Karthik ended his tale. Mysskin defended it, stating that if people can watch men getting violent with each other on screen, they can also watch men kiss.
“If men can slit each other’s throats and kill other men (on screen), there’s nothing wrong in watching men kiss each other,” he said, walking off the stage after that.
