Director Karthik Subbaraj strongly criticised filmmaker Mohan G over his remarks during a discussion about transgender people and the film ‘Dorothy.’ The ‘Jigarthanda’ director said the comments were hurtful and amounted to psychological violence against the transgender community. He urged people to treat transgender individuals with dignity and respect instead of questioning their right to lead happy lives. His reaction brought renewed attention to the conversations surrounding ‘Dorothy,’ which explores transgender identity.
‘Dorothy’ director Karthik Subbaraj explains why Mohan G’s comments upset him
In a video, Karthik Subbaraj thanked audiences for supporting ‘Dorothy’ and recalled meeting fans in theatres after its release. He said some people tried to create negative publicity around the film because it addressed transgender lives, but the movie succeeded despite those efforts. Explaining what prompted his response, he said his team showed him a video of Mohan G speaking with a transgender woman named Neha about the film. Karthik Subbaraj said he had no objection to criticism of the movie but was disturbed by the questions about marriage and having children. “You can talk about the film. I will not bother about that. But there is something called humanity,” he said, stressing that discussions about cinema should not become a reason to humiliate someone.
Karthik Subbaraj questions Mohan G’s remarks on marriage and having children
Karthik Subbaraj said Neha had explained that marriage could mean sharing love and living happily with a partner. However, he felt Mohan G continued questioning her in a way that focused on whether transgender people could have children. Condemning the exchange, Karthik Subbaraj said, “Is having children the only goal of your life?” He also questioned whether couples who could not have children should be considered unworthy of living happily. According to the filmmaker, a person’s value should not be measured by their ability to become a parent. He described the remarks as deeply hurtful and said transgender people deserved the same understanding and respect as everyone else.
‘Dorothy’ director calls for respect and action against discriminatory speech
Karthik Subbaraj further argued that publicly humiliating someone because of their gender identity should not be accepted. Comparing such remarks with discrimination based on caste and religion, he called for appropriate action against speech that demeans people. “Look at the people in front of you as human beings. Nobody has given you the right to hurt them in front of everyone,” he said.The director’s statement focused on the need for empathy and equal treatment, regardless of gender identity or a person’s ability to have children. He maintained that filmmakers could disagree about a movie, but criticism should never come at the cost of another person’s dignity.
About ‘Dorothy’
Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, ‘Dorothy’ stars Keerthy Suresh, Sananth, Rishikanth, Ramachandran Durairaj, Gajaraj, Jeeva Subramanian, K. Muthukumar and Soundararaja in key roles. The 2026 Tamil psychological drama features music by Ilaiyaraaja and cinematography by S. Tirru.
