Keerthy Suresh on ‘Dorothy’: ‘It is my most important role after “Mahanati”’ (EXCLUSIVE)

It will be a windfall week for Keerthy Suresh. On September 24, “The Paradise” releases, in which she makes a high-energy special appearance alongside Nani in the song ‘Yashanagula,’ with music by Anirudh, which has already become a chartbuster. The next day, September 25, her Karthik Subbaraj-directed “Dorothy,” in which she plays the titular role, hits screens worldwide. Variety India caught up with the actress for an exclusive conversation.

Your performance in ‘Dorothy’ was hugely appreciated at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). What are your thoughts about this role?

I’m very proud to have done “Dorothy.” It is my most important role after “Mahanati.” I got a standing ovation at TIFF for my performance in this pivotal role. If I look back at my career a few years from now, I’m sure “Mahanati” and “Dorothy” will feature prominently.

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What’s so exciting about the character?

It is pure magic and it was a great experience working with Karthik Subbaraj and the entire team. I play a Malayalee girl who comes to Madurai due to certain circumstances. She has a pivotal connection to the main story, which revolves around the friendship between two guys. My role is only for 20 to 25 minutes and may appear shorter than the boys’ role (Rishikanth and Sananth), but the impact it leaves will be huge.

You also have the high-voltage cameo dance number ‘Yashanagula’ in The Paradise. How did that collaboration come about?

It was the “Dasara” team. Nani is one of my best buddies in the industry, and director Srikanth Odela and I are like family. It is a very special and beautiful song inspired by Telangana folklore, and I knew it would work. It is not the usual item song; it is something totally different in terms of picturization and comes as part of the story. I’m really glad that I experimented and did this song, and it has already become a chartbuster.

So, back-to-back releases within 24 hours?

(Laughs) Honestly, I feel that both are my films. Though in “The Paradise” it is a song appearance and in “Dorothy” I have limited screen presence, they are both special to me. I will be watching both films in Chennai with the audiences.

What’s next? What does your release slate look like?

I’m very excited about my forthcoming films. Right now, I’m doing a Tamil film, “Sathyavan Savithri,” where I play a spirited lawyer, and pitted against me is Mysskin sir as a rival senior advocate. It is directed by Praveen. Then I have the Netflix crime-thriller web series “Akka” about powerful gangster queens, produced by YRF Entertainment. It also features Radhika Apte and Tanvi Azmi and is written and directed by Dharmaraj Shetty. Next is “Raftaar,” a thriller with Rajkummar Rao. In Telugu, I have “January 12 Vidudala” with Venkatesh, directed by Anil Ravipudi. And then there is “Rowdy Janardhana” with Vijay Deverakonda. I would say my hands are full at the moment.