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The Girlfriend

‘The Girlfriend’ Movie Review

Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Deekshit Shetty, Anu Emmanuel, Rao Ramesh, Rahul Ravindran, Rohini, etc.

Music: Hesham Abdul Wahad

Background Music: Prashanth Vihari

Cinematography: Krishnan Vasanth

Producers: Dheeraj Mogilineni- Vidya Koppinedi

Written-Directed by: Rahul Ravindran

National crush Rashmika Mandanna has been part of big films in several languages and delivered blockbusters. Despite being in that zone, she has taken a different path with an experimental film like “The Girlfriend”. Directed by actor Rahul Ravindran, the movie released today with significant buzz. Let’s see if it is hitting all the chords right.

Story:

Bhooma (Rashmika) joins in MA English Literature program at a Hyderabad college, where Vikram (Deekshit) is studying M.Sc.Computers. While Durga (Anu Emmanuel) loves Vikram rather secretly, he falls head over heels for Bhooma at first sight. After some chasing, even Bhooma starts to have mixed feelings for him. Though she's not sure about her real feelings, she gets into a relationship with him. As things change fast with Vikram's control-freak behaviour and rules, Bhooma struggles between love and fear. How long she could stay in the relationship and what twist life gives them, happens to be the rest of the story.

Analysis:

The Girlfriend takes its time, letting the quiet, painful moments breathe. It traces the journey of a girl who mistakes obsession for love, moving through heartbreak, confusion, and the brave, slow step of letting go. There’s a rawness to it, a rough-edged honesty that stays with you long after the film ends.

Rahul Ravindran clearly wanted to say something important, especially to young women who often confuse affection with control. It’s quite a jump from his usual soft, romantic tone, and some might not agree with the way he’s drawn his characters. Maybe he paints men a little too dark here, but his point still hits hard. Despite a few off beats, the emotion lands right, and the performances seal it. That said, Rahul could’ve gone a little easier on the drama.

Some parts hit like a punch, a bit too heavy, a bit too tilted. There’s this scene where a father barges into a room and catches his daughter with her boyfriend, it’s raw, awkward, painfully real. Right there, you get what kind of film this is. Some people might squirm, some might actually applaud. The tension between Rashmika, Deekshit, and the mother character carries that same uneasy truth. You might not enjoy watching it, but you just can’t look away.

The first half crawls a bit. The college backdrop feels routine, and the romance doesn’t quite spark at first. Even the hero’s friends seem like unnecessary noise. But after the interval, everything sharpens, the arguments, the silences, the way love starts to crumble. By then, you’re pulled right in. The emotional grip gets tighter, and it doesn’t let go.

And then comes that breakup scene, raw, no background score, just Rashmika laying it all out. It’s the kind of moment that’ll make theatres go silent. The climax too hits deep, showing Rahul’s control over emotion and detail. Rashmika’s performance in the end feels lived-in, not acted. The dialogues are simple but slice through. The Girlfriend isn’t a film everyone will agree with, but it’ll stay with you long after it ends.

Performances:

Everything the team said during promotions about Rashmika’s acting turned out spot on. She’s simply terrific here, probably her career-best so far. That mirror scene and the flag ceremony bit hit differently; you just can’t shake them off after watching. It’s raw, honest, and one of those performances that stick for a while. If awards are being handed out for emotion and effort, she’s right up there.

Deekshit Shetty, as Vikram, is solid too. He slips into the darker side of his role with ease and makes it believable. You may not like his character, but you can’t ignore how well he plays it. This film could easily open more doors for him in Telugu cinema. Anu Emmanuel, back after quite a gap, doesn’t get a lot of screen time but does well in what she has.

Rahul Ravindran shows up briefly as a professor and fits in naturally, no extra drama, just calm presence. Rohini, with barely one scene, still manages to leave a mark, like she always does. And Rao Ramesh, as expected, brings that weight and warmth only he can pull off.

Technicians:

On the technical side, The Girlfriend got all the departments right. Especially Malayalam composer Hesham Abdul Wahab composed soulful songs that fit the film's vibe. They are not chartbusters, but blend perfectly with the story's narrative. At the same time, Prashanth Vihari’s background score elevated emotional scenes big time without going loud. Krishnan Vasanth’s cinematography is neat with clean frames, nice lighting, and a grounded feel, giving the film a natural one. The production values are very good, polished, and tight.

Rahul Ravindran, as writer and director, makes his presence felt again after the film Manmadhudu 2. You can see his stamp all over the movie, as his storytelling feels confident, a bit bold and raw at times. The story isn’t brand new, but the way he narrates it makes it look fresh and sincere. He builds the tension well, especially in the heavier scenes, with his dialogue hitting the right spots. They have sharpness, rawness and emotional strength. It’s that mix of honesty and restraint that gives The Girlfriend a kind of charm.

Verdict: The Girlfriend.. Rashmika’s Show

Rating- 2.75/5