The Girlfriend – What’s it about?
Bhuma (Rashmika Mandanna) is an M.A. English Literature student at a Hyderabad college. Her father lives alone in Vijayawada, as her mother died giving birth to her. One night, Vikky (Deekshith Shetty), an engineering student from her college, gets into a quarrel after witnessing her involved in an accident. This incident sparks a friendship that soon turns into romance.
When Vikky impulsively kisses her, and tells everyone in the college about it, they assume she is his girlfriend. And she goes along with it.
Soon, Bhuma begins to see Vikky’s true nature. He becomes controlling, makes decisions for her, and she realizes she is trapped in a toxic relationship. What happens when she tries to end it? Will he seek revenge? With even her father failing to show her the love and care she needs, what choices will she make next?
Analysis
“The Girlfriend” is not a love story. It is not a fairy-tale romance either. Director Rahul Ravindran explores the darker side of relationships, showing how women, often unknowingly, fall into toxic bonds and how difficult it is to break free from them. While the older generation of women silently endured such emotional imprisonment, Rahul’s message is clear: the new generation must find the strength to break that chain.
The film builds this theme through the lives of Bhuma Devi (Rashmika Mandanna) and Deekshith’s mother (Rohini). Rohini’s character becomes a reminder of women who lived their lives in submission and emotional pain.
Rashmika’s Bhuma Devi is a small-town girl who moves to Hyderabad for her higher studies. She is not fluent in English, struggles to express herself, and has grown up with a strict single father. It is understandable that such a vulnerable girl might fall for Deekshith Shetty’s character, even after he boasts about their first kiss to the entire campus.
Where the film falters is in its logic.
The story is set in a large university campus where postgraduate humanities students and engineering students study together. Yet, male students freely walk into women’s hostel rooms, and women enter men’s hostels without objection. Even Bhuma’s father casually walks into the girls’ hostel. Such liberties are completely implausible in any Indian college setting.
One could overlook this as cinematic liberty, but the director weakens his own central idea by crowding the narrative with unnecessary subplots.
The film works best when it focuses on the suffocating relationship between Rashmika and Deekshith. He is possessive, controlling, and makes every decision for her, from their first kiss to the idea of marriage, without ever seeking her consent. There is a beautiful sequence where Rashmika sees her future reflected in the life of Deekshith’s mother. The mirror scene and the following bathroom sequence, where Rashmika feels trapped, are filmed with sensitivity and visual depth. These moments, along with the interval block, make the first half engaging.
The problem begins with the subplot involving Rao Ramesh as Rashmika’s father. On one hand, he is shown as a devoted single father who raised her alone, and on the other, he is portrayed as verbally abusive and emotionally cruel. His sudden transformation into a toxic figure feels inconsistent and overdrawn, as if the film wants to paint every male character in a negative shade.
Rahul Ravindran appears as an English professor who guides Rashmika and helps her see her own worth. His character speaks sensibly but also feels incomplete. If he is so perceptive, why does he remain unaware of the abuse unfolding in the campus?
Despite these lapses, “The Girlfriend” has some moments like “The breakup” scene, where Rashmika finally stands up for herself, that are satisfying.
On the technical side, Hesham Abdul Wahab’s songs are melodious. The camerawork is neat. The editing is not at all sharp.
The film belongs entirely to Rashmika Mandanna. She delivers one of her most mature performances, portraying a young woman’s transformation from fear to strength with conviction. Her acting in the farewell sequence is especially top class.
Deekshith Shetty suits his part as the aggressive and insecure boyfriend, while Rohini leaves an impression in her brief role.
Bottom-line: “The Girlfriend” is sensitive and meaningful in parts, driven by a clear sense of sincerity. However, its illogical setting and exaggerated characterizations make it less convincing than it aims to be. Rashmika Mandanna’s performance remains the film’s strongest pillar. This is a niche film that works for the significance of its theme or story rather than its narration.
Rating: 2.75/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Movie: The Girlfriend
Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Dheekshith Shetty, Anu Emmanuel, Rao Ramesh, Rohini and others
Music: Hesham Abdul Wahab
Background Score: Prashanth R Vihari
Director of Photography: Krishnan Vasant
Editor: Chota K Prasad
Production Designers: Ramakrishna & Monica
Producers: Vidya Koppineedim Dheeraj Mogilineni
Written and directed by: Rahul Ravindran
Release Date: November 7, 2025
