Dheekshith Shetty on The Girlfriend: Rashmika Mandanna is the reason for the film; I’m only a part of it

Kannada audiences have a love-hate relationship with Rashmika Mandanna. The actress, who was once considered Karnataka’s crush, which she then took to a national level, receives nothing but negativity now back home. Since 2018’s Pogaru , Rashmika has not worked in Kannada cinema, but more recently, she did share screen space with a fellow Kannadiga – she’s paired with Dia fame Dheekshith Shetty in Rahul Ravindran’s directorial The Girlfriend.

Dheekshith Shetty: Accept it or not; Rashmika is a star

Did Dheekshith and Rashmika ever discuss this wave of negativity surrounding her in Karnataka during the making of The Girlfriend? “Oh no! I keep myself away from all forms of negativity. Having said that, whether you accept it or not, Rashmika is a star. She is doing films across the country. She is very hardworking and is where she is today on account of that. The reason that a film like The Girlfriend has been made is Rashmika; I’m only a part of it. So, I do not have the freedom to talk about a lot of things on the set of that film,” said Dheekshith.

The actor was quick to add, though, that during the making of The Girlfriend, Rashmika never once gave off star vibes. “On the set, Rashmika was never a star; she was always an artiste and a very cooperative one at that. She helped me a lot during the making and we’d discuss scenes at length. That I am a relative newbie, comparatively, was never an issue for her. I have to credit her for the support she gave me during the shoot, which, I am told, has reflected positively in my performance in the film,” added Dheekshith.

Touted to be a one-of-a-kind love story, The Girlfriend is expected to be in theatres on June 16, 2025. Besides this, Dheekshith has the thriller KJQ also ready for release in Telugu and is working on a film called Shabara. Back home, Bank of Bhagyalakshmi will be his next release.