The Girlfriend Review: Rashmika Mandanna's career-best act from lover to survivor steals the show

The Girlfriend Story

Bhooma(Rashmika Mandanna) is a simple girl from a middle-class family who takes admission in an MA Literature course. Soon, she falls for a stud named Vikram (Deekshith Shetty) and becomes his “The girlfriend.” But as days pass by, Vikram's toxic behavior takes a toll on Bhooma, and everyone around ignores her. Being an introvert, how she breaks free from her relationship is the basic story of the film.

The Girlfriend Review

The Girlfriend is written and directed by Rahul Ravindran, who previously collaborated with Nagarjuna on Manmadhudu 2. After that debacle, he took a six-year break and returned with a new-age romantic drama titled The Girlfriend. The film deals with toxicity in relationships and how women today still suffer despite being in love.

At the outset, such stories have been explored often in Hindi cinema, but Rahul sets his film in a native environment and ropes in star heroine Rashmika Mandanna as the timid girl who silently goes through hell in her relationship. Her turnaround and the way she finally conveys that she doesn’t want such emotional drama in her life are showcased quite well in the first half.

However, to reach this point, one must sit through a leisurely paced first half that takes forever to get going. The scenes till the pre-interval portion are slow and lack clarity about Rashmika’s character and her surroundings.

Rahul Ravindran takes too many cinematic liberties, depicting scenes such as boys entering a girls’ hostel at will and a young girl reluctantly falling for a man, portrayed as normal, with no one to object in a college setting.

One major drawback is that the director skips key moments showing how Rashmika’s character falls for the hero. Why she loves him, how she gets close, and how she behaves with him feel forced. Some supporting characters are also underdeveloped.

For instance, Deekshith Shetty’s mother, played by Rohini, doesn’t even look him in the eye. The intent to show that even his mother is affected by her son’s toxicity is clear, but Rohini’s exaggerated behavior makes it seem over the top.

Once the film hits the conflict point and Rashmika’s character realizes enough is enough, things change dramatically. Her confrontation and self-realization scenes where Rashmika taking a shower in grief are beautifully portrayed with genuine emotion. Rahul Ravindran deserves credit for casting Rashmika as Bhooma, a girl caught in chaos, as her star power helps amplify the film’s message for women today.

There’s no denying that The Girlfriend is told entirely from a feminine perspective, with the male view slightly overlooked. Even when his daughter is suffering, the heroine’s father remains distant and indifferent, a missed opportunity in the writing.

The second half, however, redeems the film. Rashmika holds the narrative together with her pain, determination, and strength. The climax, where she breaks free and confronts the hero, is powerful and emotional. The Girlfriend sends a strong message to women trapped in toxic relationships, to stand up and move on.

Rashmika conveys this with a career-best performance. Within minutes, you forget Rashmika the star and see only Bhooma, the girl living through heartbreak. Her portrayal, from falling in love to suffocating and breaking free, is layered and impactful. The film’s emotional depth largely rests on Rashmika’s shoulders, and she delivers superbly. 

Deekshith Shetty, getting a meaty role after Dasara, excels as the complex Vikram. There’s a thin line between being convincingly flawed and overdoing negativity, and he strikes the right balance. His screen presence, intensity, and charm suit the role perfectly. Anu Emmanuel gets a good role and plays a superb supporting character. Rao Ramesh gets a few impactful scenes and performs well, while Rahul Ravindran’s cameo is passable.

Known for his writing in films like Chi La Sow, Rahul’s emotional depth isn’t as strong here. Several questions remain unanswered, why a modern, educated woman endures a toxic relationship so long before breaking free, for instance. Despite these flaws, The Girlfriend still makes for an intense and meaningful watch.

The Girlfriend Verdict:

On the whole, The Girlfriend is a new-age drama that is based on toxic relationships. While the film has its own issues of pacing and taking sides, Rashmika Mandanna's award-worthy role and the gripping second half make this film an endearing watch this weekend.

FAQs

Q. Who is director of Rashmika's The Girlfriend?

A. Rahul Ravindran directs The Girlfriend.

Q. What is Rashmika's salary?

A. Rashmika is rumoured to charge somewhere between Rs 4-10 crore a film, but these are not confirmed by reliable sources.

Q. What is Rashmika Mandanna's next movie?

A. Rashmika will appear in The Girlfriend on November 7.

Q. Where to stream The Girlfriend on OTT?

A. You can stream the Rashmika starrer on Netflix