Story
Bhooma Devi (Rashmika Mandanna) is a sincere young woman pursuing her M.A. in Literature while staying in a hostel, away from her strict, single father (Rao Ramesh). Vikram (Deekshith Shetty), an impulsive and agressive student at the same college, develops feelings for her and gradually wins her attention. As their relationship grows, Bhooma realizes she’s slowly losing her sense of self in love and decides to end it. The rest of the story follows how Vikram reacts to her decision and how Bhooma finds the strength to face the emotional and social turmoil that follows.

Artists Performance

Rashmika Mandanna: Rashmika Mandanna delivers a stellar performance, bringing depth and nuance to a character that gives her a wide emotional range to explore. She’s graceful and endearing in the romantic portions, vulnerable when confronted with harsh realities, and fierce when she finally fights back. Her expressions in the pre-interval sequence, where she visits the hero’s mother, are especially moving. The climax showcases her fiery intensity and emotional power. It’s a performance that deserves not just audience appreciation but also awards.

Deekshith Shetty delivers an impressive and balanced performance as a possessive, toxic boyfriend. He had to appear charming on the surface while subtly projecting manipulative undertones - and he pulls it off with remarkable precision. Anu Emmanuel is given a well-written, substantial role and portrays it with maturity and restraint. Rao Ramesh is exceptional as the heroine’s father - a man who has sacrificed everything for his daughter and believes he holds the right to decide her future. His performance in the college confrontation scene, conveyed purely through expressions and body-language, stands out as one of the film’s best moments. Director Rahul Ravindran continues to write emotionally layered roles for Rohini - after her bi-polar character in Chi La Sow, he once again gives her a deeply complex part in The Girlfriend. She is just superb. Rahul himself appears as a professor who offers crucial guidance and emotional support to the heroine.

Story - screenplay - direction:

Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead

The story of The Girlfriend is excellent, and Rahul Ravindran has crafted the screenplay with intelligence. I particularly liked the dynamics between the lead characters. Bhooma, raised by a strict single father, grows up yearning for her mother’s affection. Vikram, with his charm, attracts her effortlessly - and when he tells her that she reminds him of his mother, Bhooma gets emotionally anchored to him. That mother connection becomes the hook that pulls her deep into him - she begins serving him out of affection, cleaning his room, folding his clothes, and taking pride in caring for him. What begins as love slowly turns into a master–slave equation camouflaged as possessiveness-laden romance.

Her visit to Vikram’s hometown is a turning point. Meeting his mother shocks Bhooma - the woman is fragile, fearful, and completely submissive to her son. Vikram justifies it by saying his father was abusive, so his mother’s obedience was an act of survival. That’s when Bhooma realizes something is deeply wrong. Vikram doesn’t see his behavior as abusive; he believes he’s being caring - when in truth, he’s conditioned by his upbringing and surroundings to think his control is normal.

The first half is well written - it unravels character traits gradually, leading to the understanding of why these two are drawn to each other. The character of Durga, written with nuance, adds another layer to Vikram’s psychology. Despite her beauty and sensuality, Vikram isn’t attracted to her - he desires a woman who mirrors his mother, like Bhooma.

When Bhooma finally decides to break up, she doesn’t reveal the real reason - that she doesn’t want to end up like his mother. Instead, she says he has eight backlogs and should focus on studies. That one choice triggers him. He turns defensive and vengeful, playing the male victim card, branding her as someone who used him for pleasure. You can’t help but wonder: if she had spoken the truth, would his reaction have been different?

The early intimacy scenes between Bhooma and Vikram feel a bit naïve - her consent and comfort seem too easily given for someone from a conservative, emotionally conditioned background.

Standout Scenes:

• Bhooma’s visit to Vikram’s house and her realization after meeting his mother, followed by the panic attack.
• The confrontation sequence when Bhooma’s father makes a surprise visit.
• The breakup scene.
• The climax, where Bhooma finally breaks free from her emotional shackles.

Rahul Ravindran deserves credit for writing a story he believes in and narrating it without fear of not having universal approval. The Girlfriend is bound to trigger cetain male audiences just as Animal triggered certain female ones.

However, the characters in this film are portrayed in absolute terms - either entirely good or entirely bad - with no shades of gray. In today’s world, such characterizations feel overly idealistic and somewhat lacking in realism.

On the flip side, the pacing is slow, and the English play sequence in the first half feels slightly alienating to the mass audience.

The Girlfriend offers a woman’s perspective - a mirror for men to reflect on how love, control, and conditioning intertwine

Other departments: The songs composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab are excellent and are effectively used as montages to elevate the film’s emotional depth. Prashanth R Vihari’s background score complements the tone beautifully, adding layers to the narrative.

Cinematography by Krishnan Vasant is noteworthy - the camera becomes an emotional tool throughout the film. Scenes like the mirror sequence and the panic attack episode stand out because of his visual sensitivity. The hostel bathroom scene, where Bhooma visits after being physically intimate, is another fine example of how the director has written scenes keeping camera movement and framing in mind.

Production design by Ramakrishna & Monica adds authenticity and visual richness, while editing by Chota K Prasad is decent, though could have been tighter in parts.

A special mention to producers Allu Aravind, Vidya Koppineedi, and Dheeraj Mogilineni for backing the director’s vision completely and allowing him to tell the story in his own way without chasing universal approval.

Analysis: The Girlfriend is a film told from a female perspective, exploring women’s vulnerabilities and how they are often used, abused, and taken for granted due to deep-rooted societal conditioning. It also serves as a cautionary tale for women stepping into relationships - urging them to stand up for themselves and walk away from toxic or uncomfortable bonds.

Rahul Ravindran writes and directs with conviction, delivering a story that is both bold and thought-provoking. The film is bound to evoke polarizing reactions between genders, and the producers deserve appreciation for supporting such a courageous vision.

Despite its flaws (appearing overly idealistic and out of touch with the evolving dynamics of Gen Z) and slow pacing, The Girlfriend remains an important film - one that challenges perceptions. You may or may not love it, but it undeniably offers men a fresh and necessary perspective.