Two films arrived around the same period, yet Rashmika Mandanna appears strikingly different in Thama and The Girlfriend. While Bollywood often leans on her glamour, the southern film industry places its faith in her performance. The seductive Rashmika seen in a song from Thama—or the way she is repeatedly reduced to her physical appeal in films like Animal—stands in contrast to how southern filmmakers emphasize her emotional depth. It is this trust in her sensitivity that makes The Girlfriend an important film, not just for Rashmika, but for many other reasons as well.

At a Glance

Film: The Girlfriend
Genre: Drama
Director: Rahul Ravindran
Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Dheekshith Shetty, Anu Emmanuel
Streaming on: Netflix
Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes

Rahul Ravindran’s The Girlfriend is an honest film that avoids the loud emotions and excessive drama typical of relationship-based cinema. Instead, it gently reveals uncomfortable truths hidden within everyday routines, crowded lives, and fleeting moments.

The story centers on the relationship between Vikram (Dheekshith Shetty), a sports-loving, confident engineering student, and Bhuma (Rashmika Mandanna), a reserved student of English literature. The excitement of young love—movie dates, shared lunches—coexists with darker realities that many couples quietly experience. The director uncovers these uneasy truths with restraint, allowing viewers to discover them rather than forcing conclusions upon them.

The narrative primarily follows Vikram and Bhuma, a choice that allows the film to closely explore their inner worlds. Rather than confining them to familiar stereotypes—the extroverted boyfriend and the introverted girlfriend—the film delves into the complexities of their personalities.

When Vikram belittles Bhuma’s achievements, it is unsettling. Yet the film also hints that such behavior stems from his upbringing. Bhuma’s silence and endurance raise equally troubling questions. Through subtle storytelling, the director reveals how emotional neglect in her childhood shaped her adult behavior. In one poignant scene, young Bhuma is burdened with responsibility for her father’s mental well-being. That trauma follows her into adulthood, where caring for men becomes her identity, often at the expense of her own mental health.

The Girlfriend highlights an unequal partnership. Although both characters enter the relationship with emotional baggage, the weight they carry is far from equal.

Bhuma and Vikram exist on opposite ends of the spectrum. Bhuma finds comfort reading Virginia Woolf alone in her dorm room. Vikram embraces a self-styled “hero” persona—unafraid of physical confrontation and eager to play the protector of women on campus. Bhuma loves books; Vikram idolizes his mother. He even compares Bhuma to his mother during their first conversation—something Bhuma instinctively senses as dangerous, yet still ignores. Perhaps the absence of a father figure explains her questionable choices.

The film is driven by the performances of Rashmika Mandanna and Dheekshith Shetty. Though the story deals with a toxic relationship, their acting elevates the narrative. A standout surprise is Anu Emmanuel as Durga, a popular college figure drawn to Vikram. Far from being a one-dimensional rival, her character is thoughtfully written and challenges the familiar “man-eater” stereotype common in Indian cinema.

For the most part, the film feels natural and unforced. A notable moment occurs when Bhuma meets Vikram’s mother for the first time, quietly resolving many unanswered questions in her mind. However, there are moments when the film explains too much, diminishing its subtle impact. Despite its maturity, the director occasionally slips into overstatement.

A confrontation between Bhuma and Rohini, staged in front of a mirror, serves as a strong metaphor for reflection and self-realization. Yet the metaphor loses some power due to excessive clarification.

Despite minor flaws, the screenplay remains compelling throughout. The film does not preach morality, nor does it place the responsibility of reforming men on women. It does not demand justification when a woman chooses to leave a relationship—especially when the man is clearly at fault. A woman’s decision to walk away is reason enough, and The Girlfriend states this clearly and confidently.