Story

The Girlfriend unfolds the story of Bhoomi (Rashmika Mandanna), a young woman navigating the emotional highs and lows of a romantic relationship with Vicky (Dheekshith Shetty). What begins as an innocent college romance slowly descends into a toxic cycle of love, dependency, and realization. 

The film explores the painful aftermath of a breakup and Bhoomi’s journey toward self-awareness and closure. director rahul Ravindran attempts to deliver a sensitive, message-driven narrative about modern relationships and emotional maturity, though the execution often feels uneven and safe.

Performances

rashmika mandanna shoulders the film with a grounded performance as Bhoomi. She brings warmth and vulnerability to her role, especially in the more emotional sequences. While the film doesn’t challenge her range, her sincerity keeps it afloat. Dheekshith Shetty, as Vicky, gets equal importance and matches Rashmika’s performance with charm and restraint. His portrayal of a possessive yet relatable boyfriend is convincing, though the writing doesn’t give him much depth to explore.

Rahul Ravindran himself appears in a supporting role but fails to leave a lasting impression despite the potential of his character. Rao Ramesh, as Bhoomi’s father, delivers his usual composed performance, though he’s confined to a few brief scenes. Senior actress Roshni shines in her short appearance, adding authenticity to a key moment. The rest of the supporting cast—including Anu Emmanuel—feel more like narrative fillers than active participants in Bhoomi’s story.

Technicalities

Technically, The Girlfriend maintains a simple yet polished aesthetic. Hesham Abdul Wahab’s background score beautifully complements the emotional tone, elevating moments that the writing sometimes underserves. His music gives the film its emotional rhythm, though the songs themselves don’t leave a strong aftertaste.

Cinematographer Krishnan Vasanth captures the film’s intimate tone with clean framing and a natural palette that suits the college and domestic settings. The production values from geetha arts and Dheeraj Mogilineni Entertainment are neat and functional, ensuring the film looks refined despite its simplicity. The editing could have been crisper, as certain portions—especially in the first half—drag longer than necessary.

Analysis

director rahul Ravindran, known for Chi La Sow and Manmadhudu 2, returns with what seems like a deeply personal film. His intent is clear—to present a heartfelt exploration of relationships and the emotional learning that comes from love and loss. However, his storytelling feels restrained, never fully delving into the intensity or complexity that the theme demands.

The film begins with a typical college-romance setup and takes almost an hour to reach its first major conflict. The pacing here hurts the engagement, as the interactions between Bhoomi and Vicky often feel repetitive and lack narrative spikes. The pre-interval sequence—particularly the scene where Bhoomi meets Vicky’s mother—finally injects emotional energy and becomes one of the film’s best-crafted moments.

The second half begins on a more dramatic note, exploring family reactions and emotional consequences, but quickly slips into predictability. The breakup scene, which should have been the film’s emotional high point, is surprisingly flat in both writing and execution. rahul Ravindran’s direction feels more observational than immersive, keeping the audience at arm’s length from the characters’ inner turmoil.

Despite its sincerity, The Girlfriend often feels content with surface-level emotional beats. There’s an evident lack of strong dialogue and memorable moments that could have elevated the viewing experience. Still, one cannot overlook the film’s heart—it tries to convey something meaningful about relationships, self-worth, and emotional resilience, even if it doesn’t fully succeed in doing so.

What Works

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  • rashmika Mandanna’s sincere performance

• • A few emotionally resonant moments, especially the pre-interval sequence

• • Hesham Abdul Wahab’s beautiful background score

• • Decent production values and grounded cinematography

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What Doesn’t

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  • Uneven pacing and a slow first half

• • Predictable and surface-level writing

• • Underutilized supporting cast

• • Lack of emotional intensity in crucial moments

• • Flat dialogues and weak conflict development

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Bottom Line

The Girlfriend is a well-intentioned but underwhelming relationship drama. It’s sincere in emotion but lacks the depth and spark to make you truly feel for its characters. A film that means well—but feels too safe to leave a lasting impression.

Ratings: 2.75/5 ⭐
India Herald Percentage Meter: 55%

Final Verdict: Heartfelt but half-baked.