The Girlfriend: Rashmika’s Bold Film That’s Making a Section of hindi Audiences Deeply Uncomfortable
Whether you love her or not, rashmika mandanna rarely plays safe. But with The Girlfriend, she walked straight into a battlefield—one where patriarchy, pop culture, fan toxicity, and gender politics collide. Praised as one of Telugu cinema’s strongest films of 2025, yet facing resistance where it was expected to perform big, the movie has triggered a national-level conversation far beyond box-office numbers.
While critics applauded its honesty and intensity, another section—especially within the Hindi-speaking online space—had only one thing to say: “Propaganda.”
But is it propaganda? Or is it simply a mirror that some people don’t want to look into?
1. The Controversy That Refuses to Die
It started with scattered comments.
Then came reaction videos.
Then came the heated debates.
A portion of hindi YouTube and social media began branding the film as “feminist propaganda designed to provoke women.” The accusation?
The Girlfriend encourages women to question, confront, and refuse to tolerate suffocation in relationships.
For some, this was empowering.
For others, apparently, it was threatening.
2. The Trigger Factor: Rashmika’s Character Doesn’t Behave ‘How a Woman Should’
Rashmika’s protagonist refuses to be the eternally patient, forgiving “good wife” archetype. She isn’t the domestic goddess, the emotional crutch, or the self-sacrificing mother-figure that many men subconsciously expect their girlfriends and wives to be.
This alone has provoked a section of viewers who aren’t ready to see such a character on-screen—especially when she asserts boundaries.
In other words:
She doesn’t stay silent.
She doesn’t adjust endlessly.
She doesn’t pamper a grown man like she’s his mother.
And that, for some audiences, is rebellion.
3. When Films Like arjun reddy & Animal Are Worshipped… This Was Bound to Happen
Popular critic Anmol Jamwal pointed out something important:
Fans who idolise films like Arjun Reddy, Animal, and Kabir Singh are finding The Girlfriend “too progressive.”
Those earlier films normalised volatile male behaviour and romanticised toxic love.
The Girlfriend, in contrast, shows what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that toxicity.
When a film flips the gender lens, discomfort is guaranteed.
4. The ‘Propaganda’ Allegation: A Convenient Shield
Why are some calling it propaganda?
Because the film pushes men to confront something uncomfortable:
That emotional labour in relationships often falls entirely on women.
That many men want love without accountability.
That “good woman” is often code for “woman who never complains.”
The easiest way to dismiss such truths?
Label them propaganda.
5. A Story that Suffocates You on Purpose
The film intentionally pulls viewers into the protagonist’s claustrophobic world. The tight framing, intense emotional beats, and uneasy silences make the audience feel exactly what she feels:
The imbalance.
The pressure.
The expectations.
The lack of oxygen.
This realism is what makes some viewers squirm.
And squirming is often the first step to denial, not acceptance.
6. A Film That Asks women to Speak—And That’s the Real Problem for Critics
Those accusing the film of “inciting women” are essentially saying:
“Women questioning unfair treatment = dangerous.”
Which exposes the real conflict:
Many aren’t threatened by the film — They’re threatened by the idea of women refusing silent endurance.
The film doesn’t encourage rebellion.
It encourages conversation.
And conversations are what patriarchal systems fear most.
7. The Mislabeling of Assertive Women: Society’s Oldest Trick
Whenever women express discomfort, assert boundaries, or demand equality, society often rushes to call them:
“Difficult.”
“Induced by feminism.”
“Brainwashed.”
“Too modern.”
The Girlfriend calls out this exact mindset.
No wonder some people feel attacked.
8. The Debate Won’t End Anytime Soon
Supporters believe the film will find its audience slowly—through word of mouth, discussions, and women recommending it to other women.
Detractors will continue calling it propaganda.
Supporters will continue calling it necessary.
But no one can deny one thing:
The Girlfriend has started a conversation india desperately needed.
9. The Film’s Message: No Relationship Should Feel Like a Cage
At its core, the movie isn’t about feminism, rebellion, or propaganda.
It’s about one simple truth:
Love should not suffocate.
Respect should not feel like a negotiation.
And a partner should not feel like a parent.
If these ideas feel “too progressive,” the problem isn’t the film.
Final Word
The Girlfriend isn’t a film trying to teach women what to do.
It’s a film asking society why women are still expected to suffer quietly.
And that bold question, more than the film itself, is what’s rattling cages.
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