Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Deekshith Shetty, Anu Emmanuel, Rao Ramesh, Rohini

Crew: 

Cinematographer by Krishnan Vasant
Edited by Chota k Prasad
Music by Hesham Abdul Wahab, Prashanth Vihari (BGM)
Written & Directed by Rahul Ravindran
Produced by Dheeraj Mogilineni, Koppineedi Vidya, Allu Aravind 

Rashmika Mandanna has developed into a huge star who can drive films on her name and star status. The Girlfriend is her big brave attempt to test the waters of being the leading lady, who completely carries the film on her shoulders. Rahul Ravindran after debuting with Chi.La.Sow and facing a debacle like Manmadhudu 2, he is back to director's chair with this film. The movie released now and let's discuss about the movie in detail. 

Plot: 

Bhuma Devi (Rashmika Mandanna) joins MA in Hyderabad college after requesting her father (Rao Ramesh) for over an year. She is a studious person and very sensitive, apologetic, innocent and highly fearful. She has very low confidence to speak. Vikram (Deekshith Shetty), the college stud, falls in love with her looking at her behaviour.

He sees his mother (Rohini) in her. While she is hesitant, he makes her fall for him and takes the first step of kissing her. Slowly, she starts to understand his toxic behaviour and unable to get out of the relationship, feels suffocated. Durga (Anu Emmanuel) tries to help her but can she? Watch the movie to know more. 

Analysis :

Rashmika Mandanna is a capable performer and she tried to prove it in this The Girlfriend very honestly. She sincerely owned the character but did not really own the screen. The problem lies in writing too, as it overstretches sequences rather than getting to the point. Hence, even she had to sustain too much that it feels like she is asked to do just one thing till the end. 

Deekhisth Shetty is good as a toxic masculine man and sincere, in his portrayal. He did not get very dynamic role and rather it feels monotonic and slightly unbelievable at places. Still, he carried it confidently. Anu Emmanuel is good in her brief role and Rohini owned the screen in her cameo. Rao Ramesh is also good but even character lacks proper writing. 

Technically, the movie is well shot and frames have been lit up aesthetically. You can observe tardiness with Vikram and very hesitant and fearful nature of Rashmika being matched with colors, she pick to wear too, as the character. There are symbolisms and intentful changes in art depictions. While the things in the background are being set up well, the explicit narrative needed some scenes to bring them in a more convincing manner. 

You can understand that a very shy and hesitant person has to open up but without hesitation, she tends to injuries of Vikram. Later, we see her trying to be less sensitive towards her classmate. There is no indication for what sort of happiness she is gaining from the relationship as well. So, the film feels monotonic in its approach in trying to tell the same point repeatedly. 

As a director Rahul Ravidran stayed true to his material and delivered what can be called as film that tries to tell a strong and necessary point but in a very convoluted and slightly draggy way that we harms its ambition. Overall, the performances, technical values and BGM by Prashanth Vihari and songs by Hesham Abdul Wahab make it a decent even film with no emotional connect. 

TeluguOne Perspective :

Misses the gut wrenching punch that the story needs for audiences to route to this Girlfriend. 

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