A comprehensive review of “The Girlfriend” (2025): budget, box office collections, plot summary, acting analysis, dubbed versions, and themes of toxic love and empowerment.
The Girlfriend is one of the most trending newly released romantic-drama films of 2025. Starring Rashmika Mandanna in the lead role, the movie has generated huge buzz for its emotional storyline, strong performances, and multi-language release. This blog covers everything — budget, collection, plot, acting, performance, and overall review — in a clean and professional way.
Movie Details
Title: The Girlfriend
Genre: Romantic Drama / Psychological Drama
Director: Rahul Ravindran
Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Dheekshith Shetty, Anu Emmanuel
Release Date: 7 November 2025
Languages: Telugu + Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada (Dubbed)
Budget
The estimated production budget of The Girlfriend is ₹42 crore.
This includes shooting, cast, marketing, and post-production expenses.
Box Office Collection
Here is the early box-office performance of the movie:
| Day | Collection (India Net) |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | ₹1.30 crore |
| Day 2 | ₹2.50 crore |
| Day 3 | ₹3.00 crore |
| Day 5 | ₹8.03 crore total |
| Day 6 | ₹10.10 crore total |
Worldwide Gross (Approx): ₹20+ crore
Break-Even Target: Around ₹22 crore in domestic theatrical revenue
The film started slowly but picked up momentum through word-of-mouth. The overseas performance, especially in North America, is strong.
Story / Plot Summary
The Girlfriend tells the story of Bhooma, a sensitive college-going girl who falls deeply in love with Vikram, a charming but emotionally unstable young man.
What begins as a romantic relationship soon turns into a turbulent journey filled with:
- insecurity
- possessiveness
- emotional manipulation
- panic and trauma
- self-discovery
A major turning point arrives when Durga, another woman from Vikram’s life, becomes a significant part of the story. Bhooma’s emotional struggle and her journey to regain her self-worth form the heart of the film.
The film highlights toxic relationships, patriarchy, and the importance of recognizing emotional abuse.
Acting Performances
⭐ Rashmika Mandanna as Bhooma
- Delivers one of her best performances
- Shows vulnerability, fear, strength, and emotional depth
- Her portrayal of panic attacks and trauma is extremely convincing
⭐ Dheekshith Shetty as Vikram
- Plays a layered, flawed, possessive boyfriend
- His aggression, charm, and unpredictability make the character realistic
- Audience feels both anger and sympathy for him
⭐ Anu Emmanuel as Durga
- Subtle yet impactful
- Adds emotional tension and a fresh angle to the story
Supporting roles by Rao Ramesh and Rohini further strengthen the film.
Direction & Technical Review
🎬 Direction
Rahul Ravindran handles a sensitive subject with maturity.
The film does not glamorize toxic love — it portrays emotional manipulation exactly as it happens in real life.
🎥 Cinematography
Natural lighting, realistic locations, and close-up shots create a grounded atmosphere.
🎵 Music & Background Score
- Beautiful emotional songs
- Intense background score during key dramatic moments
- Adds depth to Bhooma’s emotional journey
✂ Editing
- Smooth storytelling
- First half is slightly slow
- Second half delivers strong emotional payoff
Dubbed Versions
Because Rashmika Mandanna is a pan-India star, the film was released in multiple languages:
- Hindi Dubbed
- Tamil Dubbed
- Kannada Dubbed
- Malayalam Dubbed
All versions are performing well, especially the Hindi and Tamil versions.
Audience & Critics Response
👍 Positive Highlights
- Rashmika’s powerful performance
- Realistic portrayal of toxic love
- Strong emotional climax
- Good music and visuals
👎 Criticized Points
- Slow pacing in the first half
- Emotional heaviness might not suit all viewers
- Some scenes feel intense
Overall, the film is receiving positive to mixed-positive reviews, with major praise for Rashmika’s acting.
Themes & Message
The movie delivers strong social messages:
✔ Toxic relationships are real
✔ Emotional abuse is as serious as physical abuse
✔ Love is not about control
✔ Self-respect matters more than attachment
Young audiences, especially women, are resonating deeply with the narrative.
Final Verdict
The Girlfriend (2025) is a powerful, emotional, and meaningful romantic-drama. With excellent performances, especially by Rashmika Mandanna, the film succeeds in presenting a realistic story about love, pain, and self-discovery.
If you enjoy emotional, intense, character-driven movies, this one is definitely worth watching.
