When you are watching Rashmika Mandanna’s 'The Girlfriend', the 2017 movie ‘Arjun Reddy’ is sure to cross your mind. But what sets the former apart is director Rahul Ravindran’s gaze.
Set in a college in Hyderabad, ‘The Girlfriend’ follows Bhooma (Rashmika), a literature student and Vikram (Dheekshith Shetty), a computer engineering student obsessed with the idea of having a wife who can cook and clean for him. He meets Bhooma, who is a timid young girl with altruistic traits. But soon Bhooma wises up and decides to cut him loose. However, each time she tries to break up with him, he convinces her they are the perfect couple, until his misogynist acts can no longer be tolerated.
‘The Girlfriend’ has all the tropes of an entertainer — romance, action and songs. But what it doesn’t have is the male gaze, a common characteristic of most Indian movies. The movie, in many ways is like ‘Arjun Reddy’, but misogyny is not glorified here, instead the director depicts it as a serious mental illness. About 15 minutes into the film, you become aware of the director’s intent. That does make the movie predictable. But you want to watch it until the end to see how he handles tricky situations.
What stood out in the movie was actor Rohini as Vikram’s mother. Though brief, her performance stole the show. Rashmika should continue to choose powerful female characters — her role of Srivalli from ‘Pushpa’ was another strong woman character.
To conclude, Rashmika Mandanna’s ‘The Girlfriend’ is a feminist's answer to all the misogynistic movies out there.