The Girlfriend: Rashmika Mandanna removes the veil of patriarchy for every woman
‘The Girlfriend’ depicts Rashmika Mandanna’s compelling portrayal of a woman breaking free from the shackles of patriarchy. The film highlights the subtle but pervasive effects of abuse and the courage required to reclaim one’s identity.
Patriarchy has long served as a veil, obscuring women’s paths to greatness. When Rashmika Mandanna’s Bhuma finally takes off her dupatta in ‘The Girlfriend’, it’s more than a falling of clothes – it’s an exposing of two decades of patriarchal conditioning. This deliberate act of undress—which is a constant element of her costume throughout the film—is a profound declaration of reclaiming her freedom and rejecting the chains that once held her captive.
‘The Girlfriend’ is a poignant piece of art that exposes everyday patriarchy in its most subtle form. The Rashmika Mandanna-starrer is so impactful that it’s impossible to shake off the feeling of watching Buma discover herself by overcoming the constraints of chauvinism that has dominated her for more than two decades.
For a long time, movies dealing with romance and the devastating breakups that follow have always presented the male perspective. Here, we get Bhuma’s perspective in all its glory – the good, the bad and the ugly. Bhuma’s eyes are full of kindness and filled with hope as she joins MA Literature with aspirations.
When she gets into a relationship with the narcissistic Vikram, his lifeless eyes always create doubt and confusion. In a scene where Vikram takes Bhuma to his home, she asks if her mother is dumb. This question surprises Vikram and he rejects his father’s abusive behavior towards his mother. In another intense scene where Bhuma sees herself in the mirror as her mother-in-law, you feel the burden of her realization. This is one of those moments when Bhuma really realizes the trap she has fallen into.
![The Girlfriend - Trailer [TELUGU] | Rashmika Mandanna | Dheekshith Shetty | Rahul Ravindran | Hesham](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XgLlPN7oxwY/hqdefault.jpg)
With these examples, which depict Vikram’s lustful and narcissistic behavior, the film gives you an uneasy feeling. This is a strong desire to stop Bhuma and beg her to get out of the relationship. Bhuma is not naïve, but the strength it takes to leave her old self behind and break off a relationship scares her. What we see are Bhuma’s days of being a soulless person who takes care of Vikram while he only thinks about himself.
The horror of the film isn’t about what happens to Bhuma – it’s the suffocating fear of watching her lose herself, and the desperate hope that she’ll find her way back. You are scared for Bhuma, but not for her well-being, but to embrace the woman she wants to be. To embrace a woman, the men in her life never gave her the chance. Through ‘The Girlfriend’, director Rahul Ravindran gives Bhuma a chance to become that woman.
And in doing so, ‘The Girlfriend’ becomes a part of every woman. It tells women that they are seen, that their feelings are valid and visible. It cures them. It empowers them. When Bhumaa finally lets out a terrified scream and tells the world about her relationship with an abusive narcissist – the same story she weaponized against her – you can’t help but cheer. This is her moment: the one she longed for, the one that held her in bondage, the one that finally let her breathe a sigh of peace.
The greatest power of cinema lies not in escapism, but in making us feel less alone in our struggles. ‘The Girlfriend’ doesn’t offer easy answers or a fairy-tale ending. Instead, it provides something much more valuable: recognition. For every woman who has questioned her worthiness in a relationship, who has felt her light dim under someone else’s control, who has feared taking a leap into the unknown – Bhuma’s journey whispers, ‘You are not alone. You are not wrong. And you are strong enough to choose yourself. This is the biggest gift of the film.”
‘The Girlfriend’ reminds us that liberation is not a single dramatic moment; It’s made up of thousands of small acts of courage that add up to a tempting option to reclaim yourself. And once that scarf falls, there is no going back. Only forward – more free, more fierce and finally, completely yourself.
