Web Desk: Rashmika Mandanna’s new romantic drama The Girlfriend posted a gradual but encouraging start at the box office, earning Rs 10.50 crore worldwide in its opening weekend. The film began on a soft note in India with Rs 1.50 crore on its first day but climbed 40 percent on the second day to reach Rs 2.50 crore. It continued its upward trend on Sunday, adding another Rs 3 crore and closing the domestic weekend at roughly Rs 7 crore.
A Story of Love and Self-Discovery
Ravindran’s film follows a young woman confronting love, compatibility and identity during her college years. As box office momentum builds, trade analysts say the coming days will determine whether the film can surpass the Rs 20-crore milestone and recover a significant portion of its production budget.
Positive Reviews Fuel Interest
Directed by Rahul Ravindran, The Girlfriend has drawn favourable responses from critics and audiences, an encouraging sign for a female-driven narrative. Mandanna stars opposite Dheekshith Shetty, with Rao Ramesh, Rohini and Anu Emmanuel in supporting roles. The film’s word-of-mouth has strengthened since release, likely helping footfall across regions.
Deverakonda’s Post Sparks Online Attention
Meanwhile, South Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda amplified buzz around the film after sharing an emotional message on social media. He praised the cast for delivering an intense and meaningful story, calling the film “something powerful” and urging audiences to watch it in theatres. Mandanna responded with an equally heartfelt note, saying the project meant a great deal to her and describing it as a “slow burn” intended to linger with viewers.
Character-Driven Story Resonates
Mandanna earned widespread praise for her portrayal of Bhooma Devi, a postgraduate student navigating an emotionally turbulent relationship with her boyfriend, played by Shetty. Viewers described the performance as one of her finest, while critics highlighted Ravindran’s writing for its unfiltered take on controlling relationships and personal growth. The film has now surpassed Rs 10 crore in India, according to recent trade reports.
Production, Cast and Technical Credits
The film, running 2 hours and 18 minutes, was produced by Dheeraj Mogilneni and Vidya Koppineedi. It features music by Hesham Abdul Wahab and cinematography by Krishnan Vasant. The Girlfriend released in Telugu along with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada, drawing audiences across languages.
Digital Release Planned on Netflix
Netflix has acquired the digital rights and expects to begin streaming the film in early December, though the team has not announced an exact release date. The filmmakers will hold a success meet at Park Hyatt today, and actor Vijay Deverakonda is scheduled to attend.
