Rashmika’s sincere performance stands out, but the film around her remains exhausting and toxicity extended beyond bearable limits

xCast: Rashmika Mandanna, Deekshit Shetty, Anu Emmanuel, Rohini, Rao Ramesh Director: Rahul Ramakrishna Rating: 2/5 stars

Rashmika Mandanna, known for impactful performances in *Animal*, *Pushpa* and *Chhava*, takes on a simpler, girl-next-door role in *The Girlfriend* and delivers with grace and vulnerability. Her innocence and subtle emotional expressions are the film’s biggest strength. However, her trust in debut director Rahul Ramakrishna seems misplaced, as the film slips into a tiring and repetitive portrayal of a toxic relationship.

At its core, *The Girlfriend* is a campus love story between two students. Rashmika plays a postgraduate literature

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