Is The Girlfriend the Most Triggering Film of the Year? Stream Queen Breaks It Down

This Allu Arjun-produced, Rahul Ravindran-directed film arrived quietly on Netflix mere weeks after its theatrical release, but it's making noise for all the right reasons. What starts as a seemingly innocent college romance quickly morphs into psychological horror, not because of supernatural elements, but because it holds up a mirror to something far more terrifying: the everyday toxicity normalised in Indian relationships.

A Love Story That Turns Into a Cautionary Tale

Rashmika Mandanna plays Bhooma Devi, a talented literature student who's been conditioned her entire life to be the ‘good girl’, obedient, accommodating, perpetually shrinking herself. Enter Vikram (Deekshit Shetty), the college heartthrob who embodies toxic masculinity wrapped in fitted shirts and hero dialogues.

Vikram operates on a dangerous equation: ‘I love her = I own her.’ Her clothes, friends, phone, stage performances, everything requires his approval. Sound familiar? That's because this fictional nightmare mirrors reality for countless Indian women.

When Romance Becomes Unpaid Labour

Here's where the film gets uncomfortably real. Bhooma, who came to college to pursue her MA in English Literature, is now washing Vikram's clothes, cleaning his hostel room, and hand-feeding him, all disguised as romance. Meanwhile, Vikram gets his validation from paying canteen bills and parading her around campus, literally suffocating her with his possessiveness.

The film brilliantly exposes how love transforms into unacknowledged, unpaid labour. How many women have been conditioned to immediately adopt caretaker roles? The ‘mere babu ne khana khaya?' phenomenon isn't just a meme; it's a cultural script playing out in countless households.

The Terrifying Reality Behind the Fiction

When Bhooma finally escapes this ‘love prison,’ Vikram's rejection triggers predictable violence. She's labelled characterless and worse, because how dare a woman sleep with a man and then reject him?

This context makes ‘The Girlfriend’ essential viewing. India witnesses approximately a thousand acid attacks annually, with activists estimating 80% involve jilted lovers, men who cannot process the word ‘no.’ Crimes stemming from rejection, stalking, harassment, assault, and murder remain painfully common.

The Anti-Kabir Singh We Desperately Needed

If you've watched ‘Kabir Singh’, watching ‘The Girlfriend’ becomes mandatory. The brilliance lies in how it exposes narcissistic, toxic behaviour without preaching. When Bhooma receives applause for her theatre performance, even her newfound confidence becomes criminal in Vikram's eyes. He sexualizes her performance, claims he's protecting her from ‘lecherous boys,’ and leaves her feeling exposed and ashamed. Classic manipulation.

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The Scene That Will Haunt You

One particularly chilling moment occurs when Bhooma meets Vikram's mother, a woman suppressed to near-insanity, unable to speak or make eye contact. She's been trained by her husband and son to be a robotic servant. In a brilliantly crafted reflection scene, Bhooma sees her future. It's foreshadowing. It's every Indian girl's worst nightmare.

There's another scene where Bhooma stands literally trapped within four walls, crushed, shrinking, breathless. No dialogues needed. That's every woman stuck in a toxic relationship.

Addressing the Question Nobody Asks Right

Men like Vikram genuinely don't understand the problem. ‘If there's love, there'll be possessiveness. I never hit her, never raised my voice, stayed loyal, why do these feminists always take the woman's side?’

This is exactly what the film addresses. Red flags and toxic behaviours have become so normalised, they're part of the expected romantic storyline.

People ask: ‘Why didn't she leave earlier?’ ‘Why did she continue the relationship?’

Because Indian girls grow up hearing: ‘Adjust karo.’ ‘Don't anger him.’ ‘Keep the family together.’ We're conditioned to stay. The fear of breaking relationships is embedded deep within us.

The Pillars That Help Women Escape

What makes this film powerful is showing what actually helps women break free: female friendship, self-realisation, and recognising toxic patterns. Rashmika delivers this transformation arc beautifully, taking Bhooma from timid compliance to hard-won strength.

‘The Girlfriend’ isn't just entertainment, it's a cultural intervention. It's truth, rage, courage, and a masterclass in the anatomy of toxic love.

If you're stuck in a manipulative relationship, let this film be your wake-up call. The horror ends the moment you walk out.

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Keep reading Herzindagi for more such stories.

Image Courtesy: IMDb