The Girlfriend, said presenter Allu Aravind on Wednesday, will haunt the audience. Although he has made lots of money as a producer over the decades, this particular film will stand out among them as a product that gave him "creative fulfilment". The film will hit the cinemas on November 7th.
Speaking at a presser, Allu Aravind described director Rahul Ravindran as a committed filmmaker with sensitive sensibilities. "This film is not just about making money. It has satisfied me as a producer. "You have to watch it thinking about the emotions and unspoken desires in the hearts of women around us - our sisters, mothers, and daughters," he said. Suggesting that Nee Jeevithamantha Nene would have been another apt title for the movie, Aravind vouched for its universal, relatable narrative. Although The Girlfriend is not family-centric, the family audience will discover many relatable, slice-of-life elements in it. The senior producer finally endorsed Rashmika's fervent performance as Bhooma, girlfriend to Dheekshith Shetty's Vikram. Although the love story is of a delicate nature, the ending becomes intense.
Hero Dheekshith Shetty thanked Rahul for believing that he could play the part. Aravind instilled confidence in him by paying advance for another movie even during the making of The Girlfriend. The producer did so because he loved his performance in the rushes. He then described Rashmika as a "wonderful" performer. "If even one Vikram in the audience changes after watching our film, our effort will be worth it," he added.
Director Rahul Ravindran described the project as a beautiful journey in his filmography. Right from the composer to editor and cinematographer, they all worked with great passion. "Dheekshith is one of the few actors in his age group with such a remarkable range. But it's Rashmika who is the soul of this film—she didn't just act, she lived the character. Her performance is easily one of the best by a Telugu actress this decade and is surely award-worthy," the filmmaker added.
Producer Vidya Koppineedi stated that The Girlfriend deserves to be watched even by children. She further remarked that as a mother, sister, and daughter, she could say that film carried deep emotional values. She explained that some feelings in life could not be described in words, and the film gave answers to many unspoken questions. Finally, she concluded that it was not just a women-centric film, but both men and women must see it at least once.
Producer Dheeraj Mogilineni mentioned they had approached several heroes for various stories before this project, but nothing materialized. He recalled that they narrated the story to Rashmika two years prior, and she immediately accepted. He praised Dheekshith for adjusting his dates multiple times when shooting was delayed, predicting that the actor would receive many offers in Telugu cinema because of his amazing performance. He promised to give a flat to Rahul and his wife Chinmayi Sripada if the film becomes a hit at the box office.
Music Director Prashanth Vihari said that working on The Girlfriend had been a big experience for him. He added that the movie was a visual feast and that after watching it, audiences would remain emotionally moved for a while. Music Director Hesham Abdul Wahab said that that was the first Telugu movie he had agreed to do. He mentioned that after Hridayam, Rahul was the first director from Hyderabad to approach him. He felt that Rahul had made that movie a visual experience.
