While watching The Girlfriend, I couldn’t hold back my Tears : Vijay Devarakonda

The film The Girl Friend, starring National Crush Rashmika Mandanna and talented actor Dheekshith Shetty, has achieved massive success. Both youth and family audiences are embracing it warmly. The film, presented by Allu Aravind under Geetha Arts and Dheeraj Mogilineni Entertainment banners, is directed by Rahul Ravindran and produced by Dheeraj Mogilineni and Vidya Koppineedi. The film continues its triumphant run at the box office, grossing ₹20.4 crore worldwide within just five days of release. To celebrate the success, a grand event was held in Hyderabad with actor Vijay Deverakonda as the chief guest.

Lyricist Raghendu Mouli said: “The credit for the success of The Girlfriend goes to the women. About 60% of the audience in theaters are women. Boys who watch the film are learning from Vikram’s mistakes. I feel happy to have written all the songs for this film.”

Music director Prashanth Vihari said: “It’s our good fortune that filmmakers like Rahul Ravindran exist in the Telugu industry. I composed music for his film Chi La Sow, which helped me learn a lot. Hesham has given great music for The Girlfriend, and I composed the background score to match that energy. After watching the film, I too felt like becoming a better person.”

Costume designer Shravya Varma said: “Knowing how deeply Rahul understands women, I wasn’t surprised while watching this film – it reflected his thoughts beautifully. I’m proud to have worked on it.”

Music director Hesham Abdul Wahab said, “A movie like The Girlfriend is something the world today needs to see. Rashmika has earned a special place for herself with this film, one that will stay forever. Dheekshith’s performance deeply impressed me. My thanks to Rahul, Vidya, and Dheeraj for the opportunity. The film’s success and Prashanth’s beautiful background score make me very happy.”

Actress Rohini said: “Rahul and I acted together in a Tamil film, and later I worked with him again in Chi La Sow. In The Girlfriend, my role is small, but I accepted it because of my faith in him. For someone like me who loves to talk, this role had no dialogue – Rahul designed it based on a woman he knew in real life. Though brief, it made an impact. After watching the movie, I believe men will start to change how they view women in their lives.”

Actor Dheekshith Shetty said: “After watching the film, people are saying ‘I hate you,’ but I can feel the love in that hate. Usually, we do movies for entertainment, but this one I did out of responsibility. The way people loved me as Suri in Dasara, they’re loving me even more as Vikram here. Rashmika, despite being a star, was friendly and humble throughout. Many girls are taking inspiration from her character Bhooma, wanting to move forward fearlessly. Even men in the audience are applauding during emotional scenes. Seeing that, we wondered if we had made a mass entertainer! From the premiere stage, the media treated this film as their own responsibility and promoted it widely. I thank Rahul for giving me such a role, and I hope he keeps his promise of doing another film with me.”

Producer Vidya Koppineedi said: “From the beginning, we knew we were making a powerful film. As everyone said, knowing Rahul, it’s not surprising that he could make something like this – he understands women’s emotions so deeply. Many of our friends appreciated Dheekshith’s classy performance, and Rashmika’s portrayal of Bhooma inspired countless women to feel empowered. Rashmika truly breathed life into Bhooma. My thanks to Dheeraj and to Vijay for gracing our event as a strong supporter.”

Producer Dheeraj Mogilineni said: “I feel proud to have produced The Girlfriend. No matter how many films I make, none will give me the kind of respect this one has brought. The appreciation from the audience feels like winning a national award. Without Rashmika, this film wouldn’t exist. Her dedication was remarkable. Rahul gave us a film that will be remembered forever. My gratitude to Aravind Garu for his constant support, and to Vijay for joining us. My friend SKN was initially part of the project but stepped aside to let me earn recognition as a producer. This success belongs to our entire team and to the audience.”

Director Sai Rajesh said: “I watched The Girlfriend even before release – it was heart-touching. I couldn’t share my feelings publicly back then. After Baby, I faced criticism and couldn’t enjoy its success. Rahul spoke to me and helped me realize my mistakes, which I corrected in the Hindi remake. Rashmika’s performance as Bhooma was extraordinary. Dheekshith being hated by the audience means he acted brilliantly. Rahul is the kind of director the industry must protect. Vidya and Dheeraj earned great respect as producers with this success.”

Producer Bunny Vas said: “In every project, there’s one person who believes in it 200%, and for The Girlfriend, that person was Rahul. He turned his conviction into a film, and the whole team trusted his vision. He’s brought great pride to our Geetha banner. Rashmika’s performance was mesmerizing. Every girlfriend should show this movie to her boyfriend – if they still come to watch, they’re good ones! I watched it with my family, and I congratulate the entire team.”

Producer SKN said: “No one worked harder for this film than Rahul – he dedicated three years to it. Dheeraj treats every movie like it’s his life. Rashmika came forward because she felt such a story needed to be told. Vidya’s good nature brings her success. Allu Aravind Garu is a rare producer who supports others’ success selflessly. I wouldn’t be a producer today if not for Vijay. His Taxiwaala helped us all stand strong. He’s going to deliver huge hits soon.”

Director Rahul Ravindran said: “It’s been six years since my last film. While making The Girlfriend, I was scared – what if it didn’t work? But today, my family is proud. When I visit theaters, two-thirds of the audience are women. My dear producers Vidya and Dheeraj believed in me completely, and without Aravind Garu, this film wouldn’t have been possible. Rashmika trusted this story deeply; whenever I lost confidence, her faith in the script gave me courage. With actors like Rashmika and Dheekshith, even a simple film becomes special. The audience themselves promoted our movie. I’ll always be grateful to the media. Vijay giving his voice for the teaser added great buzz, and I thank him for that.”

Actress Rashmika Mandanna said: “After reading the script, I immediately felt I had to do The Girlfriend as soon as possible. While acting, I often wondered how Rahul understood a woman’s emotions so perfectly. I trusted him completely in portraying Bhooma. Some of Bhooma’s experiences felt like my own – I used to wonder if I was in the wrong. Today, seeing people watch our film and feel relief, as if they’ve gained freedom, makes me emotional. The audience has understood our intent perfectly. Their love for Bhooma is more precious than any award. But while that makes me happy, it also hurts to realize how many real women are facing Bhooma’s struggles. I thank Vidya and Dheeraj for giving us full creative freedom, and Geetha Arts for their support. Rahul makes me proud, and Dheekshith is a gem of an actor. Vijay has been part of this film from the start, and I’m happy he’s here today. Having someone like Vijay in your life is truly a blessing.”

Producer Allu Aravind said: “First, I must thank the media for supporting The Girlfriend from its preview stage and spreading positive word of mouth. The real hero of this success is our director Rahul. He first told me this story in 2021, planning it for OTT, but I insisted it should be made for theaters. I never expected it to come out under our banner! Only a pure-hearted director like Rahul could make such a film. He predicted that both men and women would connect to it, and that’s exactly what happened. Rashmika, who once worked with us in Geetha Govindam, has brought even more prestige to our banner with this film. Dheekshith is a fine actor and will go far. Vijay, as always, graciously attends every event we invite him to – thank you.”

Actor Vijay Deverakonda said: “I watched The Girlfriend today, and I was emotional throughout. I couldn’t stop my tears. Rashmika and Rahul had been sending me updates about the amazing response. It’s painful that women in our society still face such problems. Relationships should be about respect, support, and growing together. If you face issues, talk openly. This film gives people that awareness. And if your partner still doesn’t listen, take your decision—do what’s right for you. The Girlfriend breaking box-office records despite its unconventional format is a big deal. More than the numbers, it has sparked thought and awareness, inspiring women to speak up. Many commercial hits can’t create this kind of societal impact. The team should be proud. Rahul and the producers have achieved something remarkable. I’ve never personally faced such situations, but even hearing about them moved me deeply. Rahul is the kind of director the world needs – everyone who knows him speaks of him with love, and that’s his blessing. Rohini’s character left me speechless. Dheekshith was outstanding as Vikram, and Anu’s portrayal of Durga made me wish every woman had a friend like her. I’ve known Rashmika since Geetha Govindam – there are so many similarities between her and Bhooma. At the peak of her career, she chose to do a film like this out of conviction, and that makes me proud. People may criticize me, but Rashmika stays calm. One day, the world will understand who she truly is. Keeping your partner happy is everyone’s responsibility. Congratulations to Aravind Garu, Vidya, Dheeraj, and the entire The Girlfriend team.”