Let's rate this U, for Uncomplicated

The fuss over the new Rashmika Mandanna film is baffling. She's only playing a woman who wants some rather ordinary things

- Deepanjana Pal

When Rahul Ravindran's new Telugu film, The Girlfriend, was released earlier this month, the online chatter made it seem explosively provocative.

"It's feminist propaganda", "Himmat hai to apne girlfriend ke saath dekho (Watch it with your girlfriend if you have the guts)" and "No sense, just pure feminist emotion" were some of the comments online.

Imagine my surprise when I watched it and discovered that Rashmika Mandanna, who headlines the film, doesn't play a virago on a manhunt. Her Bhooma is a wholesome young woman without even the shock value of the recently released Bad Girl, Varsha Bharath's impressive directorial debut.