The Girlfriend Success Celebrations were held on Wednesday. Vijay Deverakonda graced the occasion as the chief guest.
Lyricist Raghendu Mouli said that more women are watching The Girlfriend than men. He added that the mistakes made by Dheekshith Shetty's character are being seen as a cautionary tale by men. Music director Prashanth Vihari, who has done BGM for the movie, described Rahul Ravindran as a filmmaker who exists because of our "good fortune". Costume designer Shravya Varma particularly mentioned about Rahul's "deep understanding" of the psyche and needs of women. Music director Hesham Abdul Wahab, whose songs are hits, said that Rashmika's importance has gone up after the movie.
Actor Dheekshith Shetty said that the movie has been made with a sense of responsibility. His character, Vikram, is evoking feelings of hate towards him, he added. Rashmika's Bhooma, on the other hand, is inspiring women to speak up. "The emotional scenes are so impactful that even men haven't been able to resist applauding them in theatres. "This makes us wonder if The Girlfriend is a mass film," the Dasara actor further said.
Producer Vidya Koppineedi vouched for Rahul's ability to understand women's feelings. "Many of our friends appreciated Dheekshith’s classy performance, and Rashmika’s portrayal of Bhooma inspired countless women to feel empowered," she further iterated.
Producer Dheeraj Mogilineni is moved by the appreciation pouring in from all directions. "This feels like winning a National Award," he added. He attributed the movie's fruition to Rashmika. He revealed that SKN of Mass Movie Makers stepped aside as a producer because he wanted Dheeraj to walk away with all the glory!
Producer SKN praised Rahul for dedicating three years working on The Girlfriend. "Just as we know the audience's pulse, Rahul knows the pulse of women. The director's faith is crucial for any project. He could foresee this success. The Girlfriend has broken the existing norms by wooing the female audience. Allu Aravind garu is the most updated producer. He never takes credit for others' successes. Around the country, only family members are encouraged and supported. But he is one person who encourages anybody who is knowledgeable," SKN said. "Rashmika could have earned double the remuneration had she gave her dates to some other project. But she didn't chase money. She just gave her dates to this project," SKN said.
Director Sai Rajesh of Baby fame described The Girlfriend as "heart-touching". He thanked Rahul for pointing out some mistakes in Baby. "I have used those insights in mending the Hindi remake of Baby. Rashmika is extraordinary in The Girlfriend," Sai Rajesh said.
Producer Bunny Vas thanked Rahul for his 200% faith in The Girlfriend and for adding a new feather to the Geetha Arts crown. Describing Rashmika's performance as mesmerizing, he added, "Every girlfriend should show this movie to her boyfriend. If they watch the movie with you, it means they are right for you."
Allu Aravind thanked the media for good ratings for The Girlfriend. "Vijay Deverakonda is ever-so-ready to support Geetha Arts. The real hero of this movie is director Rahul. Conventionally speaking, this film is critical of men. However, Rahul told me even men will like it. Only a sensitive-natured person can make a film of this sort. Best Actor (Female) awards out there have to adorn Rashmika and I am not exaggerating. Dheekshith Shetty is an intense actor. I will be teaming up with him again in the future," Aravind said.
Rashmika said that she did face some situations in her life that Bhooma does in the film. "I used to self-blame when those situations happened to me. At times, during the shoot, I had to take a pause to gather myself. A big warm hug to you all! I hope you feel heard, respected, loved, healed and liberated after watching The Girlfriend. The audience are able to grasp the intention behind the movie. This is not about awards. I am just happy that you are able to feel what we felt strongly. I thank my producers for investing in this movie. When Geetha Arts presents a movie, it's a big thing. I am proud of Rahul for not changing the story to pander to norms," the Pushpa 2 actor said. She ended the speech saying every girl deserves to have a Vijay Deverakonda in their life.
Actor Vijay Deverakonda said that he couldn’t stop his tears while watching the movie. He began by expressing a strong opinion, saying indirectly that it was painful that women in our society still faced such problems. He added that relationships should be about respect, support, and growing together. The Kingdom actor offered advice based on the film's message: "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." He transitioned to discussing the film's success, stating that The Girlfriend going commercially strong despite its unconventional format was a big deal. He praised the film's social impact, noting that many commercial hits couldn't create that kind of societal impact. Reflecting on the heavy subject matter, the Rowdy Janardhan star said that he had never personally faced such situations, but even hearing about them had moved him deeply. He then showered praise on the director, declaring that Rahul was the kind of director the world needed and that everyone who knew him spoke of him with love, and that was his blessing.
