India, Nov. 8 -- If you think you know what The Girlfriend is about, you don't. To chalk it down to just the story of a woman caught in the throes of a volatile relationship would be an understatement. Rahul Ravindran's film is a case study on how to take tried-and-tested tropes in commercial cinema, flip them on their head, all while telling a story that stands out amidst incel culture. Is it flawless? No. But in a sea of alpha males, it's refreshing to see the story of a woman who battles misogyny with everything in her being. (Spoilers ahead)

Bhooma Devi (Rashmika Mandanna) is a postgraduate student who has the infallible patience that befits her name. She is gaslighted into a relationship that she now doesn't have the strength to lea...