Rashmika Mandanna’s heart-touching Telugu film *The Girlfriend* is writing a comeback story at the box office. Its initial earnings almost doubled on Saturday, surging a whopping 92%. The positive publicity has made it even more emotional.

According to early estimates from Sacanilc, the first day gross was ₹1.3 crore (₹1.23 crore Telugu, ₹0.07 crore Hindi) all over India, a modest opening for a film released on 7 November. On the second day, it grossed ₹2.5 crore (₹2.45 crore Telugu, ₹0.10 crore Hindi), taking its two-day collection to ₹3.8 crore. Overall viewership increased to 30.79%, with evening (33.84%) and night shows (38.55%) showing strong crowds, while morning (17.32%) and afternoon (33.44%) shows were down—indicating weekend momentum for this intimate drama.

Directed by Rahul Raveendran and produced by Dheeraj Mogilneni and Vidya Koppineni under the banner of Geetha Arts, the film, composed with heart-touching music by Hesham Abdul Wahab, has received immense love from the audience. Rashmika plays Bhumika Devi, a vulnerable post-graduate girl trapped in a manipulative affair with college boy Vikram (Dixit Shetty), and struggles with the clutches of gaslighting with Rao Ramesh’s incisive turn and Anu Emmanuel’s supportive spark. Critics have praised it as a “slow burn” on the wounds of toxic love, blending raw introspection with subtle thrills—Rashmika’s “most personal” role to date.

In an emotional Instagram post, Rashmika poured out from the depths of her soul: “When Rahul narrated this script for the first time… I remember crying… these emotions were coming from a man. He understood things that most people don’t understand.” He praised Raveendran’s “beautiful” worldview, Dixit’s bold debut, the substance of Anu’s “Durga” and the faith of the supporters: “We can do big films, but not one like this.” For Rashmika, playing the role of Bhuma exposes self-doubt: “She is mostly me… please protect her, love her.”

*The Girlfriend* eyeing a weekend collection of ₹10 crore, highlights the contradictions of women amid the wave of slapstick in South cinema. Will Rashmika’s weakness take her to the heights of success? Early signs point to yes—get ready for a Day 3 blast.