Updated On: 14 November, 2025 06:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rashmika Mandanna’s The Girlfriend sparked a viral moment when a woman replicated a symbolic dupatta-removal scene in theatres. Director Rahul Ravindran shut down claims that the moment was staged and called out the gendered biases behind the criticism

Rashmika Mandanna in The Girlfriend
Rashmika Mandanna`s The Girlfriend hit theatres last week and has been receiving rave reviews. The film, directed by Rahul Ravindran, also stars Dheekshith Shetty. It follows a young woman breaking free from a toxic relationship. The film has resonated with many young women, who are calling it inspirational. Amid this, a video of a young woman replicating a powerful moment from the film after watching the movie in theatres has gone viral.
As the video of the young woman recreating a scene where Rashmika removes her dupatta as a symbol of freedom went viral, director Rahul addressed the accusations behind the moment. The incident happened in front of the director, who was visiting theatres to witness audience reactions. Some people on social media questioned whether the moment was scripted or genuine. Rahul Ravindran hit back at one user who raised doubts about the audience’s reaction.