The entire nation has been in shock since the Ketan Agarwal murder case came to light. According to the police, Ketan Agarwal was murdered by his fiancee, Siya Goyal, and her lover, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary. He was pushed into a valley from Lohagad Fort in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra. Initially, the incident was reported as an accidental fall during a trek. However, Siya soon found herself cornered by pointed questions, and suspicion ultimately centered on her.
As more details of the case emerge, it continues to remain in the spotlight. It is often said that cinema reflects real-life events, and a similar instance has now come to light. An X user praised director Rahul Ravindran’s Telugu film, The Girlfriend starring Rashmika Mandanna, in the context of the Ketan Agarwal-Siya Goyal case.
Why the movie is in spotlight?
Sharing a scene from The Girlfriend, the user suggested that while such films portray stories favoring women, they often obscure realities like the Pune murder case. Subsequently, another user tagged Rahul Ravindran, urging him to make a film about atrocities committed by women against men.
Ravindran has now issued a clarification regarding this matter.
The Girlfriend director Rahul Ravindran reacts
In a detailed note, he wrote, ‘I don’t claim to know everything bro… so educate me if I am wrong. But I don’t see atrocities of ‘women’ on ‘men’ at all. I see some horrible incidents of sociopathic human beings who happen to be women, committing horrible crimes. On the other hand… I see a self sustaining system that has lasted centuries that suffocates women… that through invisible, everyday micro aggressions, forces them to shrink their identities. That doesn’t offer them an equal world. This is from my perspective. I’ve seen so many women around me suffer silently because of it. And I chose to convey that through this story. I felt responsible for it as a man… because I benefit from the power equation.’
The director further wrote, ‘I haven’t read the details of this particular case yet… I will do so. And if there’s a story that I find interesting to tell… I will do that too. But it would be about one particular woman committing a crime. Not crimes of women on men. There’s a difference, the way I see it. Mind you, such incidents of crime are ghastly and terrible. But what I was trying to do is completely different. Had nothing to do with such crimes.’
Ravindran talks about his film
Mentioning his film, Ravindran wrote, ‘Vikram in The Girlfriend isn’t a murderer. There is no physical abuse. He is in fact faithful. And yet… there’s one section like the original tweet that gets triggered by the film. Ask yourself why that is. But sure… if you or anyone else has a problem… call it out. It’s a healthy habit. I promise to take the feedback and introspect. It’s wonderful for all of us to talk to each other and try to understand each other.’
Deets about The Girlfriend
The Girlfriend, directed by Rahul Ravindran, features Rashmika Mandanna as the lead actress along with Dheekshith Shetty. The movie has been produced by Dheeraj Mogilineni and Vidya Koppineedi under the production house of Geetha Arts and presented by Allu Aravind. The movie was released on August 14, 2026 and received decent reviews at the box office, earning about Rs 9 crore on its opening day. Hesham Abdul Wahab has composed the music of the movie.
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