Netflix Saves Rashmika’s The Girlfriend Collection with OTT Deal: Here’s What Rights Sold For and Why

20 November 2025, Hyderabad: Rashmika Mandanna’s latest movie, The Girlfriend, was released in theaters on November 7, 2025. The romantic thriller received decent praise for Rashmika’s acting but had a mixed run at the ticket windows.

While the box office collections are slowing down, the producers are already smiling. Why? Because of a massive deal with a streaming giant. Reports confirm that Netflix has bought the OTT rights for a huge price. This deal has become the main financial pillar for the movie.

The Girlfriend’s OTT Big Numbers: How Much Did Netflix Pay?

For a female-led film, the digital rights valuation is surprisingly high.

• Deal Value: Industry sources confirm that Netflix paid approximately ₹14 Crores for the digital streaming rights of The Girlfriend.
• Satellite Rights: Apart from OTT, the Hindi dubbing and TV satellite rights were sold for another ₹7 Crores.

This brings the total non-theatrical earnings to ₹21 Crores. (According to a report by OTTPlay, this “fancy price” was agreed upon even before the film hit the screens, showing the platform’s trust in the lead star).

Why Such a High Valuation?

You might ask, why would Netflix pay ₹14 Crores for a movie that is not a massive blockbuster in theaters? The answer lies in three things:

1. The Rashmika Brand: Rashmika Mandanna is a “Pan-India” star. Her movies get views not just in Telugu states but across India. Netflix knows that her face on the thumbnail guarantees clicks.
2. Genre Fit: The Girlfriend is a romantic thriller about a toxic relationship. This type of content usually performs better on laptops and phones than in big cinema halls.
3. Profitable Recovery: The movie was reportedly made on a budget of ₹42 Crores. With ₹16-17 Crores from theaters and ₹21 Crores from non-theatrical rights, the producers have safely recovered most of their investment. (As per The Times of India, the strong OTT deal reduced the financial pressure on the makers significantly).

Timing and Windowing: When Can You Watch It?

The “windowing” (the gap between cinema and OTT release) is crucial for the deal price.

• Theatrical Release: November 7, 2025.
• Expected OTT Release: December 11, 2025.

This creates a 5-week window. This is the new standard for mid-budget films. It is short enough to keep the buzz alive but long enough to respect the theatrical run. Netflix prefers this shorter window because fans who missed it in theaters (due to mixed reviews) are still curious enough to watch it online a month later.

(In a report by TrackTollywood, it was noted that this pre-release business strategy allowed the producers to be in a “safe zone” regardless of the final box office verdict).

What This Means for Future Films

This deal proves that “Box Office” is not the only king anymore. A movie can be an “Average” grosser in theaters but a “Superhit” on balance sheets if the digital deal is smart. For Rashmika, it cements her position as a bankable star who can carry a film’s business on her shoulders, even without a male superstar.

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Opinion & Methodology

Opinion

“The Girlfriend is a classic case of ‘Table Profit’ saving a project. If this movie relied only on ticket sales, it would be a financial bleeder. The ₹14 Crore Netflix deal is the lifeline here. It shows that streaming platforms are hungry for ‘star-driven’ content, even if the theatrical trending is flat. For the audience, a December 11 release is perfect timing for a weekend home watch. For the industry, it’s a lesson: secure your digital bag before the first show starts.”

BoxOfficeWala

Methodology

This news report compiles data from trade reports released between November 4 and November 20, 2025. We analyzed figures from standard box office tracking sources and cross-referenced the OTT deal value (₹14 Cr) with multiple reports, including OTTPlay and Times of India. The release date and windowing calculation are based on the theatrical release of Nov 7 and the projected streaming date of Dec 11.