The feeling of having a best friend who totally gets you is irreplaceable. Everyone needs a partner in crime to talk and actually do stupid things with, one who cheers you up when you’re feeling low or one who you just have a total blast with when you hang out.
We all have those special friends whom we are ready to do literally anything for.There are many ways in which friendship is portrayed in Bollywood. When it comes to movies, everyone is pretty familiar with the main genres.
You’ve got your comedies, your dramas, your action films, horror movies, etc. These can then be broken down even further based on their themes. There are period dramas and romantic comedies, sci-fi action films… but one genre that is never mentioned is movies about friendship. While they are not as talked about as other genres but there are plenty of movies which have celebrated this special bond.
So what does it take to classify a movie as being about friendship? Basically just a non-romantic relationship needs to be at the center of the film. Bollywood has shown friendship in many different ways till date. Few movies show the great sacrifices a person makes for his friendship while few depict the everyday scenarios that we find ourselves in with our friends.
Sholay (1975)
One of the most watched movies of Bollywood, Sholay was the journey of two friends Jai and Veeru. The song Ye dosti hum nahi todenge has become synonymous with friendship.
Anand (1971)
The story of how a terminally-ill patient teaches his doctor-turned-friend the lessons of life, is one of the most touching stories of friendship. The rendering of the title role by Rajesh Khanna has made sure that the story of this friendship stays imprinted on our hearts forever.
Rang De Basanti
Rang De Basanti is a drama film which was written and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The literal tittle of the film translates to “Paint me with the colours of spring.” It features an ensemble cast comprising Aamir Khan, Siddharth Narayan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and British actress Alice Patten in the lead roles.
Although the film’s primary theme was based on patriotism, it gave an excellent example as to how deep of a bond do friends have and the extent they are willing to go to for their friends. The story is about a British documentary filmmaker who is determined to make a film on Indian freedom fighters based on diary entries by her grandfather, a former officer of the Indian Imperial Police.
Upon arriving in India, she asks a group of five young men to act in her film although they weren’t interested in the idea for acting on a documentary on the country. They gradually begin to realize that their own lives are quite similar to the characters they portray in the documentary and that the state of affairs that once plagued the revolutionaries continues to torment their generation.
So just like the documentary, these group of friends unite in a revolt against the leaders with the aim to get the truth out in the open which saw their friends sacrifice his life for the country due to the inefficiency of the government.
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
All of us identified with either one of Akash, Sameer or Sidharth. If not, we definitely have a friend who does. This movie was responsible for all those reunions with long-lost friends.
3 Idiots (2009)
The story of Rancho, Raju and Farhan is so touching yet so funny, we can’t help but watch this one again and again. The sheer simplicity of their friendship wins our hearts and makes us think of the friends we made in college and that one crazy friend who always thought out of the box.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Pyar dosti hai. This movie popularized the ideas of Friendship’s day and friendship bands in India. The Bro-love between Anjali and Rahul which blossoms into love later tried to express how friendship is the first step towards falling in love.
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
Not just a love triangle, this movie was the story of the friendship Aman, Naina and Sameer share. Because of the friendship between them they are ready to do anything to make each other happy.
Student of The Year (2012)
The story of how competition sows the seeds of separation between two friends and how they finally reunite, this movie made us cry and miss our old friends and was responsible for many reunions.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a perfect salute to friendship. It is a journey of three friends who go on a road trip and face the highs and lows of life together.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara saw Hrithik Roshan (a successful investment banker), Abhay Deol (a wealthy businessman) and Farhan Akhtar (a writer from a modest background) as friends who are not bothered about each other’s family backgrounds. In fact, not only do they have different backgrounds but also contrasting personalities.
While Farhan is an extrovert and fun loving, Hrithik is serious and introvert. Despite these differences, they are best of friends who want to be with each other through their ups and downs.
They fought with each other, played pranks on others, had their emotional moments, confided in each other, had immense faith in each other and the sport they chose, went on a road trip, stayed awake all night and had hell lot of fun. Hrithik, Farhan and Kabir were perfect as the characters.
In the movie, the three friends during their road trip were shown underwater diving, sky diving and running from bulls at the the San Fermin festival which not only showed the love these three friends had for adventure, but also justified how they conquered their fear and learnt to live in the present.
Rock On! (2008)
The movie tells the story of four friends and the struggles in their lives. The way their friendship stood the test of time and emerged stronger after a bout of misunderstandings struck a chord with all.
Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012)
This movie was an absolute contradiction to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It establishes how pyar might succeed dosti but not necessarily. It breaks the stereotype thatladka ladki kabhi dost nahi ban sakte
Dostana (2008)
The awkward friendship that two straight men pretending to be gay share is depicted in this movie. Though you’ll wish they’d stop letching at Priyanka when they claim to be her friend, in the end they prove how important her friendship is to them.
Wake up Sid (2009)
The coming of age story of Sid is a new-age tale of friendship. Sid’s friendship with Ayesha makes him responsible and independent. She not only shares her apartment with her, she also finds him a job he likes and helps him find himself.
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008)
The story of Aditi and Jay and their friends, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is close to our hearts because we have at least one friend who resembles one of them.
Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013)
Kabir’s story is the story of his friendship with Aditi and Avi and Naina. The movie shows how one is alone without friends and true happiness can be found only when one’s true friends are around.
Yaarana (1981)
The story of a friend who gives away all he has to see his friend become a singing sensation and his friend who in return never forgets his friend. This movie can be described by the song- tere jaisa yaar kahan, kahan aisa yaarana, yaad karegi duniya, tera mera afsaana..