Bollywood’s Top 10 Friendship Movies

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

This 2011 project was directed by Zoya Akhtar. The plot features 3 friends, just like a few other Farhan Akhtar films, played by Hrithik Roshan , Abhay Deol , Farhan Akhtar. The female leads were Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin. The trio separates and reunites to find one of them engaged, the other a financial workaholic and the 3^rd a struggling writer. They decide to finally go on their dream vacation which is across the picturesque Spain. As the story unfolds, each of the friends have to face their fears and when a time comes to indulge in an adventure, they live by the motto that life won’t happen to them twice, as is suggested by the name of the movie.

3 Idiots

Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, this 2009 venture is an adaptation from the Chetan Bhagat novel, 5 Point Someone. It dealt with the education system in India and the bond between three engineering students in a premier institution of engineering. Aamir Khan , Sharman Joshi and R. Madhavan played the lead alongside Mona Singh, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, etc.  Children and adults alike love the psyche behind the plot. It also showed how if one followed his dreams, fame and family and friends will never leave his or her side.  Hirani and Abhijit Joshi got the dialogue credits.

Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na

This 2008 Abbas Tyrewala project revolved around friendship and love.  It is about the debut of two Bolly youngsters too. Imran Khan and Genelia D’souza.  The movie saw A. R. Rahman at his Bollywood magic spin. Imran’s acting skills were looked into by none other than his uncle, Aamir Khan.  Here Aditi and Jai, Genelia and Imran, are convinced that they are just friends and to prove this to the world, they go to seek love for each other and end up being in love with each other instead. The film got cult feedback and also brought back the oldie, Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Naata Koi.

Rang De Basanti

This is what brought back the Bollywood cult and nationalism twist to the present generation. Fresh faces and an inimitable storyline including friendship, war against corruption and political distress made Rang De Basanti an apt film for the times. This 2006 film was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and the star cast included Aamir, Soha, Siddharth, Kunal, Madhavan and Sharman. Kamlesh Pandey’s story line grasps the viewer into this Delhi plot where few friends kill a minister to avenge their dead Indian Air Force pilot. It also had a sub plot linking modern India to the pre independence India and the subtle hints of love that springs across friendships.

Iqbal

This 2005 venture is under the direction of Nagesh Kukunoor. Iqbal, played by Shreyas Talpade, is a mute and deaf talent in the world of cricket lurking in a village due to lack of proper tutelage and platform. He and his family are also suffering a financial crunch and finally Iqbal helps the family out of it after he starts playing state-level cricket. So why is this movie in this friendship list? Because the clean and perfect friendship between Iqbal and his mother, Iqbal and his sister, Iqbal and his coach, played by Naseeruddin Shah, and the subtle bond between the mother, sister, coach and the player is a signpost example of the fact that friendship is beyond religion, age, relationships and definitely society.  The writer’s credit go to none other than  Nagesh Kukunoor himself .

Dil Chahta Hai

Farhan Akhtar, the talented son of Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, introduced himself to Bollywood with this movie in 2001. Dil Chahta Hai is now almost a cult favorite. The story line distinctly features 3 friends, Aakash, Sameer and Siddharth. These characters are played by Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna respectively. Writers’ credits go to Farhan and Kassim Jagmagia. Critics often feel that the reason this movie proved to be such a hit is because it dealt with the fact the three closest friends don’t have the same personality type or characteristics and also dealt with the social taboo of loving an older woman. The plot revolves around how the trio is set apart due to their mutual love interest in an older lady, Tara and years later, when they re-unite, how their friendship unfolds.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Rahul and Anjali and the Indian markets were flooded with friendship bands, the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai ishtyle. This was Karan Johar’s directorial debut project starring Shahrukh Khan , Rani Mookerli and Kajol Mookherjee Devgan . This romantic comedy is about Rahul who is best friends with Anjali but while Anjali secretly loves him, he falls for and marries Tina. But Tina expires shortly after childbirth and the daughter is named Anjali. She makes it a point, guided by her mother’s letters that she wrote to her before death, to bring back Rahul’s happiness in the form of Anjali’s love, who is now engaged to Salman Khan, who appears in a guest performance. Rumors have it that Saif denied this role and thus it went to Salman and became immensely popular!  Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was released in the year 1998.

Dil To Pagal Hai

Director Yash Chopra’s 1997 project, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, stars the big names of Bollywood as we know it.  Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit,  Karisma Kapoor and Akshay Kumar. Rahul, played by Shah Rukh Khan, is the fulcrum of love and friendship for both Nisha and the entire dance crew that Rahul heads. But when Nisha falls for Rahul, she realizes that Rahul’s love interests are vested in Pooja, who matches the definition of lady love for both Rahul and Ajay, Pooja’s childhood friend. Being a Yash Raj Films production, it can be left to one’s guess that with these stars just how big a hit the movie was.

Yaarana

It is the heart rendering tale of Bhishan and Kishan played by none other than Amitabh Bachchan and Amzaad Khan. Kishan is made into the singing sensation that he becomes only with Bishan’s knowledge, foreign education and finances. But as his first concert is a huge success and he reaches stardom, Bhishan loses everything to conspiracies headed by his maternal uncle, Jagdish.  And it is up to Kishan to avenge the loss. And Bhishan’s death makes Kishan’s friendship, if anything, stronger. Manmohan Desai co-directed this  1981 hit grocer .

Sholay

This 1975 classic is loved by millions of Indians. If you speak Bollywood, you speak Gabbar Singh, Basanti and the iconic Thakur. However, this list is to highlight the inimitable friendship between Jai and Veeru, played by Amitabh  Bachchan and Dharmendra Deol. When Thakur hires these two outlaws to deal with ferocious bandit, Gabbar, they risk their lives to protect Ramgarh and Veeru avenges Jai’s death in classic action drama plot by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan. The star cast includes names like Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri Bhachchan.  The film was directed by none other than Ramesh Sippy. You cannot miss the number Yeh Dosti from Sholay.

We at Koimoi wish all of you a very Happy Friendship Day! Keep visiting!