Ranking the best Bollywood friendship movies that depict the bonds of friendship between three individuals.
Friends are the family one chooses as they step out into the world. They are the voice of reason, the wingman you need for all your adventures and a shoulder to cry on when you just can’t take it anymore. The topic of BFF’s got me thinking about all the Bollywood friendship movies I’ve seen and loved that deal with friendship. While you can never have enough good friends, there is a number that is neither too much nor too small when it comes to showing friendship in movies.
It’s just right.
That number is three. A trio of three best friends.
There’s a rule of three in writing, which basically says that anything that occurs thrice is more humorous, effective, or satisfying. That’s not to say you can’t have more or fewer friends than three. But when it comes to movies, there’s something about three friends that’s just perfect. It allows you to show two extremes, the third being the middle of the two, kind of like that Venn diagram that we learned in school, where the middle is the overlapping part, which is similar in both groups.
That’s what the third friend is in a movie; they are the cohesive force that keeps the whole structure together. Two is too small; it just becomes a case of BFFs, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it doesn’t fall under the group dynamics category. Four or more friends just gets too crowded, and while there are movies that have had more than three friends, they’ve resulted in half-baked stories and plots of all but the central character. Most of the friends are there just to elaborate on the central character’s plot, and they have very hollow and one-dimensional stories.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy to create characters whose sole reason for being together is that they like each other’s company. This is why when it’s done well, the result is a work of joy that makes you all teary and call up your friends in the middle of the night, even though they might be thousands of miles across the ocean.
So, here are three Bollywood friendship movies that ace the three-friend formula. For this ranking, we did not consider movies with three best friends with a romantic element. Similarly, movies with two or more than three friends were also not included.
Also Read: Is Bollywood in a Slump?
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
From the moment Kabir cracks a joke while down on his knees proposing, you know this movie is going to be unforgettable. Friendship is challenging, and there are bound to be differences and grudges. There’s beef between Arjun and Imran, but it’s like fighting with your siblings. You deal with it and move on. Every character is so well-developed, and their storylines have an arc. The prankster in Kabir has to tone down his persona around Natasha. Arjun is driven by his childhood memories to become obsessed with money. And then there’s Imran, the jokester, the funny guy dealing with a heavy secret that goes right to the heart of his identity. It’s a movie about three friends who went on a road trip to Spain, and yet it’s about so much more. It’s about life, facing up to your fears and staring them down. There’s so much heart in this movie that watching it every year with my siblings, nieces, and nephews when we all get together for the holidays has become a ritual. Now, whenever we want someone to spill the beans, we start with the ‘Meine teray baaray mein aik baat suny hai’ dialogue. And if someone does something embarrassing, there’s the ‘Naak katwaadee GROUP ki’ scene.
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
Whether it’s getting you to break up with your domineering girlfriend who doesn’t let the true you out or making a spur-of-the-moment plan to drive to Goa, Dil Chahta Hai captured the zeitgeist of friendship. Akash’s smart alec response to Shalini’s fiancee, Sid, trying to get a word in when talking to Priya on the phone or when he is being set up for an arranged marriage meeting, the movie is chock-a-block with memorable dialogues and incidents. I’ll be honest: I didn’t really like Sameer when I first saw the movie. He seemed like the goody-two-shoes type, a good, decent boy. But I’ve warmed up to him with age; he’s the sensible center that holds the group together. It’s Sameer who brings them all back together when they seem to be drifting apart. We’ve all had a friend like that who’s the voice of reason when things get a little chaotic. There’s a reason why the movie is often considered the quintessential Bollywood movie about three friends. Through the shenanigans of Akash, Sameer, and Siddharth, we got to relive our own dynamics and bonds with friends. There’s an authenticity to the dialogues and jokes that still hasn’t aged at all, and if it had not been for another movie on this list, this would’ve been the defining Bollywood three-friend movie for me. Raise your hand if you have sung the ‘Koi Kahe’ song at the top of your voice with your hostel buddies.
3 Idiots (2009)
It’s hard to define 3 Idiots. Is it a love story? Is it a mystery? Or is it a road trip movie? There’s so much that happens as we move from flashbacks to wedding crashes and childbirth that it’s ok to be a little confused. But what you’ll notice through that confusion is that your mouth is stretched from ear to ear in a constant grin as you laugh along with Rancho, Farhan, and Raju. It’s this core friendship that is the beating heart of the film. We all can relate to the fear of the first day of college life, new roommates, the ragging, and the daily hassle of just making it to classes. There’s a Chatur in all our memories, someone who you just didn’t get along with. Then, the character of Virus crystallized the constant battle we had with our professors and teachers, who were unwilling to open their eyes to new methods and beliefs. At the same time, while there is a romantic element in the movie; it’s not the defining character. Raju and Farhan aren’t truly fleshed out, but there’s so much life in the bits they are given that one tends to overlook the missing elements of their personality. Again, the movie has a lot of iconic dialogues and scenes that I’m sure you have enacted with your friends, like us. Our all-time favorite ones revolve around Chatur and his attempts at Hindi or when Raju says, “Chatur! Ithay! Ithay.”
Honorable Mentions
Here are some of the Bollywood friendship movies that deserve an honorable mention:
Kai Po Che! (2013)
Based on Chetan Bhagat’s The 3 Mistakes of My Life, this film perfectly portrays the friendship of three young men—Govind, Ishaan, and Omi—who face challenges in Gujarat’s political and communal landscape. External factors test their friendship, but their bond is the focus.
Rock On!! (2008)
Another movie featuring Farhan Akhtar! (Seriously, this guy has some serious chops when it comes to movies about friends and friendship.) While there is a musical element, the film is primarily about three friends—Aditya, Joe, and KD—reuniting years after their band broke up. The story explores their old friendship, their dreams, and how they reconnect, keeping the focus on their shared passion for music.
Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011)
Although primarily focused on romantic relationships, the core plot features the friendship between three men—Rajat, Nishant, and Vikrant—who navigate their relationships with women. Despite the romance, their friendship remains a crucial element, even if not as genuine as others on this list. If for nothing else, this movie deserves a place on the list for introducing us to the character of Liquid, played by the brilliant Divyendu Sharma. His chemistry with the other two is reason enough to watch the movie.
As with all lists, this one was very subjective, and I’m sure others will have a different opinion. Some very impressive Bollywood friendship movies didn’t make the cut because either the friendship element was overshadowed or not all the characters were fleshed out enough to give them unique narratives.
Which one did we miss out? What are your favorite movies that deal with friendship? Let us know.
