Friendship Day isn’t just about coloured bands and grainy selfies anymore. It’s about the people who stuck around when life was a full-blown Karan Johar climax.
The ones who danced with you at heartbreak parties. Who stayed through the glow-downs. Who knew your ex wasn’t it but waited till you figured it out.

And you know what taught us how to love them better?
Cinema. Not school, not parents, not even real life. Just a bunch of fictional characters who bled more truth in one monologue than our entire school reunion did.

So, this Friendship Day, here’s a walk through iconic filmi friendships that raised us better than half our family WhatsApp group.

Dil Chahta Hai (Netflix)

“Goa chalein?” the most dangerous text in Indian history.
This film didn’t just define friendship, it defined an era. Every group has an Akash (emotionally constipated), a Sid (old-soul poet), and a Sameer (walking heart emoji).
Bestie Vibe: Friends who grow apart, fight hard, but still show up when it matters.
Friendship Legacy: The blueprint for “we’ll never be this young and stupid again.”

Toy Story (Disney+ Hotstar)

“You’ve got a friend in me...” Cue uncontrollable sobbing.
Woody and Buzz weren’t just toys, they were us. Territorial, insecure, evolving. But above all, loyal.
Bestie Vibe: From frenemies to family.
Friendship Legacy: A masterclass in how to love your people through change.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Prime Video)

Healing through flamenco and fear-fueled skydives.
This wasn’t a trip, it was therapy with tapas. Watching three friends confront fear, loss, and unresolved guilt on a slow-burning road trip? Chef’s kiss.
Bestie Vibe: Friends who’ll force you out of your comfort zone  then hold you when you crash.
Friendship Legacy: The reason we still romanticize group trips that never happen.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Prime Video)

“We are infinite.” We were. And sometimes still are.
Sam, Patrick, and Charlie weren’t perfect. But they made you feel seen. Especially if you were the quiet one.
Bestie Vibe: The misfit squad who made loneliness a little less loud.
Friendship Legacy: That one school friendship that saved your life without knowing it.

Wake Up Sid (Netflix)

She gave him a home. He gave her her muse.
Sid was privileged. Aisha's purpose. But somehow, they made it work. No romance, no drama, just two people helping each other become someone they could be proud of.
Bestie Vibe: The friend who took you in when you had nowhere to go emotionally or otherwise.
Friendship Legacy: That magical, rare kind of platonic love we all secretly crave.

Queen (Netflix)

From heartbreak to hostel hugs, Rani found herself through strangers.
There’s something sacred about the friendships we form when we’re lost. Rani’s Amsterdam gang may have come and gone  but the way they helped her bloom? Timeless.
Bestie Vibe: Temporary people who changed your life permanently.
Friendship Legacy: That solo trip that became your softest memory.

Barbie (Prime Video)

Sasha, Gloria, and Barbie. Gen Z, millennial, and plastic legend.
This wasn’t just feminism wrapped in pink. It was female friendship with layers, conflict, growth, and solidarity in the most absurd, beautiful way.
Bestie Vibe: The women who remind you you're not crazy, the world is.
Friendship Legacy: The “you’re doing amazing, sweetie” tribe that lifts even when you're spiraling.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Netflix)

“Mujhe har woh cheez chahiye jo life mein Bunny ko chahiye.” Except the abandonment issues.
This was the film that made 90s kids romanticize friendships and Himalayan treks. Naina, Bunny, Aditi, Avi,  flawed, fiery, fantastic.
Bestie Vibe: Childhood friends who left, returned, and still had your favourite drink memorized.
Friendship Legacy: Not all friendships are constant, some just feel like home when you circle back.

Thelma & Louise (Prime Video)

Gunshots, gas stations, and freedom.
They didn’t just break rules, they broke patriarchal shackles. And they did it together.
Bestie Vibe: Partners in crime, both literally and spiritually.
Friendship Legacy: Proof that the world may burn, but friendship can still fly off a cliff — in a good way.

And Because Cinema Never Stops Giving…

  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Found family goals.

  • Munna Bhai M.B.B.S : Bhai and Circuit. That’s it. That’s the line.

  • Four More Shots Please!: Fights, fashion, feminism (sometimes fake, but always fierce).

  • FRIENDS: They didn’t pay rent, but they paid in memories.

  • Chhichhore : For when your squad becomes your survival.

Call Your Best Friend. Or Text. Or Tag.

Friendship isn’t about constant contact. It’s about constant presence. In the chaos, the quiet, the broken phones and busy lives, if you’re lucky, you have your Circuit. Or your Aisha. Or your Woody.

So go ahead. Binge these. Laugh, cry, rewind. And maybe, text the one who’s been quiet lately:
“Hey. Watch this. Miss you.”