Nishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
While some people flit in and out of our lives, others are for keeps. And when it comes to friendships, Bollywood is no exception.
In an industry where people are known for shifting loyalties faster than one can blink, stories of long-lasting friendships seem like stuff of urban legends.
But they are real, and for all of us to see, if some of these star buddies are anything to go by.
So who is hanging out a lot with whom, which star considers a contemporary as their 4 am friend, and which mutual admiration societies have sprouted lately?
Read on to find out.
Ranbir Kapoor and Ayan Mukerji
Having witnessed Ranbir Kapoor and Ayan Mukerji's camaraderie on more than one occasion, it'd seem really hard to believe that the actor-director duo didn't know each other before they first came together to work on Wake Up Sid.
Two super immensely successful and well-liked films later, Ranbir and Ayan's relationship has transcended the standard parameters of Bollywood friendships.
The unabashed adoration that Ayan has for his lead actor (and muse, as he hailed Ranbir in his interview recently) is apparent whenever he talks about the latter.
Even during his appearance on Koffee With Karan, Ayan couldn't help singing praises of Ranbir, the actor, and his rare talent.
Ranbir, who is not much of a talker, especially when it comes to media interactions, may not be as candid as his 29-year-old director friend but Ayan is arguably the only person from Bollywood he spends most of his free time with, even more than girlfriend Katrina Kaif.
The duo are routinely spotted hanging out at Mumbai's hippest watering holes and restaurants.
Also, the buzz is, Ranbir will star in Ayan's next film as well, playing a character that has been written with him in mind.
Please .
Karan Johar and Twinkle Khanna
Image: Karan Johar and Twinkle KhannaNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
It wasn't until Akshay Kumar's appearance on Koffee With Karan when we discovered just how close Akki's former actress wife Twinkle Khanna and the show's host Karan Johar are as friends.
During the episode, Karan Johar admitted that Twinkle -- fondly called Tina by family and close friends -- was the first woman he was madly in love with and named Rani's character in his directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai after her.
The role, as KJo admitted on the show, was written for Twinkle but was eventually portrayed by Rani Mukerji after the former turned down his offer to star in the film.
In her famous candid manner, Twinkle later claimed to have "created Rani Mukerji" to her director friend and reflected that she herself was a bad actress anyway so she also saved KJo by declining his offer.
KJo has known Tina ever since he was six years old.
They went to the same boarding school in Panchgani where Twinkle apparently convinced a miserably homesick KJo to escape, giving him the safe route and everything.
Only, he was caught by the school watchman and brought back to the premises.
Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora
Image: Kareena Kapoor and Amrita AroraNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
Kareena Kapoor, who famously believes that no two actresses in the same league can be good friends, is best friends with Amrita Arora Ladak.
The gal pals are often seen together at social dos or their close circle of friends in Mumbai.
While Amrita was present, along with elder sister Malaika Arora Khan, at Taj's popular restaurant Wasabi when the infamous 2012 brawl broke out between Saif Ali Khan and an NRI businessman, the Arora sisters have been spotted with Kapoor girls Kareena and Karisma for midnight Christmas mass too.
Kareena was also one of the bridesmaids at Amrita's wedding to businessman Shakeel Ladak in 2009.
In a 2006 interview to a publication, Kareena had said about her gal pal, "I really like that girl. She's fun, easygoing, hassle free and honest... just like me. Our friendship cannot be measured against other filmi friendships."
Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla
Image: Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh KhanPhotographs: Pradeep Bandekar Nishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
One of the longest standing friendships of our times, that has weathered several setbacks and yet stands strong is between former costars Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla.
While they starred in several films together through the 1990s, starting from Yash Chopra's hit thriller Darr, their friendship was sealed when they founded their production house Dreamz Unlimited along with director Aziz Mirza and starred in their first home production Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani.
Quite the livewire as a pair on screen, Juhi's feminine goofiness was strikingly complemented by SRK's dynamic screen presence.
The pair now co-own Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL.
When Juhi's comeback film Gulaab Gang, costarring former screen rival Madhuri Dixit, was announced, SRK had sent out an encouraging tweet: '@anubhavsinha too excited about Gulab Gang. My two favouritest actors coming together..drool time just at the thought of it. All the best."
Incidentally, Juhi's brother Bobby Chawla was the CEO of SRK's Red Chillies production house before he passed away.
Deepika Padukone and Shahana Goswami
Image: Deepika Padukone and Shahana GoswamiNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
Deepika Padukone and Shahana Goswami hit it off really well while shooting for Danish Aslam's Break Ke Baad in New Zealand.
The duo spent some quality time together while scuba diving and trying out other adventure sports.
Two years since, they manage to stay in touch and often post shoutouts to each other on Twitter.
Shahana sent out a tweet to her leggy friend after watching her in Cocktail, "Very proud of one of @deepikapadukone Love every bit i see of her in cocktail !! a dear dear friend and a genuinely LOVELY person! BIG HUG!"
And Deepika replied: '@ShahanaGoswami mMMUUUAAAHHHH!!!'
In an interview, Deepika too spoke warmly of her close friend, "Shahana Goswami is my best friend. I have always maintained that being in this industry we cannot plan when friends will come in our life and when they will move out. She happened to be a costar in one of my beginner films. Before I knew it, we became good friends; she is the first person I call when I am back in Mumbai."
Hrithik Roshan and Kunal Kapoor
Image: Hrithik Roshan and Kunal Kapoor (far right) with friendsNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
It comes as a bit of a surprise but Hrithik Roshan and his estranged wife Sussanne Roshan grew up with actors Abhay Deol and Kunal Kapoor for company.
Kunal, who is often seen with the Roshans at important occasions and was a regular fixture at the hospital when Hrithik underwent a surgery last year, is one of Hrithik's closest friends in the film industry.
In fact, he was the one who set Hrithik and Sussanne up.
The Rang De Basanti actor suggested Sussanne call up Hrithik when she returned to India after studying interior design in the US. Th romance took off from there.
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani
Image: Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan AkhtarNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
Dil Chahta Hai, Rock On!!, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara -- most films that rolled out of Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's production house Excel Entertainment invariably bear the stamp of their real life friendship and their own coming-of-age moments.
With much trepidation, Farhan first approached his friend -- who was then involved in his Marlex family business -- with the script of Dil Chahta Hai in 1999.
To say that the duo was rough around the edges would be an understatement -- DCH was to be both their first film, Farhan as a director and Sidhwani as the producer, when they had no work experience in the field at all before.
But their cinematic sensibilities matched and Sidhwani suddenly realised that this was something he'd always wanted to do in life and Excel Entertainment -- known today for it's quality films, talented writer-directors in its fold like Farhan, sister Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti and a niche segment it has successfully created in the market -- was born.
A decade and a half and 14 films under their belt, this talented jodi is poised to bring some more radical changes in the landscape of Hindi films.
Bipasha Basu and Deanne Pandey
Image: Bipasha Basu with Deanne PandeyNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
Bipasha Basu and celebrity fitness expert Deanne Pandey have been close friends ever since they were teens.
The actress credits her friend for her toned body.
Apparently, the two beauties's respective careers in showbiz hit all the highs at almost the same time.
They have also routinely supported each others' fitness projects like DVDs and books, and have vacationed many times together.
Gauri Khan and Sussanne Roshan
Image: Gauri Khan and Sussanne RoshanPhotographs: Pradeep Bandekar Nishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
It's only logical that two of the most formidable star wives in Bollywood be thick as friends too.
They share common friends and interests -- both Gauri and Sussanne are seasoned fashionistas who know how to throw a party or two and are dabbling in interior design -- while Sussanne's Charcoal Project in Andheri, a western Mumbai suburb, has become a bit of a city landmark, Gauri recently launched her own design project called The Design Cell in a South Mumbai location.
Shraddha Kapoor and Varun Dhawan
Image: Varun Dhawan and Shraddha KapoorNishi Tiwari/ Rediff.com in Mumbai
Given the number of films their fathers Shakti Kapoor and David Dhawan have collaborated on in the course of their careers, it only seems logical that Shraddha Kapoor and Varun Dhawan have been good friends since childhood.
Often spotted hanging out together, this pair of friends is often inundated with reports of a possible linkup that they jadedly deny all the time.
These star kids will soon pair up on screen for Remo D'Souza's ABCD 2.
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