Showing posts with label Friendship's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship's Day. Show all posts
Sanjana Sanghi shares Adarsh Gourav’s habit of cancelling plan “last minute” gets on her nerves
9:33 AM
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 2, 2026)
What started as a film workshop for actors Sanjana Sanghi and Adarsh Gourav blossomed into a decade-long friendship built on trust and good memories. On this Friendship Day, they open up about the little things they enjoy together and what makes their bond tick.
Their memorable first impression, back in 2013, laid the foundation for their friendship. “I vividly remember that I had made some wise crack about his outfit, which he still talks about today!” recalls Sanjana, 29. For Adarsh, Sanjana’s love for books is what caught his attention. “She is an absolute nerd and shoots all day to get back to her books,” he quips.
Spilling on the little things about each other that drive them against the wall, Sanjana shares how Adarsh’s habit of cancelling plan “last minute” gets on her nerves, while for Adarsh it’s Sanjana’s “irrational fear of cats.” “But she’s working on it and has befriended my cats,” Adarsh, 32, quickly adds.
Despite living in the spotlight, they like keeping their hangouts low-key. Sanjana says, “Favourite hangout activity is meeting at each other’s home, making sure there is yummy food on the table, talking or watching something we love or listening to music... I don’t think we have ever made plans around going out for favourite restaurant.”
“The best gift that she has given me is that she’s stood by me through my highs and lows. A lot of people have come and gone from our lives but we’ve been constants,” Adarsh concludes
Seeing Divyenndu grow without godfather, I realized there was a huge chance for us as well-Abhishek Banerjee
9:32 AM
In an exclusive shoot for HT City, actors Abhishek Banerjee and Divyenndu revisit their friendship that began in college and continues to thrive through life’s many milestones
Nishad Neelambaran (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 2, 2026)
In the words of legendary American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” Few friendships embody that sentiment better than the two-decade-long bond between actors Abhishek Banerjee and Divyenndu. It all began when two cinema enthusiasts crossed paths at Kirori Mal College in New Delhi in the early 2000s, with Divyenndu a year senior to Banerjee. From sharing the stage in college plays to becoming best friends while shooting for the web series Mirzapur, their story is a reminder of the enduring value of old friendships. Excerpts:
What does friendship mean to the both of you?
Abhishek: I am a single child, so for me, friendship is like a sibling relationship. It’s a comfort zone, because I don’t have a brother or sister, and my parents belong to a different generation.
Divyenndu: For me, friendship holds a really high place in life. It truly tells who you are as a person. Everything else, such as your parents or your siblings, you get by default. Mere dost mere bohot kareeb hai. Abhishek and I have a very strong telepathy. If there is any karmic connection, we definitely have it.
Has fame ever meddled with your friendship?
A: Not at all. When Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) came, that was a big moment for all of us because it felt like one of ours had reached that stage. Seeing him grow, I realized that there was a huge chance for us as well because he had no godfather.
D: We are very secure people. We know what our paths are, and we will not cross each other; we will always walk together. When I started, there was hardly anything that was organized. But when I saw Abhishek taking some very sensible decisions and casting actors on their merit, I felt really proud.
What is the one thing that has never changed in your friendship?
A: Him ragging me. That is like a lifelong thing. (Laughs)
D: Honestly, jokes apart, our belief system in terms of work. We really respect what we do, and we don’t take that for granted. We can have fun on set, but if we are working on a scene, we go back to the basics.
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Destiny surely played a role in how we met. We started doing shows together, ended up staying in the same building; even our in-laws are in the same colony in Delhi. Too many coincidences in life!
- Abhishek Banerjee
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Your friendship really tells who you are. Mere dost mere bohot kareeb hai because I have invested in that kind of relationship with them.
- Divyenndu
My best friend was Smita Patil. Khair, woh bahut hi jaldi chali gayi-Aruna Irani
9:08 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 1, 2026)
There’s no stopping Aruna Irani. Sixty-five years after making her debut as a child artiste in Ganga Jumna (1961), the veteran actress continues to embrace every new storytelling medium that comes her way. From films and television to OTT and now micro-dramas, she has moved with the times. While she says she still enjoys being on set and working with people, she admits that friendships in showbiz have always been complicated.
Aruna says, “When it comes to friendships, hamari industry badi ajeeb rahi hai. While we’re working together, it feels like we can’t even eat a meal without our co-stars. But the moment a project wraps up, everyone just moves on.”
Still, Irani counts herself fortunate to have found a few close friendships. Looking back, she remembers Smita Patil, Divya Bharti and Mumtaz with immense affection.
“My best friend was Smita Patil. Khair, woh bahut hi jaldi chali gayi. I also bonded really well with Divya Bharti. She too left us very early. Mumtaz was one of my first friends in the industry. She was incredibly helpful. If I needed anything, she’d immediately come to my rescue. If my makeup wasn’t right, she’d fix it. If I couldn’t afford makeup, she’d share hers. She even gave me her clothes.”
Even after more than six decades in front of the camera, Irani remains excited by the way entertainment continues to evolve. The veteran actress has now ventured into the world of micro-dramas with Don't Mess With My Grandma, and says adapting to changing formats has always been part of her journey.
“Earlier, television brought us into people’s homes, and now this format has brought us into their palms through mobile phones. It’s incredible. Through every technological evolution, we’ve remained actors. Hamara kya hai? Hume toh bas perform karna hai aur apna scene dena hai — whether it’s on stage, the silver screen, television or in a micro-drama. The crew takes care of the shooting; we just have to be ready with our dialogues.”
‘At 80, I don’t dare to play younger roles’
Having spent over six decades in the film industry, Irani has experienced it all — the highs, the lows and bouncing back. Best known for films such as Caravan, Bombay To Goa and Beta, she says she is content embracing the grandmother roles that have become synonymous with her on-screen persona. “At this stage of my career, I’m happy playing a permanent dadi. I’ve played a vamp, a sister, a mother and now a grandmother. At 80, I don’t dare to play younger roles,” she says with a laugh.
“I’ve also seen the lows in my career. Downfall aaya toh ghar baithte the. Then, by God’s grace, something exciting would come along. That’s the life of an actor. Through it all, I never once thought of taking a break. Even today, I don’t want to. I want to work till my last breath.”
Kalki Koechlin delivered an AC to my place when I was low on finances-Gulshan Devaiah
8:05 AM
Actors Kalki Koechlin and Gulshan Devaiah revisit a friendship that’s grown with them — seasoned, steady and still going strong
Vishakha Pandit (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2025)
Long before the spotlight found them, actors Kalki Koechlin and Gulshan Devaiah connected over their love for theatre. Their bond began not on film sets, but in green rooms and after-show hangouts. Later, they shared screen space in The Girl in the Yellow Boots (2010), Shaitan (2011) and Love Affair (2016), building on that early connection. Kalki was struck by Gulshan’s “stage presence”, while he admired her “goofy authenticity”. What began as casual camaraderie has since “evolved into a deep, enduring friendship” — the kind that feels like family.
JAB WE MET
Recalling their first encounters, Kalki says, “The first time I saw Gulshan was actually in a play called Butter And Mashed Bananas. It was written and directed by Ajay Krishnan; not only was he performing, but Gulshan was very good at it.”
Gulshan adds, “When I met her in Bengaluru, while performing the play, I didn’t know who she was, as she wasn’t that famous then. There was an ease about her; she was just so chill, and there was no fuss, though we didn’t become friends immediately.”
FOND MEMORIES
Recalling how Kalki has been there for him without even asking, Gulshan says, “We had just moved into a studio apartment, and one day, she had an AC delivered there. She somehow figured out that I was low on finances and did what she thought was best for me.”
Recalling the memory, Kalki adds, “He didn’t have to ask. Isn’t that how friendship works?”
On her fondest memory, Kalki recalls a house party they attended together, sharing, “We were once at a house party, and as soon as the title song from the movie Fashion (2008) played, we went wild. That was when we knew we’d be friends forever.”
THROUGH THICK AND THIN
Gulshan reflects, “I’ve seen her go through a lot in life. Many times, I used to worry or even disapprove of some boyfriends she had. After she separated from (filmmaker) Anurag Kashyap, there was a lot going on in her life. But then she became a mother, and it’s such a joy to see her as a mom.” He adds, “It’s beautiful to see your friends grow and mature in life.”
Kalki shares, “He’s just been there so often when I’ve been down. There have been times when I’ve stayed at their home (Gulshan and his ex-wife, Kallirroi Tziafeta). When I started dating my now-husband (Israeli classical pianist Guy Hershberg), I took 20 people to my mom’s house, and Gulshan was the one who managed everyone; he was the darling of the house.”
She continues, “We’ve gone on holidays together, seen each other through rough times, and even recently, he showed up at one of my interviews as a surprise.
HOW HAS THE BOND EVOLVED
Kalki says that over the years, the bond between the two has only evolved for the better: “When you’re young, friendship is about going to parties, and now it’s about people who make you feel safe, who don’t judge you.” Building on her thoughts, Gulshan adds, “We don’t need to talk daily or give gifts to each other. But I know she’s a well-wisher, and I’m there for her too; we’re those friends who show up if and when the other one needs us.”
BANTER AND NICKNAMES
Ask them if they have any special names for each other, Gulshan mentions: “She’s like a superhero to me and I call her Hulk-star because she’s the strongest woman I know. People think she’s carefree, but there’s a lot of character strength in her.” Kalki adds, “I call him Gullu out of my fondness for him.”
Ananya Panday on bond with Suhana Khan, Shanaya Kapoor, Navya Naveli Nanda: "We have a chat group called Ananya's Fans"
8:02 AM
Shanaya, Suhana, Ananya and Navya
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2025)
In an industry where relationships often flicker with the arc lights, Ananya Panday, Suhana Khan, Shanaya Kapoor and Navya Naveli Nanda share a bond that predates their public personas and glamorous debuts. Their friendship isn’t one forged by fame, but one nurtured since childhood — long before red carpets, fan pages, and film offers became part of their vocabulary. They were just little girls then, dressing up in their mothers' saris, mimicking grown-up tea parties and playing make-believe games. From playdates and vacations to stepping into adulthood under a media microscope, these four have grown up together and grown into themselves — with grace and grit, and always cheering for each other.
Ananya made her Bollywood debut first and has since steadily built her career in the film industry. Suhana is a talent waiting to explode, and Shanaya made a fine debut recently. Navya has consciously chosen a path outside showbiz as an entrepreneur and changemaker. But despite their divergent journeys, their bond has remained strong, steady, and refreshingly real.
'We have shared our dreams while growing up'
Talking about their friendship of many years, Ananya says, “We have shared our dreams while growing up, but as much as people think we do, we don't really talk that much about work. We talk about all kinds of things that girls of our age do.”
'Suhana is very kind and soft-hearted'
Ask her what she admires the most about each of her closest friends, and she responds with enthusiasm. “Suhana is very kind and soft-hearted and she gets affected by things very easily. Some people think that ‘sensitive’ is a bad word, but I believe being sensitive is a good quality. As an actor, you need to have sensitivity, and this is Suhana’s huge strength.”
'Shanaya is a very strong individual'
Moving on to Shanaya, who recently made her debut, Ananya adds, “Shanaya is a very strong individual; she can keep going and going, and that’s an admirable quality in her.”
'Navya has found her own path'
Navya, who chose to stay away from acting despite coming from a legendary film lineage, gets a shoutout too. “Navya is so smart, and she’s found her own path, and that’s amazing. It’s inspiring how she went back to do an MBA. She’s an entrepreneur, has started her own NGO, and has 4-5 businesses running at the same time.”
'We like to call ourselves Charlie's Angels'
On a lighter note, we ask Ananya if the four of them were to star in a reality show together twenty years from now, what would it be called, and she bursts into laughter and says, “I don’t know, but we like to call ourselves Charlie's Angels. We actually have a chat group called Ananya's Fans (laughs!). I guess our show could be called Charlie’s Angels.”
This girl gang is a refreshing reminder of the joy of having friends who’ve known you long before the world did.
Road trip secrets
Ananya, if you were on a road trip with Suhana, Shanaya and Navya, who would take on the following roles:
The Planner: Navya
The Insta Queen: Me
The Adventurer: Shanaya and Navya
The Chiller: Navya and Me
Jackie Shroff did not even know how to grow a flower, but now he gives me lectures on gardening-Danny Denzongpa
8:13 PM
Natasha Coutinho (BOMBAY TIMES; August 4, 2024)
They may be a decade apart in age, but Danny Denzongpa (76) and Jackie Shroff (67) have been best friends for years. Danny lives in Sikkim now and travels to Mumbai only occasionally, but neither distance nor work commitments can keep these dosts apart. This Friendship Day, the veteran actors share their little-known buddy stories with us. Excerpts:
How did the two of you meet, and what were your first impressions of each other?
Danny Denzongpa: I met Jackie when he was working on his launch film, Hero. We met at a hotel, where I saw him wearing cowboy boots, with his feet up on the table. He was looking very shabby, because that’s how the character was. We shook hands and I hugged him, wishing him the best and I liked his confidence. Though he was a newcomer, he was very likable, and we clicked. After Hero became a big hit, I went to meet him at Teen Batti chawl in Mumbai, where he stayed. I was already a star then and a crowd had gathered around me. Jackie stepped out shirtless with just a towel around his waist, asking people to step away. He was like a dada those days. I was surprised to see that he lived in a one-room chawl, though his movie had become a hit, and he could have moved out. I met his mother as well and we became close friends. Later, I also met his then girlfriend, now wife Ayesha, and she became my rakhi sister.
Jackie Shroff: The first time I saw Danny saab on-screen was in Mere Apne and I identified with him – the kurta-pyjama, long hair and bag on his back. (Not the bomb in the bag, but the rest of the look!) When I became an actor later, we got the opportunity to work together in films like Andar Baahar and we really bonded. We were shooting on an oil rig near the Gateway of India and for a week, we would travel together by boat. Post shoot, Danny saab would often drop by and have a cup of tea with my family. He calls me “sangeet ka dushman”, because he likes to sing while I just hum my lines. Both of us share a common interest – cooking.
Danny: We shot for Yudh in Kathmandu and travelled to Pokhara, where we shot for 15-20 days. I would take off for a nearby lake after the shoot, and park myself in a boat in the middle of the lake. When Jackie found out about it, he started joining me. We would go off to beautiful locations, watch the sunset and sing songs, and that’s how our friendship progressed - Danny Denzongpa
Danny, you were one of the few people invited to Jackie and Ayesha’s wedding and now both of your children are friends too.
Danny: When they got married, Jackie invited just five-six close friends, including Subhash Ghai, Rajinikanth, Anupam Kher and me. A year later, Tiger was born, and Jackie called me up at 4 am to give me the news! I took glasses and champagne bottles in my icebox and went to the hospital. Then, Jackie, some of his friends and I went to a dhaba for an idli-vada breakfast, and we popped the champagne there. When my kids were born, the four children – Tiger-Krishna and Rinzing-Pema – would spend time together at his home or mine.
Jackie: Rinzing is more like my son; for me, there is no difference between him and Tiger and it’s the same for Danny saab. Both of us see Pema and Krishna as sisters; they are in the same age group and buddies as well.
Both of you share your enthusiasm for growing organic plants and vegetables and protecting the environment.
Danny: I ran away from Mumbai’s polluted air and water and now I live in Sikkim. While spending time with me, Jackie started taking an interest in nature and started planting organic fruits and rice. He did not even know how to grow a flower, but now he gives me lectures on gardening (laughs).
Jackie: He is the one who made me learn all about respecting nature, and that every plant and tree is different. That’s how I started propagating the message about being environmentally conscious.
How do you keep in touch despite the distance?
Danny: Jackie visited me last October and stayed for a week. When it gets cold in Sikkim I come and stay at Jackie’s farmhouse near Mumbai.
Jackie: We go down to Mahabaleshwar or Matheran together and every memory is special, or I go to Sikkim sometimes. We have a lot to talk about, be it jhaad-paan (plants), waterfalls and other facets of nature. I’m waiting for him to finish his work and come meet me soon.
What has kept your friendship strong even after all these years?
Danny: The best thing about our relationship is that we have no expectations from each other – it’s pure. We sit together for hours without talking; it is the kind of relationship I had with my mother. I used to lie down in her lap as she said her prayers and our communication would go on though we weren’t talking. Jackie, too, isn’t very talkative and that is why the relationship is special.
Jackie: We are more than brothers and ours is a friendship that will never change. He is a pure soul. It's difficult to find a person like Danny saab – so dignified and with no malice towards anyone. He has a sense of decorum and grace, wherever he is. He is very smart and refined, and I’m surprised he is my friend. I'm not polished at all like him, but we are the best of buddies.
Anurag Kashyap ko mujhse aur mujhko Anurag se laalach hi nahin hai kisi cheez ka-Nawazuddin Siddiqui
6:47 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 3, 2024)
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui met filmmaker Anurag Kashyap for the first time on the set of Shool (1999), and their first interaction was the latter dissuading him from taking up the job he was there for. “Anurag had seen my work in Sarfarosh (1999) and he told me to not do Shool, as it was a small part. He wanted me to wait for a bigger role, but I had to take it up as I needed work,” says Siddiqui, as he talks about his bond with Kashyap ahead of Friendship Day tomorrow.
Talking about their equation, the 50-year-old adds, “When we met for the first time, I felt, ‘Yeh meri vibe ka banda hai’. I had this feeling that he would always take care of me. There was that connection, as he gives off such positive energy.”
Siddiqui feels what sets their friendship apart is a balance between work and personal equation. “I have never asked Anurag for work. Hamari industry mein jab kaam waali dosti hoti hai, tab differences aane start ho jaate hain. Par Anurag ko mujhse aur mujhko Anurag se laalach hi nahin hai kisi cheez ka,” says the actor, who had a ball collaborating with Kashyap, 51, on Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012).
Ask if they ever had any creative differences while working together, and Siddiqui shares, “Creative differences are always there, but mazaa tab hi hai jab mil kar ek raay par pahuchein. Jab main chaaron taraf se phans jaata hoon, I go to Anurag for advise, and he always pulls me out of it.”
Is there anything about Kashyap that he’d like to change? “Carelessness,” says the actor, adding, “He is very careless when it comes to his health.”
Karisma Kapoor is the most shy. Malaika Arora is the most adventurous-Kareena Kapoor
8:21 AM
Kareena Kapoor Khan and her squad are all things #pyar&dosti. On Friendship Day, she talks about her 20-year bond with the gals
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 7, 2022)
It’s been 20 years since actors Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Malaika Arora and her sister, Amrita Arora, have been friends. The girl gang’s trips to exotic destinations never fail to grab attention, and Khan laughs when we start talking to her about her squad, whose WhatsApp group is famously named Guts.
“We are similar, like-minded people. I am passionate about food, my work, my family and my friends. Whenever I am doing something, I am there in that moment. It is so important to do that. I can’t think about what can be, what should be, or what is going to happen. I want to make the most of this moment,” shares the 41-year-old.
WHO’S THE MOST SHY, MOST ADVENTUROUS?
“Lolo (Karisma) is the most shy. I’d say Malaika (nicknamed Malla) is the most adventurous. She’s fearless,” reveals Khan, adding, “Ammu (Amrita) and I are only interested in wine and pasta! (laughs).”
‘I FORGET EVERYTHING WHEN I’M WITH THEM’
Maintaining friendships when everyone in the gang has hectic professional commitments must be a task. What has it been like for them to keep it going the same way for two decades now? She says, “Everything is difficult, but you have to make your own decisions. You have to decide, ‘This is what I am going to do’. It’s not like I have to have a commitment every day. Like, if I am not shooting for an ad, what am I doing? I am very happy to take an afternoon nap! I am that person, and Ammu and I connect on that. She messages me, ‘Are you napping?’ and I reply, ‘Yes, I am going now!’ When we are together, it is only about us in that moment. That’s why people also follow us as a gang!”
All this banter rejuvenates Khan. “It gives me perspective towards my life and future. I have never chased success alone. That’s also what sets me apart,” she signs off.
My girl gang is my life; Kareena, Karisma and Amrita are all incredibly strong women-Malaika Arora
8:19 AM
On Friendship Day, Malaika discusses the role her girl gang — comprising Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor and her sister Amrita Arora Ladak — has played in her life
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 7, 2022)
Malaika Arora, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora Ladak —this is a quartet of friends, formed by two sister duos, who have been each other’s greatest confidants for around two decades now. In an industry where relationships are known to be fragile, their friendship has lasted and become stronger with every passing year, despite the highs and lows they might have gone through in their own lives.
“My girl gang is my life!” says Malaika, adding, “I still remember how upset and worried they all were when they got to know about my car accident some months ago. Every day after I returned home from the hospital, they’d be here, at my house, cheering me and ensuring that I was taken care of and was doing fine. They would leave their routines aside and spend time with me. They were pampering me and making me laugh. Their presence and prayers also gave me the strength to get back on my feet soon. I feel grateful for having them in my life.”
The besties often give a glimpse on social media of the time they spend together, either chilling out at each other’s homes, partying or on vacations — always looking like ultimate glam girls.
Elaborating on the bond they share, Malaika adds, “They’re all incredibly strong women. The reason our bond is so special is that we were all brought up in a similar way, where our mothers have been focal points of our lives. They’ve shaped us into who we are. If I had it my way, I would have gifted the four of us a show, which would be as lively and unapologetic as we are.”
Besides being sisters, Malaika and Amrita are also each other’s best friends and support system, and now, they intend to work together on a project that’s close to their hearts. “Amu and I want to do something for animals because we’re really passionate about them. We want to open a shelter together for abandoned animals and we have been talking about it,” says Malaika, adding, “I want her to be a part of a couple of other business ventures, too. The moment I speak to her, she’s all charged up.”
Amrita Arora, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora and Karisma Kapoor
Kavish Majumdar is the one who pushes me to do Badlapur and October-Varun Dhawan
8:28 AM
On Friendship Day, the two reveal how they’ve got each other’s backs for two decades and counting
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 1, 2021)
He calls Varun ‘badarva’, and not many people know about their bond. Actors Kavish Majumdar and Varun Dhawan have been friends for over two decades. Dhawan calls Majumdar the “funniest person in the room”, and says he wants to make a show on him. On Friendship Day today, we get talking to both in an exclusive conversation:
When did the two of you meet for the first time? What’s the first memory you have of each other?
Varun: Meeting Kavish is a story in itself. He had done a play called Little Boy Blue, at Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai. I had gone to see it along with a friend. We were 12. I loved the play, and thought, ‘This guy is damn good’. We never spoke, but ended up meeting in H R College (Mumbai) in 2003.
Kavish: I met him in the corridors of college, Varun was standing alone, going through his phone. I went up to him and said, ‘Hi Varun, we had met at that time’. Then there was a Goa trip we went on with friends by train for a good 10 days. We came back and stayed in touch.
Not many know about the bond you share, we don’t see any pics on social media, too.
Varun: That’s because Kavish isn’t very fond of social media. He hates it when I put any of his stuff online, so I respect that. Otherwise, we pretty much speak every day. He’s one of my closest friends, plus he loves cinema being an actor himself.
Which of Varun’s films is your favourite?
Kavish: Student Of The Year (2012), he killed it in his first film. After that, Main Tera Hero (2014), Judwaa 2 (2017). I loved him in Coolie No 1 (2020), he’s the best at those films.
Varun: He’s saying this, but he’s the one who pushes me to do Badlapur (2015) and October (2018).
What’s that one thing about each other that no one else knows?
Varun: We can’t say it (laughs). We don’t have any secrets with each other. His favourite actor is Baba (Sanjay Dutt), so we make him enact Raghu from Vaastav, the 50-tola dialogue.
Kavish: In a party, we don’t talk as much, we start acting and dancing.
Varun got married in January. What was his bachelor’s party like?
Kavish: He was working until before the marriage, and then there was the pandemic. We couldn’t plan anything. I was just told to be free on those dates.
Who between Natasha and Kavish would you call your best friend, Varun?
Varun: (laughs) You can’t choose like that! Kavish is a person who Natasha has accepted in my life, she knows he is going to be a part of it no matter what.
How is Varun as a friend, Kavish?
Kavish: He has always been there. Sometimes, when I’m not able to call, he’s the first to call and ask, ‘Where have you been’. He’s the one who makes plans. In the pandemic, too, he looked out for me.
Our no-filter, no-judgment attitude is what bonds us, say besties Ileana DCruz and Athiya Shetty
8:13 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 2, 2020)
It’s been three years since the release of Mubarakan, and the friendship between the lead actresses of the film, Ileana DCruz and Athiya Shetty, has only grown stronger. This Friendship Day, ‘Athu’ and ‘Ilu-Pilu’ as they fondly address each other, talk to Bombay Times about their camaraderie, what they bond over the most and how good friends help us better ourselves. Read On…
At the time of Mubarakan’s promotion (in 2017), both of you spoke volumes about how you got along with each other. But, given how actors have to quickly move on to their next project, very often, even after sharing a great bond, they don’t end up keeping in touch...
ILEANA: But, we did! I think our no-filter, nojudgment attitude is what bonds us.
ATHIYA: Yes, I agree. It’s also true that actors tend to move on after every project, so I didn’t think that we would stay in touch, but we got together from the word go. I remember, the first time I met her was when I had come for the screening of Rustom (2016). There’s a scene in the film where Ileana’s crying and it left me impressed. I went up to her and said, ‘Hey, you are such a good crier!’ Later, I was like oops… did I just say that, as that was the first time ever that I met her and interacted with her. It could have been a little more formal than that, is what I thought (laughs!).
ILEANA: But, that’s exactly her… no filters! Whatever is on her mind, she says it out loud. It is very rare to meet someone, who you can be yourself with and have no filters. I don’t have to think about what conversation to have with her. I can just be me.
ATHIYA: I feel that from day one, I have been able to trust her. I have told her things about myself and I know that she will keep it to herself. I have always looked up to Ileana for the way she presents herself. She is so full of grace and is a very honest person.
What is it that you bond over the most?
ATHIYA: Predominantly, it’s food! I remember on the first day of the shoot of Mubarakan, Ileana had baked coconut macaroons for me. She is a fantastic baker. Till date, I ask her for recipes, though she knows that I won’t try making them. During the London schedule of the film, we would go out on food outings together. I was like…this is the best co-star ever.
ILEANA: Her room was next to mine and that’s literally how I would get her out of her room. I would drag her out by planning food trails.
Your friends often make you a better person, as there is so much to learn and exchange from each other, even while having all that fun, right?
ATHIYA: So, Ileana has OCD and I honestly believe that after I met her, I developed that as well. If my hair was out of place during the shoot, or if there was even a strand of thread on my ghagra that no one spotted, Ileana would. She is very particular about everything and I developed those traits after I met her.
ILEANA: I am quite the opposite of Athiya. While she is free-spirited, I tend to overthink. She just throws herself in a situation and enjoys it, while I tend to sit upright and hold myself back. Thanks to Athiya, I have started being comfortable and letting myself loose. So, being with her, I have learnt to let go.
I haven’t developed many new friendships over the years, I am still close to my childhood friends-Ayushmann Khurrana
8:08 AM
Today, on Friendship Day, the actor talks about the unbreakable bond that he has with his childhood friends. And, he shares memories of his growing-up years with one of his closest friends, Rochak Kohli, who is also a music composer
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 2, 2020)
From Chandigarh to Mumbai, and from radio and television to movies — Ayushmann Khurrana’s journey is undoubtedly a fascinating one. And through all these years, and the highs and lows that are part of it, the one thing that has been a constant in his journey are his good ol’ friends. In fact, for his buddies, he is still the young boy they would hang out with and not the star that he has turned into today. “I haven’t developed many new friendships over the years. I have childhood friends who are non-judgmental. They love and treat me just like they would before my stardom. For them, I am the same old Ayushmann and they keep me grounded by giving me honest feedback about my work. For instance, my friend Nishchay Trehan, we watched a lot of films together since childhood and he is very critical about my work, so I appreciate his opinion,” explains the actor.On the occasion of Friendship Day, the actor takes time to thank his childhood friend, music composer Rochak Kohli. Ayushmann says, “I have known Rochak since eighth grade. We went to the same school, St John’s Boys School in Chandigarh. We became friends as soon as we discovered that both of us are crazily passionate about music. We shared the common talent of composing and writing songs, which was rare for students in the eighth grade.”
Talking about the bond they share, Rochak told Bombay Times, “I feel our friendship is like water. It’s essential, and it takes any mould. We have been friends for a long period of time, and like water, our friendship is pure. I guess paani is our favourite word, too, because Paani Da Rang was our first song together (laughs!).”
Rochak has fond memories of the time when they were new to Mumbai, where they came to pursue their dreams. He recollects, “It was a big deal for boys who have been born and brought up in a comfort zone in Chandigarh. It was a whole new window to the world, which we explored together.”
Rochak says, “In Mumbai, we used to travel in local trains, and at times, we had no money. In fact, we went to Goa without money and did odd jobs there to buy food. Looking back, I now cherish these memories, and I think that’s what brought us so close. We have been together through thick and thin. We married the girls we were dating since college, so the four of us are like a family now.”
Ayushmann shares some memories, and talks about an old picture clicked during their college days. The duo, along with a bunch of boys, flaunted their shaved heads for a college play. “I think we were getting ready for one of our performances in college (DAV College, Chandigarh). In this picture, we also have other friends — Kumar Saurav, Jaiveer Singh and Mayank Choudhary. We started this theatre group in college called Aaghaaz, and this play was called Kumaraswami, in which I was the lead character. All the boys went bald for it. Rochak and I have done a lot of plays together. In the first year, we were together in the Greek play Spartacus. In the second year, it was Kumaraswami, which is when the picture was clicked, and in the third year, we were part of Andha Yug, and my character’s name in it was Ashwathama.”
Ayushmann says that even today, he is in touch with his school friends. “In fact, Rochak and I have been in touch with our school and college friends, too. We are in touch with 40 other boys, who were part of our section in school. I think that’s what makes it easy for us to deal with the adversities,” he says.
Currently, Ayushmann and Rochak are in Chandigarh with their respective families. The actor is taking this opportunity to connect with his buddies. He signs off, saying, “We are keeping our meetings very minimal because of social distancing. At times, I just meet my buddies like Rochak or Nishchay or my theatre group friends like Gautam Sharma, Gurpreet Saini, Aviral Gupta and Charandeep Kalra.”
Ayushmann Khurrana and Rochak Kohli, along with their friends, had shaved their heads for a play during their college days
Sushant Singh Rajput-Shraddha Kapoor's Chhichhore trailer to be unveiled on Friendship's Day
8:21 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; July 31, 2019)
The makers of Chhichhore, being headlined by Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor, are set to drop the first trailer of the film on August 4, which happens to be Friendship Day. The film, which follows the lives of seven friends from 1992 to present day, is helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, whose last directorial was the 2016 film, Dangal. “Chhichhore is a light-hearted tribute to relationships and a large chunk of it revolves around friendship that is unconditional, unapologetic and timeless. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to show a glimpse of this friendship to the world,” says Nitesh about choosing Friendship Day for the trailer launch.
Interestingly, the film slated to hit the screens on August 30 will clash with Shraddha’s other release Saaho. There have been reports about Chhichhore being pushed by a week to avoid the clash, but Nitesh says that producers will take a call on it. “They are more experienced than me in this matter to decide what needs to be done. And I completely trust their expertise,” he says.
When asked about unveiling the trailer just about a month before the movie’s release, the filmmaker says, “With a number of releases lined up in the weeks to come, it makes sense to have a concentrated short burst rather than a scattered long one. More and more producers are migrating toward this approach.”
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