One of the most relatable things in cinema is the portrayal of good friendships. It’s a reminder that even difficult times can be managed, when friends are around. Here’s a list of 10 popular Indian songs that celebrate the appreciation, loyalty and absolute love that friends show and share with each other.
- Kattu Kuyilu (Thalpathi, 1991)
Composed by music director Illaiyaraaja, this song features actors Mamoothy and Rajinikanth breaking into song and dance as they cement their friendship in the iconic Tamil film Thalapathi. Sung by KJ Yesudas and the late SP Balasubrahmanyam, this is one of the best-known compositions on friendship, from a movie that is also focused on the importance of loyalty, friendship and sacrifice.
- Behti Hawa Sa (3 Idiots, 2009)
A movie about the trials and tribulations of college life will inevitably have songs about friendship. But this song stands out from the typical fun-loving friendship sons. Sung by Shantanu Moitra, the song features R.Madhavan and Sharman Joshi’s characters reminiscing about and praising their friend, estranged for many years. The lyrics are filled with feelings of nostalgia as the duo travels to Ladakh in the hopes of meeting their friend again.
- Hai Junoon (New York, 2009)
Set before the September 2001 attacks in New York, Hai Junoon shows the spirit of three college-going friends sharing light-hearted, warm moments just before their lives change drastically. The movie focuses on what follows after John Abraham’s character is falsely accused of being a terrorist. Hai Junoon captures their feelings of happiness and innocence.
- Oh, my Friend (Happy Days, 2004)
A melodious and slow song, Oh My Friend is from the Telugu film Happy Days. The song follows a group of friends on a trip together for the first time, and depicts their excitement and happiness at being around each other. Friendship in Happy Days is realistically portrayed – just a group of middle-class friends in an engineering college in Hyderabad, who deal with relatable issues like ragging, exam pressures and failures. This song showcases their closeness and special bond.
- Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge (Sholay, 1975)
Sholay is iconic, and this Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra song is practically a friendship anthem. With Dharmendra riding on a scooter and Amitabh Bachchan sitting in the sidecar, this song (which took 21 days to shoot) continues to resonate with modern-day audiences, for the chemistry between the duo, and for unabashedly warm lyrics like Tera gham mera gham teri jaan meri jaan. Aisa apna pyaar (trans: Your sadness is my sadness, your life is mine. That is how my love is).
- En Friend Ah Pola Yaaru Machan (Nanban, 2011)
maxresdefault
A remake of the Hindi film 3 Idiots, Nanban also follows the tale of three friends (now named Pari, Venkat, and Senthil) navigating their way through college. This song, resonating with the theme of the film, is about Pari (Vijay). Pari is described as that one-of-a-kind friend whose love pushes people to become their best selves. With lyrics like Natpaala namma nenja thachan (trans: He stitched our hearts with his love), the song expresses sentiments of awe and nostalgia, though in a more light-hearted vein than Behti Hawa Sa.
- Tumhi Ho Bandhu (Cocktail, 2012)
Despite being a movie about a love triangle, Cocktail’s songs mostly revolve around friendship . Tumhi Ho Bandhu is an ode to good friends, unlike the film’s other songs, which mostly focus on losing friendships and creating memories. Sung by Kavita Seth and Neeraj Sridhar, it is known for lines like Jab yaar kare parvaah meri, mujhe kya parvaah iss duniya ki? (trans: When friends care and look out for me, what care do I have in this world?).
- Tu Meri Dost Hain (Yuvraaj, 2008)
A drama film starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, Yuvraaj is best remembered for this song, composed by A R Rehman, with Gulzaar’s lyrics, and Shreya Ghoshal and Benny Dayal’s singing. The opening lyrics Aaja main hawaon pe bithake le chaloon, tu hi toh meri dost hain (trans: Come, I’ll take you through the winds, as you are my friend) speak not only to friendships, but also romantic relationships. In the song, the male lead sings to signify the importance of friendship even within a romantic relationship. Gulzaar was even nominated for a FilmFare award for his work on this album.
- Dost Mera Dost (Pelli Pandiri, 1997)
Sung by SP Balasubrahmanyam and Mano, this song won acclaim for its visuals and lyrics. Directed by Kodi Ramkrishna, Pelli Pandiri is a tale of two childhood friends (Jagapathi Babu and Prithviraaj) who come from different social classes and end up falling in love with the same girl. In one of the lighter moments in the film, this song shows them cherishing and celebrating their close bond with each other.
- Allah Waariyan (Yaariyan, 2014)
This a song about tragedy and loss in a friendship. In the movie Yaariyan, the song comes at a time when the protagonist (Himash Kohli) loses his best friend in a tragic accident. Sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali, Allah Waariyan is a plea, that even if everything else breaks, friends should never leave. It goes as far as to say that it is okay if even God leaves, but friends should stick around.
