How Bollywood ruined an entire generation of ‘boys and girls can be friends’
As Cocktail 2 hits the theatres, it once again turns friendship into romance. The familiar trope has revived questions over Bollywood’s reluctance to depict healthy ideal bonds.
As Cocktail 2 (released on June 19) with Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna once again turns friendship into romance, let’s stop and ask: Why does Bollywood still refuse to accept that a man and a woman can actually be “just friends”?
This isn’t just a harmless cinematic trope. It’s a deeply repeated message that silently reinforces the taboos around healthy male-female friendships. Remember Mohnish Bahl’s announcement in Maine Pyar Kiya under Salman Khan-Bhagyashree direction – “A boy and a girl can never be friends (A boy and a girl can never be just friends)?” Decades later, the industry is still stuck on the same path.
❮❯
In something happensShahrukh Khan’s Rahul says the iconic line, “Love is friendship (Love is friendship)” – meaning that a beautiful friendship easily turns into romance. Later in the same film, he also develops feelings for Rani Mukherjee’s character. Hrithik Roshan in Will you be my friend Shares a close, emotional bond with both Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee – only for their friendship to eventually blossom into love in the first and second parts.
Even Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza’s childhood friendship whether you know or not follows the same familiar path from friendship To Love (From friends to lovers). Every late night conversation, shared joke, or moment of support becomes a stepping stone to romance or heartbreak.
Doesn’t this pattern tell us that the ideal bonds between men and women are somehow unstable or unnatural? That emotional closeness must necessarily lead to desire or possession? By doing so, it adds an unnecessary layer of awkwardness to the real-life friendships that many of us actually enjoy.
Be honest with yourself – how many of you have real, respectful ideal friendships with the opposite sex at work, college or in your social circle? Most of us do this. Yet Bollywood rarely shows this reality without a romantic arc. The industry has moved too far from our everyday experiences, turning almost every man-woman relationship into a predictable love story.
And yes, let’s admit it – this cliché remains a guilty pleasure. The tension, the “will they or won’t they” teases, and the lavish romantic payoffs give us easy dopamine. The producers know this formula sells tickets, even while we silently roll our eyes at something else.from friendship to love” Story.
But this is where it stops being harmless: This repeated narrative shapes how young audiences understand gender dynamics. This plants the idea that any close opposite-sex friendship must have hidden romantic overtones, making it difficult to maintain ideal real-life bonds without suspicion, gossip, or pressure.
Time for change?
Thankfully, some movies and shows are quietly challenging this norm. where are we lost Siddhant Chaturvedi presents a warm friendship between Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav with no forced romantic tension. Caravan Dulquer Salmaan and Mithila Palkar deliver a spontaneous, supportive road-trip bond that remains refreshing. On the global stage, Apple TV+ idealist and deep friendship primary The conversation between Joan Watson and Sherlock Holmes shows how rich and meaningful such relationships can be even without being romantic.
As cocktail 2 Coming to theaters, the question seems more relevant than ever: will this new film repeat the same old formula, or will it surprise us by finally letting some friendships be just that, friendships? Bollywood has both the power and the platform to normalize healthy, ideal man-woman relationships. The audience, especially the young generation, is quite ready for it.
This is exactly the kind of story that’s missing in today’s cinema – and one that’s truly empowering. The real question is – is the industry ready to shake the glass and serve something truly different this time?