The intense picturization of the song “Yeh dosti hum nahin todenge…” on Amitabh and Dharmendra in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay had set the trend of casting real-life friends into films. They have always been as good friends in their real life as they were shown in the film.

We are now going to peep in the long lasting real-life friendship through the medium of Bollywood movies to judge how these good friends through the ages maintained their friendship images in the face of so many trials and turbulences...

Shah Rukh and Kajol

Besides the SRK and Juhi pair, SRK and Kajol’s pair was also became one of the Bollywood’s all-time successful pairs. While doing films together, they became very good friends in real life also. They did not even know each other when they shot their first scene together for the film ‘DDLJ’. But slow and steady their relationship developed into the best of friendships.

Salman and Shilpa

Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty have been known to be extremely close to each other for more than a decade.Over the years their bond has strengthened. Salman has always been there for Shilpa, and vice versa. But people only talked about their friendship when they were seen together in a couple of films – ‘Garv ‘and ‘Phir Milenge’. Shilpa spoke to Salman to do Rewathi’s film on HIV ‘Phir Milenge’. He readily consented to do the film and even for free.

Shah Rukh and Juhi

Speaking of friends who can ignore the wonderful friendship of Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla? Apart from sharing a successful onscreen chemistry (films like ‘Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman’, ‘Yes Boss’ and ‘Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’) they are good friends off screen also. They even went onto form a production house together called Dreamz Unlimited, which was later disbanded. Just some time ago Shah Rukh had taken Juhi along with his children to a daylong trip to Disneyland.

Aishwarya and Preity

There is always a clash between heroines working contemporarily in Bollywood and running for the number one slot, but Aishwarya and Preity Zinta’s friendship is an exception. They are rather friends than competitors. Although they are yet to work together in any film, the glamorous duo was seen publicly together in the 59th Cannes Film Festival.

Govinda and David Dhavan

Govinda and filmmaker David Dhavan have been also very intimate to each other. This duo once ruled the roost in Bollywood as the ultimate comic entity. They did films like ‘Coolie No1’, ‘Hero No1’, ‘Saajan Chale Sasural’ and ‘Haseena Maan Jayegi’. But for some time their friendship saw some differences and they drifted apart just to patch up recently and become friends again.

Salman and Shah Rukh

Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been buddies for years and have come together in films like ‘Karan Arjun’. However, their friendship came to light on many occasions, but quite recently Salman Khan was heard saying, “If Shah Rukh Khan want I will promote his film ‘Om Shanti Om’, though it is a co-release of my film ‘Saawariya’.” But SRK on the other hand instead of asking his friend to do so thanked him for his true affection.

Kareena and Amrita

Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora have been friends since childhood. Apart from growing up together they are both working together in Bollywood today. Quite some time ago Kareena was heard asking her producers to take Amrita in all her movies. They can be seen together in ‘Golmaal Returns’, in which Kareena is paired opposite Ajay Devgan while Amrita is paired against Arshad Warsi.

Karan and Shah Rukh

Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan is another Bollywood duo that has been getting stronger by the day. They have been friends for a long time and whenever Karan makes a film, it always had his best friend SRK in the lead role. Karan says he couldn't imagine doing a film without his best friend SRK. King Khan on the other hand shares his feelings about his friend Karan like this: “For me Karan is family and a friend first than a filmmaker. I never discuss money with him when I do his films.”

Sanjay and Sunil

Sanjay Dutt and Sunil Shetty are two guys of muscle gang of Bollywood, who are real-life friends and worked together in films like ‘Dus’, ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’, ‘Bhagam Bhag’ and ‘Anarth’. In more recent times Sunilhas stuck by Sanjay even when the latter was in trouble with the law and has been in touch with the actor throughout the entire charade.

Amitabh and Vinod

Amitabh Bachchan has made many friends along the way since he started his Bollywood career almost three decades ago. And apart from Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna remained his next real-life as well as reel-life friend. They have worked together in films like ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Khoon Pasina’, ‘Parvarish’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ and ‘Muqaddar ka Sikandar’. Although each of them was going head to head for the number one slot in the 70s, their friendship was integral.