Friends Archives

Bae-less in Bombay: When Mr Narcissist Meets Cool Girl

Mr Narcissist and Cool Girl ditch the dinner date and meet for coffee. They indulge in mental masturbation and everything seems perfect. After three months of “hanging out”, he hands her The Legal Handbook to Dating that says, “We were never exclusive”.

Rini Bankhwal July 29, 2016

People

Broken Bones to Broken Heart: My Family’s “Thuk Patti” Quick Fix for Everything

Thuk patti is not just a temporary fix, it is a spot of amelioration. When my father left his parents’ home, my grandma grudgingly agreed but not without thuk patti: We had to visit every Sunday.

Preeti Vangani July 29, 2016

Pop Culture

What’s Better Than F.R.I.E.N.D.S? A Show About Nothing

If you watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S now, you realise that what passed for humour in 2000, doesn’t always elicit a laugh in 2021. However, the exploits of Seinfeld and Co hold up amazingly well even today.

Dushyant Shekhawat July 26, 2016

Pop Culture

F.R.I.E.N.D.S: The Reunion Review: The One Filled with Domino’s-Level Cheesiness & Topped with Nostalgia

The beauty of F.R.I.E.N.D.S is that it’s the serialised equivalent of the pizzas the gang constantly scarfes down. It may be too bland, too stodgy, but it’s also the quintessential comfort food. F.R.I.E.N.D.S: The Reunion is a reminder of that. It’s cheesy, yes but it’s not wholly devoid of charm.

Kahini Iyer July 21, 2016

Pop Culture

Can Men and Women Be Friends? After 30 Years of When Harry Met Sally, We Still Don’t Know

Anyone who’s seen When Harry Met Sally as many times as I have will tell you this: its genius evolves and matures as you (hopefully) do. Maybe, when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you really do want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. But men and women can be friends. The sex part doesn’t always get in the way. Does it? Oh, who the hell knows.

Sonali Kokra July 9, 2016

Gender

Does Marriage Spell an End for the Friendships of Our Youth?

When I got married, I had lots more on my plate. I inherited a bunch of my husband’s friends and relatives, and between them and work commitments, I had much less time for my older friends.

Yashodhara Sirur July 7, 2016

Love and Sex

Why We Should Not Be Sleeping with Our Friends

Friends with benefits is an amazing concept – in theory. Everyone loves sex with no strings attached, but in reality, it rarely works without leaving its scars on your emotional psyche. By the end, you’re left with way too many harrowing questions and no one left to answer them.

Nihal Bambulkar July 6, 2016

POV

Too Cool for School: What I Learned from Being Homeschooled in Mumbai

Most kids complain about their grades, their history homework, their annoying PT sir. Being homeschooled, I complained about being taught embroidery and having to draw the entire history of ancient Rome in charcoal. But most annoying were the aunties who asked the question, “Do you have any friends?"

Viveka Shah June 22, 2016

Gender

If You’re Friends With a Sexual Harasser, You’re Part of the Problem Too

The toxic reaction to Tanushree Dutta’s attempt to share her story of harassment by Nana Patekar underlines how it isn’t just a victim’s responsibility to speak up. It took my friend being publicly accused of harassment for me to see I’d played my part in the crime by not confronting him when I should have.

Sreemoyee Mukherjee June 19, 2016

POV

Friends With Benefits 2.0: Some of My Favourite People are Ones I Have Never Met

Emotional investment and familiarity with someone’s life isn’t a prerequisite for friendship any longer. The word of the year is instead, “mutuals” – people who share mutual friends and common interests.

Jackie Thakkar June 2, 2016