Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, involving three college friends, explores the domains of authentic friendship like never before. The film, switching on and off between present and flashback, deals with the camaraderie among three boys, namely Rancho (Aamir Khan), Raju (Sharman Joshi) and Farhan (R. Madhavan) hailing from different social backgrounds. Rancho, the rebel among them, is a prodigious guy who makes his friends realise their true calling and reinforces the adage, ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’

Rancho’s selfless love for his friends leads him to incur the wrath of the head of their institute (played by Boman Irani), who is inclined towards the conventional approach to education. Rancho believes in chanting “aal izz well” while thumping his chest, to generate inner positivity and face problems intrepidly. Rancho tops his batch and then abruptly vanishes into oblivion. Their friendship stands the test of time and reinstates itself after a long hiatus. Rancho chooses a life of seclusion and pursues what he loves best. Farhan and Raju serve as foils to Rancho’s character and successfully overcome societal challenges and parental pressures to embark on careers based on their respective interests. The film is a tribute to friendship in the form of a coming-of-age dramedy that has assumed the proportion of a ‘cult movie’ over the years. (Which is your favourite film involving three friends... January 8)

Suparna Ghosh

My favourite film involving three friends is undoubtedly Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The film offers a refreshingly candid and heartfelt portrayal of friendship and artfully captures the dynamics between the lead trio. It masterfully depicts how the bond between childhood friends Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), Kabir (Abhay Deol) and Imraan (Farhan Akhtar) evolves as they embark on a road trip through Spain and confront issues they have each been battling. The sharp contrast in their personalities leads to clashes but their mutual love and friendship allow such starkly disparate personalities to coalesce into a trio.

Director Zoya Akhtar does a wonderful job of vividly etching out the personalities of the three friends and establishing their idiosyncratic ways of communicating with each other. It lends their friendship a very believable quality and translates it into one of the most relatable depictions of friendship in Bollywood.

Rupanjali Samadder

The funny trio of Raju, Shyam and Baburao in Hera Pheri has to be my favourite film involving three friends. The impeccable nuances portrayed by the cast are the highlight of the comic plot. It is not only relatable but also ticks all the boxes to tickle the funny bone.

Ishani Sen

l The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourites because of brilliant performances by the cast and the emotional depth it carries right through to the end of the film.

l Dil Chahta Hai is always a go-to watch for me. The plot was way ahead of its time and would be an engaging watch even after decades.

l Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is a new addition to my list. Besides Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav’s commendable performances, I was impressed by Ananya Panday who was a treat to watch.

Ronali Raha

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara tops the list of my favourite films involving a trio. It stars Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol as the lead characters Arjun, Imraan and Kabir respectively, who embark on a life-changing road trip through Spain which not only renews their bond but also inspires the trio to conquer their fears. Powered by engaging dialogues and action, the film easily connects itself with the audience emphasising the true value of friendship. The way Laila (Katrina Kaif) illuminates Arjun’s monotonous life with a dash of sunshine and adventure, helping him venture out of his conventional life, was truly impressive. The fact that the leads lent their voices to the foot-tapping Senorita added more exuberance to the fun-filled film. Besides the memorable performance by the cast, the cinematography deserves equal appreciation for ingeniously capturing the beauty of Spain, Kudos to Javed Akhtar for weaving magic through his precise and relatable poetry. Definitely my go-to comfort film!

Aayman Anwar Ali

The friendship and camaraderie among Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter in the Harry Potter movies brought the evil empire of Voldemort to its knees.

The unlikely combination of photographer Farhan, desperate Raju and genius Rancho in 3 Idiots gave us three hours of smiles, tears and thought-provoking theorems which stayed with us long after the movie ended.

The incandescent detective Feluda, his nephew Topshe and their friend, novelist Lalmohan Ganguly (pen name Jatayu) together go on amazing adventures across the length and breadth of the country in the popular Feluda films based on stories by Satyajit Ray.

Pampa Paul

My favourite film involving three friends is the Harry Potter franchise. Adapted from the seven novels written by J.K. Rowling, the eight Harry Potter films have Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) collectively taking on the most-feared dark wizard Voldemort, the killer of Harry’s parents. The film series also celebrates the friendship of the three. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in which their friendship bloomed, Harry and Ron knocked out a giant troll at great risk to their lives to save Hermione's despite being slightly annoyed by her know-it-all attitude. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Ron rescued Harry from the confinement of his aunt and uncle. Hermione always stayed by Harry’s side and helped him with her intelligence. Ron and Hermione’s bittersweet friendship, Harry’s will to do anything for his best friends and Harry and Ron’s rule-breaking attitude are what make them the ‘golden trio’.

Sikrity Ghosh

My all-time favourite movie of three friends is no doubt Kal Ho Naa Ho. The film’s female lead Naina (Preity Zinta) narrates the story. The story of the three friends Naina, Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) and Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) is a complicated love triangle. In the end, Aman sacrifices his love for Naina and convinces Rohit and Naina to become a couple. Later it is known that Aman knew he was dying and so he gave Rohit the responsibility of providing her a happy life, thus proving the truth of real love and friendship.

Dayita Chakraborty

They are Dil Chahta Hai, 3 Idiots and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Dil Chahta Hai focused on the transition, development and turmoil of young human minds navigating relationships. 3 Idiots showed the layers of friendship, jealousy, support and true love in friendship. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara showed us that sometimes friendship might lose its charm or we might feel that friendship is lost. But if we rekindle it, it shines like before. And, with true friends beside you, you can overcome any hurdle in life.

Pallabi Chatterjee

One of my fondest movies about three friends is Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara which emerges as an exceptional cinematic portrayal of friendship and self-discovery. Against the enchanting backdrop of Spain, the film threads together a tapestry of emotions, adventures and personal growth, exploring the profound bond amongst three friends and the transformative journey they undertake.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara introduces us to three distinctive characters. The authenticity in their portrayals lends credence to the narrative, rendering their friendship genuinely relatable. The film captures the essence of camaraderie, showcasing the trio’s bond as a pillar of support through life’s peaks and valleys. It underscores the importance of having friends who comprehend, challenge and uplift one another.

The narrative unfolds as the three friends embark on a bachelor’s road trip across Spain, engaging in thrilling adventures like skydiving, deep-sea diving and the traditional La Tomatina festival. These experiences serve as metaphors for personal growth and self-discovery, with each character confronting their fears and insecurities. The journey becomes a catalyst for transformation, underscoring the fact that life’s most significant lessons often emerge beyond one’s comfort zone.

While the film predominantly delves into the collective journey of the three friends, it also exults in the uniqueness of each character. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara encourages viewers to appreciate individual aspirations, fears and dreams. The diverse personalities of the characters contribute to the richness of their friendship, accentuating the notion that genuine camaraderie stems from accepting and cherishing each other’s differences. The primary message it attempts to convey is likely to leave each of us reconsidering and reflecting upon the friendships in our own lives.

Camellia Paul

The Raja Sen-directed entertaining-cum-educative Teen Murti is my favourite film involving three friends. It is the story of three retired old school friends, all aged around 70, namely Nabin (Ranjit Mallick) Nagen (Manoj Mitra) and Naren (Dipankar De). Tired of an idle post-retirement life, they plan to revive a tea stall which used to be run by an unemployed college student. Thanks to the enterprise and zeal of these elderly trio, the stall starts functioning well and garners profits also.

The film teaches us to always remain positive throughout the path of life, which does not end with mere official retirement and that people can find real happiness and contentment by exploring the purpose of life and by continuing to contribute to society.

Kajal Chatterjee