Jigri Dosts of Bollywood!
'Dostana' does not break new mould in male bonding, it simply pushes the boundary further by giving a 'gay' twist to what is another 'triangle of emotions.'
Bollywood has celebrated male bonding with gusto. It simply made sense: Instead of relying on the clout of a sole hero, a strong – if not equal – co-hero made chances of box-office draw better.
The magic of a successful male bonding lies in the ability for both characters to shine through and radiate their individual personalities. Can John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan recreate it?
While we wait for 'Dostana' to give us the answer, here are some of the male hero pairs that Bollywood served with relish and the audiences lapped up eagerly.
Raj Kapoor and Rajendra Kumar
The quintessential love triangle that has spawned a several hundred clones in Bollywood (and continues to do so), 'Sangam' was one of the first 'male bonding' tales that is marked by powerful performances by Raj Kapoor and Rajendra Kumar. It is a tragic tale with the heart in the right places. No wonder, the film continues to be remembered for its protagonists.
Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor
A PJ from the 70s goes thus:
Teacher: Who is Amitabh Bachchan's fav heroine?
Student: Shashi Kapoor!!!
If one was goofy, the other was serious, and vice versa. And when both went goofy, it was a laugh riot treat for audiences. Their joint projects were like a dream run: 'Deewar,' 'Kabhi Kabhi,' 'Trishul,' 'Shaan,' 'Namak Halal'… we miss that Bollywood.
Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna
One of the most successful pairs in Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna gave space for each other.
The result was some memorable movies such as 'Khoon Paseena,' 'Parvarish,' and 'Muqadar Ka Sikander'…!
Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra
The two haven't shared much screen space in terms of numbers, but they did 'Sholay'!!! The camaraderie of the two is magic, and much emulated. Couldn't blame the imitators for not succeeding: How could they have matched that stoic silence of Amitabh and the easy daredevilry of Dharam?
Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha
Must give it to Amitabh here! This man could gel with anyone of his peers, and not take away the glory from them. Isn't that the mark of fine acting? Amitabh and Shatru did memorable films together such as 'Dostana,' 'Naseeb' and 'Kaala Paththar.' If Amitabh shined through with his effortless screen presence, Shatru scored in his dialogue delivery. One deadly combo, this was! While on Shatru, how can one ignore the screen camaraderie shared between Amitabh and Amjad Khan? Or for that matter. Amitabh and Sanjeev Kumar?
For the un-initiated, when Salim-Javed scripted Deewar and Sholay, they had Shatrughan in mind for the roles that Amitabh eventually essayed.
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Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff
From playing brothers in 'Parinda' to doing cop-and-thief routines, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff had an incredible on-screen magic. Anil was the one for laughs; Jackie was the one for deadpan humour. And they worked big time, so much that they were a staple for big banners in the 80s.
Aamir Khan and Salman Khan
They have one of the biggest comedy hits in Indian cinema together – 'Andaz Apna Apna.' They are too big now for a combo reunion, but then we still can go back to the mindless comedy of this golden oldie…
Akshay Kumar and Suneil Shetty
It was an impossible combo – two actors, who were equally bad, audiences couldn't be faulted for wondering who was more wooden! And then Priyadarshan came to their rescue. Akshay Kumar cracked the code of comedy and offered Suneil the excuse to remain dead-pan. So what if they weren't the finest of actors together, their comic timing made up for all. And audiences loved them.
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Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan
Bollywood bonding got the first kick of bold 'gay' overtures with the mock intimacy of Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan in 'Kal Ho Na Ho'. Their on-screen camaraderie, however, is of a different nature, though. Both match in sophistication, both can be goofy, corny and witty; both can dance well; both can emote too… and eventually both shine through without eating into the other's turf.
And speaking of the Khans, SRK shares good on-screen chemistry with Salman, though the two may not be on the best of terms now. Watch them in Karan-Arjun and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
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