Friendship has always been one of the most universal human experiences, but at the same time, it is also one of the most personal bonds. We all have our ways to define what it means to us, and ultimately, for all of us, it boils down to wanting someone who sees us for who we are, someone who calls us out when we need it the most, someone who, be it in crowds or alone, always makes us feel seen and heard.
Gone are the plots that used to centre the romance, fear, or action on screen. Lately, friendship has become the heart of the story, not just for comic relief but as a transformative force.
This Friendship Day, let’s celebrate some of the most memorable portrayals of friendship across film and television, bonds that feel real, flawed, funny, and often painfully familiar.
Derry Girls: Loyalty against the backdrop of conflict
Derry Girls centres on Erin, Michelle, Clare, Orla, and James: a chaotic teenage quintet living in 1990s Northern Ireland. There’s something about it that captures the chaos of adolescence and the unconditional loyalty of teen friendships so beautifully.
The five teenagers are messy, moody, argue, and lie, but they always come back. That’s what makes their friendship so endearing – it’s not perfect, but it’s real. One of the most poignant examples of their bond comes at the end of the first season’s finale.
Erin, having rejected Clare after discovering her secret, initially asking her to “Go back in the closet”, ends up fracturing the group. But during a school talent show where Orla is mocked, the others rally behind her, including Erin and Clare, reconciling mid-dance, to become part of the embarrassment with Orla instead of laughing along with the rest of the school.
In season two’s finale, when James’s mother arrives to take him back to England, though at first he agrees, but on his way back, he realises that despite his house being in England and the girls making fun of him now and then, over time, living with his cousin Michelle and hanging out with her friends, he ended up building a home for himself within the group.
He chooses friendship and identity over exile, calling himself a “Derry Girl”. It’s a recognition that identity is not about where you are from but who you belong with.
Twenty Five Twenty One: Youth and growing pains
2521 unfolds against the backdrop of late 90s Seoul, during an economic crisis and personal upheaval. The bonds between each character individually within the group feel raw and nuanced.
The friendship between Seung Wan, Ji Woong, Hee Do, Yu Rim, and Yi Jin is built on shared struggles, deep respect, and quiet healing. Seung Wan, bold and principled, finds comfort in Ji Woong’s steady, easygoing support as she takes a stand against injustice.
Hee Do and Yu Rim Pen-Pals turned rivals end up building a powerful bond once honesty breaks down the wall of jealousy and ambition between them, their relationship blossoms into a deep friendship grounded in mutual respect, shared dreams, and forgiveness.
While YI Jin, their steady anchor, uplifts each of them while hiding his pain. Together, they create a bond that holds firm through chaos, change, and growing pains.
The Lunchbox: Friendship without proximity
Set in the bustling city of Mumbai, the story begins with a rare mistake in the city’s famously efficient dabbawala lunchbox delivery system. Illa, a lonely housewife, prepares a special lunchbox for her emotionally distant husband in hopes of reigniting their relationship. However, the lunchbox ends up being delivered to Saajan, a widowed, middle-aged accountant nearing retirement.
While the story of Illa and Saajan unfolds through letters and meals, another equally touching but understated relationship is that between Illa and her upstairs neighbour, Mrs. Deshpande. They never share screen space, and we never actually see Mrs. Deshpande.
Her presence is always through the kitchen window, shouting cooking instructions, offering advice, or passing ingredients down in a basket, making herself a constant in Illa’s life. Yet, this unseen friendship becomes one of the most heartwarming aspects of the film.
Their bond shows that friendship doesn’t always need physical closeness; sometimes, just being heard, even through a window, is enough to make someone feel seen and less alone.
Heartstopper: Where love of all kinds feels safe
Heartstopper centres on queer representations, but at heart, it lies something even more powerful than romantic love: the quiet strength of friendship. Across seasons, the series shows how true friends help each other grow, heal, and feel seen in a world that often misunderstands them.
One of the major subplots of the series, when it comes to platonic bonds, is Tao and Charlie’s friendship. They seem to share the closest bond, which is why Tao feels threatened when Charlie begins spending more time with Nick. His protectiveness comes from a place of deep care; he’s scared that Nick, being one of the popular rugby boys, will eventually hurt Charlie like others have. The fear, however, isn’t rooted in jealousy alone; it’s in how much Tao values Charlie and wants to protect him from pain.
Another touching moment occurs when Tao is spiralling after a disagreement with Elle, believing he has ruined everything. Charlie gently reminds him that he was the first person to befriend him as a shy, quiet kid in school a decade ago and how this gesture of Tao initiating a conversation over the same band meant so much for him, it showed how kind and funny he is. “Even if you make mistakes sometimes, you’re a good person,” Charlie tells him.
It’s one of those powerful yet simple scenes that remind us that friends are often the ones who shape our very first sense of self-worth.
Home isn’t found in affection, but in recognition
Across all these stories, from adults finding love and solace in a quiet kind of bond to teenagers navigating political unrest and sharing laughter in school hallways, the emotion of friendship rings louder than any other subplot. What unites them all is not how perfect or consistent the friendships are, but how deeply they try.
Sometimes, friendship is about making space for someone. Sometimes it’s about noticing and pulling them out of a space, even when they don’t ask for help. Sometimes it’s about laughing at the same jokes or fighting, but still showing up for each other when needed. Most of the time, it’s about really listening to understand the other, not just to respond.
And in a world that feels like it’s spinning too fast, friendship is the pause, a breath taken at the same time with someone who reminds us we are not alone.
