Ahead of the release of Veere Di Wedding, the team’s message is simple: join in the fun, or get out of the way. The trailer that came out last month does give you a major Sex and the City feel — the gang of four girlfriends is a dead ringer as is the no-holds-barred talk about sex. And what about the scene where the four girls are clearly out clubbing. But the problems the veeres face and the laughs they share are all too real. So, before we meet Kalindi (Kareena Kapoor Khan), Avni (Sonam Kapoor), Sakshi (Swara Bhaskar) and Meera (Shikha Talsania) on June 1, The Woods remembers 
some other veeres or best friends forever to grace the big screen. 

SHOLAY

The big daddy of all buddy films with Jai and Veeru (above) as the epitome of friendship. No wonder they are best friends — if one is garrulous and loud, the other is quiet and sarcastic, perfectly complementing each other. And we wish, till today, that Jai didn’t have to die. 

ANAND

The unlikely friendship of Babumoshai and Anand tugs at your heart and leaves you more than teary-eyed. The lessons the jovial cancer patient, played by Rajesh Khanna, leaves behind for Amitabh Bachchan’s Dr Bhaskar Banerjee are timeless. If Anand’s cancer was incurable, Bhaskar’s pessimism wasn’t — thanks to pills from his friend, cheerful even in the face of death. Years later, not many missed the tribute, albeit by coincidence, to Bhaskar Banerjee in Piku (2015). 

DIL CHAHTA HAI

This coming-of-age 2001 film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna changed how we looked at friends and their problems. Approach to relationships on screen mirrored that in real life — micro-managing partners, or fielding sweet but unwanted attention, or falling in love when you didn’t mean to, even sometimes with people your parents’ age rather than friends; the film had it all. It showed how in spite of harsh words and broken hearts, sometimes a phone call is all that’s needed for your BFF (best friends forever) to come rushing by your side. As a side note: A trip to Goa since the days of DCH isn’t complete without a journey to Chapora fort and clicking pictures in the same pose as Akash, Sameer and Sid. 

ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA 

If you wish to take a BFF trip before getting hitched, or maintain a bucket list of things to do and places to visit, chances are you are inspired by this 2011 Zoya Akhtar film. After all who wouldn’t want to face their fears, confront their desires and speak the truth; and, if your besties are along with you, the better. 

YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI

Another film about unlikely friends, bonding over a trip and staying BFFs. The film is remembered for the locations, the laughs, the tears as much as it is for Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) and Naina (Deepika Padukone)’s romance. Not to forget that Deepika’s blue sari from Badtameez Dil has made it to many a girl’s wardrobe for her best friend’s or her own cocktail party.