Joy, sorrow, celebration, mourning- a friend will keep you company throughout anything and everything. Sometimes our friends mean more to us than those who are related to us by blood. With no expectations and no rules, a friendship blossoms. Let’s take a look at some of the iconic friendships that were portrayed in Tamil cinema.

Rajini-Mammootty

The friendship displayed in Mani Ratnam's 'Thalapathy' sparked and set a gold standard for the type of friendship we crave and deserve. Not to mention the fact that we absorbed 'Thalapathy' as an endearment to someone whom we consider our close friend.

Vijay- Suriya

Released in 2001, ‘Friends’ directed by Siddique still lives in our memory as fresh as it was earlier. The film revolved around how two friends stand together and value friendship when everything else begins to fall apart. Oh and did we not enjoy the movie for its iconic mem-worthy comedy portions as well!

Vijay-Jiiva-Srikanth

Yes, again Vijay makes this list. 'Nanban' was not only highly appreciated for the close friendship between the trio of friends, but also for its commentary on the educational system. That’s what makes this film special in our list. And needless to say, Shankar had done a very good job in retaining the essence and originality while making it for the Tamil audience.

Kamal and gang

'Panchathanthiram' is a film that we will be never bored to watch no matter how often it makes a TV appearance. And the sole reason is the humour that springs out of a bond shared within five friends. With Kamal playing the lead role and his four friends helping him wade through his life’s obstacles with belly-aching laugh moments, this is an absolute portrayal of the ultimate friends gang.

Jiiva-Santhanam-Vinay

'Endrendrum punnagai' directed by Ahmed is another unmissable film in the list. While we could safely say that Santhanam deserves multiple mentions in the list, this particular film gave him a more meaningful space in the friendship portrayed. We’re not even complaining about how he made us laugh with his usual comic charisma. The film also touched on a sensitive issue that the lead protagonist battles and how the ones close to him help him overcome it.

Vineeth-Abbas

'Kadhal Desam' is forever going to be etched in our memories for the Mustafa Mustafa track if not for anything else. Thank you AR Rahman for a terrific friendship anthem! Directed by Kathir, the movie is about how a friendship between two buddies stumbles when a woman comes in to their life. Spoiler: both men love the same woman. This love triangle and friendship angle made an interesting plot for the movie while winning the hearts of fans.

Sasikumar and gang

Sasikumar has become synonymous with ‘friendship’ in recent times thanks to his stellar performance in 'Nadodigal'. Directed by Samuthirakani, the film deals with how the trio of friends fight hard to unite their friend with his lover, but things take for a very ugly turn. The film not only made its mark as a radical entrant in Tamil cinema, but also for its nuanced take on friendship.

'Chennai 600028' gang

The ultimate gang. The gang that we all want. And that too, with cricket being the central device in the film's narrative- this movie was a fun ride for fans definitely. Directed by Venkat Prabhu, the film had many actors like Jai, Shiva, Premji, Aravind Akash, Nithin Sathya in roles that made us laugh, enjoy and also miss our gang.

Notable mention: Narain- Ajmal Ameer

Okay, this is kind of an 'anti-best' entrant. If 'Anjathe' reminds you only of the thrilling narrative, we say you have missed out on much of what the movie was actually about. It was about human emotions and relationships that go through various turbulences, but specifically between two friends whose destinies break them apart. Well to imagine two friends to be pitted against each other in a ruthless narration of crime, cheating, violence- you have to give it to Mysskin. If not for celebration, the friendship portrayed in the movie could teach us a lot about why it's important to nurture our close bonds with friends.

We're ending the list with a disclaimer that we’ve missed a lot. But that's what the comment section is for! Now it's time to post your favourite onscreen friendships!