Atreyee Poddar
Moira and June – The Handmaid’s Tale
Moira (Samira Wiley) and June (Elisabeth Moss) share a bond that transcends dystopia, oppression, and distance. From their carefree pre-Gilead days to their harrowing separation, their friendship is one of resilience and defiance. Even when torn apart, their unwavering love and commitment to each other remain a powerful reminder that some connections can’t be broken—even by a totalitarian regime.
Minal, Falak, and Andrea – Pink
Friendship is often tested in the darkest moments, and Pink delivers one of the most gripping portrayals of female solidarity. Minal (Taapsee Pannu), Falak (Kirti Kulhari), and Andrea (Andrea Tariang) find themselves battling a corrupt system after a traumatic incident. Their unity in the face of victim-blaming and legal battles reflects the harsh reality many women face, making their friendship not just powerful, but necessary.
Frances and Sophie – Frances Ha
Few films capture the bittersweet evolution of friendship as honestly as Frances Ha. Frances (Greta Gerwig) and Sophie (Mickey Sumner) start as inseparable best friends, but life gradually pulls them in different directions. The film beautifully portrays how friendships shift with time—not through dramatic fallouts, but through subtle moments of growing apart and finding new ways to reconnect.
Ila and Mrs Deshpande – The Lunchbox
Sometimes, friendships don’t need face-to-face interactions to be deeply meaningful. In The Lunchbox, Ila (Nimrat Kaur) finds solace in her unseen confidante, Mrs. Deshpande (voiced by Bharati Achrekar), an older neighbour who offers wisdom, humour, and emotional support through their exchanges across balconies. Their friendship, though never physical, brings to light the quiet yet profound ways women uplift each other in everyday life.
Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
A single pair of jeans might seem like an odd way to connect, but for Tibby (Amber Tamblyn), Lena (Alexis Bledel), Carmen (America Ferrera), and Bridget (Blake Lively), it’s a symbol of their unbreakable bond. Their friendship withstands distance, personal struggles, and even grief, showing that true friends remain constants in each other’s lives—no matter where life takes them.
Rani and Vijayalakshmi – Queen
Rani (Kangana Ranaut) and Vijayalakshmi (Lisa Haydon) couldn’t be more different—one’s a conservative woman reeling from heartbreak, the other a free-spirited rebel embracing life on her own terms. But in the streets of Paris, their friendship becomes a turning point for Rani’s self-discovery. Vijayalakshmi’s fearless energy inspires Rani to embrace her independence, proving that sometimes, the right friend comes into your life at just the right time.
Lorelai and Sookie – Gilmore Girls
Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) define unwavering support and unfiltered honesty. Whether navigating business ventures, motherhood, or personal struggles, they are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Their friendship, built on humour and mutual admiration, shows that the best friends are those who celebrate your wins as if they were their own.
Prabha, Anu, and Parvathy – All We Imagine As Light
A recent Cannes breakout, All We Imagine As Light gives us a refreshingly quiet yet deeply moving portrayal of female friendships. Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvathy (Chhaya Kadam) are three women navigating love, loss, and longing in Mumbai. Their friendship is built on shared moments—silent understanding, late-night conversations, and the comfort of knowing that no matter what life throws at them, they have each other.
The Barden Bellas – Pitch Perfect
The Bellas aren’t just an acapella group—they’re a sisterhood. Over three films, we see Beca (Anna Kendrick), Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson), Chloe (Brittany Snow), and the rest of the group go from competitive strangers to lifelong friends. Their bond proves that while talent is important, the true magic happens when women uplift and trust each other, both on and off the stage.
Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha, and Carrie – Sex and the City
No list of iconic female friendships is complete without these four. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) redefined the portrayal of urban female friendships, proving that romantic relationships may come and go, but true friends are forever. Their dynamic was messy, glamorous, and sometimes problematic, but at its core, Sex and the City was always about women supporting each other through every stage of life.