From ‘Sholay’ to ‘Dostana’: Unforgettable Bollywood Friendship Songs

Manmohan Desai’s *Dharam Veer* presented ‘Saat Ajoobe Iss Duniya Mein Aathwi Apni Jodi,’ featuring Dharmendra in a skirt and Jeetendra in tights singing the friendship song. This was a unique concept by Desai. Mohd. Rafi and Mukesh likely didn’t give much thought to lyrics like ‘Tode Se Bhi Toote Na Yeh Dharam-Veer Ki Jodi…’ When Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra reprised their friendship from *Sholay* in *Ram Balram*, the result was the lively friendship song ‘Ek Rasta Do Rahi Ek Chor Ek Sipahi’ sung by Mohd. Rafi and Kishore Kumar, with a stronger on-screen camaraderie. However, the film did not do well. Finally, ‘Doston Mein Koi Baat Chal Jaati Dosti Dushmani Mein Badal Jaati Hai’ explores the darker side of male bonding. When a deep friendship disintegrates, what happens to the bond? Shashi Kapoor expresses cynicism towards Rajesh Khanna in this song from Raj Khosla’s *Prem Kahani*. Raj Kapoor had explored a similar theme in the ‘dosti’ song with Rajendra Kumar in *Sangam*, ‘Dost Dost Na Raha…’