Dostana (Friendly) is a 2008 Bollywood movie starring John Abraham, Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. Sam and Kunal think they have found the perfect apartment, but they learn that only women may rent it because the owner, Neha, would prefer not to live with potentially sketchy guys. Sam and Kunal immediately claim that they are gay, in order to get around this. They also claim they've been a couple for three years (when they've only known each other for a few hours, at most.) They get to live in the apartment and even form a great friendship with Neha. But then complications arise when both men fall in love with Neha. Or do they?
This movie contains the following tropes:
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Subverted. Neha chooses to be with the man who's treated her with respect all along.
- Almost Kiss: Averted. The actors are pretty obviously not kissing, but Sam and Kunal are, even after the movie led you to believe they probably wouldn't.
- Ambiguously Gay: Judging by the
DVD commentary and the movie itself, it seems that the viewer is meant to decide whether Sam and Kunal end up together. - Bachelor Auction: Neha makes Sam and Kunal do this after they destroy modern art at a charity auction.
- Bait-and-Switch: After a horror film makes him paranoid, Sam feels compelled to crawl into bed with Kunal. And nothing happens.
- Bedmate Reveal
- Camp Gay: Every overtly gay character fits this trope.
- Chained to a Bed: Kunal in one of the deleted scenes. Slightly subverted in that the girl in question was trying to have sex, but Neha came home early. Therefore Sam hides her under the bed, and Neha walks in on Kunal handcuffed to the bed with Sam on top of him.
- Crowd Song: Desi Girl.
- Fanservice:
- John Abraham gamely obliges. Constantly. He seems to have the magical ability to repel shirts and attract rainfall. Abhishek Bachan and Bobby Deol have a Shirtless Scene each as well.
- Shilpa Shetty and Priyanka Chopra, too.
- Forgiveness: Neha is surprisingly gracious about this in the end, but she still lets Sam and Kunal have it when their lies are revealed.
- Gaydar: Everyone who knows Sam and Kunal fails at this or is great at it, depending on your interpretation.
- Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?: Occurs whenever Sam and Kunal are alone together and do not have to maintain the charade. However, it happens less than you'd think and sometimes Sam in particular goes out of his way to hit on Kunal when no one else is around.
- Imagine Spot: Whenever Sam and Kunal imagine Neha's aunt frolicking on the beach.
- Kick the Dog: Sam and Kunal lying to Abhi's son.
This permanently takes some viewers out of the film. - Love Dodecahedron: Sam and Kunal are kinda gay for each other while actively pursuing Neha who is love with Abhi who loves Neha. But Neha thinks Sam and Kunal are in love with Abhi.
- Meet Cute: Sam and Kunal twice. The first time after they both wake up in the same apartment after one night stands with two women who happen to be roommates. The second time they hail the same cab and find out they're both checking out the same apartment.
- Mistaken for Gay: While Sam and Kunal actively encourage this, it's taken to new heights when Sam's mother finds out about the charade and believes it.
- The Power of Friendship: The film's climax celebrates this.
- Relationship Upgrade: Both Sam and Kunal want this with Neha.
- Shout-Out: To the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai; Kunal and Neha do the infamous rain scene while watching the movie.
- Transparent Closet: This may be the case for Sam and Kunal, as the last few seconds of the movie suggest.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Sam and Kunal, without a doubt. Sometimes leading to downright jerkass moments.
