Rise of Girl Tribe

Female friendships are having a moment. Women are increasingly seeking empowering, emotionally fulfilling bonds with each other while navigating romance, marriage and family life.

The shift is showing up in pop culture too! Though details of Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna’s relationship in Cocktail 2 are under wraps, Sanon recently called out the double standards around female friendships.

“Friendship between two men is celebrated as a bromance. But two women are either rivals or there’s something else to it. Why can’t they just be friends?”

Her comment echoes the speculation around Mouni Roy and Disha Patani’s friendship after Roy’s separation from husband Suraj Nambiar — a reminder that women’s bonds are still viewed with suspicion. Yet from Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Malaika Arora and Amrita Arora to younger stars Ananya Panday, Suhana Khan and Shanaya Kapoor, women are celebrating their friendships publicly and unapologetically.

FRIEND WHO KEEPS YOU SANE

For creative consultant Swati Bhattacharya, female friendships are life’s greatest asset.

“My female friendships are my ultimate toolbox. I have laughed my most giddy, helpless laughter with them. Even when they judge me, it comes from love. This is my greatest wealth. We need a new blessing for our daughters. Not just ‘may you find a good husband’ but ‘may you find your girl tribe.’”

POWER OF SAFE FRIENDSHIPS

In an age of constant digital noise, many women find that technology can’t replace being seen and heard. As social media fuels comparison, friendships rooted in trust and vulnerability matter more.

Celebrity psychologist Dr Kanan Khatau says it’s time to move past stereotypes of competition and jealousy. “In my work, beneath all the labels, what we’re really craving is genuine human connection.”

She describes healthy female friendships as SAFE:

· Speak up — Create space where a friend can vent without judgment.

· Ask for help — Normalise accepting support.

· Feed forward — Focus on solutions.

· Empower — Remind a friend of the strength she already has.

“When women choose to be SAFE for one another, we stop seeing the woman beside us as competition and start seeing her as an ally.”

REAL, NOT PERFECT

Actress Rajeshwari Sachdev says competition doesn’t ruin female friendships. It makes them authentic. “Are we jealous? Yes. Competitive? Yes. But we’re also friends and we learn from each other. Being in the same space helps us relate our progress to someone else’s journey.” Ananya Panday echoes this. Though she had a head start in Bollywood over friends Suhana Khan and Shanaya Kapoor, she remains their biggest cheerleader.