Shivangi Verma on Friendship Day: 'With Childhood Friends, You Can Be Your Weirdest Self'

In a world where Instagram stories have replaced heartfelt letters and double-tapping a photo counts as staying in touch, actress Shivangi Verma still believes in the old-school magic of Friendship Day. "I might not tie those colorful threads around wrists anymore," she laughs, "but August 3rd still makes me pick up the phone to tell my people I care." The Badass Ravi Kumar star, gearing up for her next release Gaurishankar Gauharganj Wale, gets nostalgic about schoolyard bonds while navigating the complex terrain of showbiz friendships.

What makes Verma's perspective refreshing is her refusal to romanticize industry connections. "Let's be real - when you're on set for 16 hours, friendships either deepen fast or stay politely superficial," she admits. Unlike the picture-perfect squad goals flooding social media, her inner circle consists mostly of non-industry friends who knew her before the spotlight. "There's something sacred about people who loved you when you were just that awkward kid with braces," she muses. This grounded outlook explains her preference for pajama-clad hangouts over red-carpet appearances - a chai-and-chat person in a champagne-and-canapés world.

The actress draws a clear line between camaraderie and true friendship. "On shoots, you become family temporarily. But real friendship? That's when someone shows up at your door unannounced because they sensed your bad day through a three-word text." She credits her school friends for keeping her anchored, especially during the whirlwind promotions for Badass Ravi Kumar. Their group chat, active since ninth grade, remains her safe space to vent about bad auditions or celebrate small wins without pretense.

Verma's friendship philosophy mirrors her acting choices - favoring substance over show. Just as she transitioned seamlessly from TV (Tera Ishq Mera Fitoor) to films, she's learned to nurture bonds that withstand career shifts. "In this industry, you need friends who'll celebrate your OTT debut as enthusiastically as they consoled your first box office flop," she says. While she's grateful for professional connections that blossomed into genuine relationships, she maintains that childhood friends provide irreplaceable comfort: "They remember your embarrassing phase with that boy band haircut and still think you're awesome."

As Friendship Day approaches, Verma's message is simple yet profound - that in an age of digital connections, the purest bonds are often the ones that predate filters and follower counts. Whether it's her co-stars or schoolmates, what matters are those who see past the makeup and still recognize the girl who once traded Pokémon cards during lunch break. After all, true friendship isn't about matching Instagram aesthetics - it's about who'll laugh with you (or at you) when you recreate that terrible school play performance twenty years later. Now that's a bond no amount of fame can replicate.