’’A friend is one to whom you may pour out all the contents of your heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blows the rest away’’
Isn’t this what a real friend about ? In these short lives of ours there are very few people who make an impression that is as effective as that of a wonderful friend who understands you, who cares for you and who is always there for you when you need them the most. It is a friend that makes our life a journey worth travelling in spite of all the potholes and speedbreakers.
FRIENDS, the soap on Star World is one such tale of lives of six friends in the best of their twenties and onto their thirties. It is about their loves, their fears, their joys.
The best thing that struck me about this serial was the comedy that was used judiciously to deal with all the affairs. The best thing though is that none of the friends have anything in common to each other except for these blaring dissimilarities. It is this strong bond that they share with each other that makes this soap a heart-warming tale.
In spite of all the eccentricities of each of the six characters we just can’t but fall in love with each of the characters.
Inspite of his crude and rather insulting jokes you cant but love Chandler nor can your respect for Ross diminish in spite of his geeky behavior and troubled marriages neither can you but adore the cute Joey even though he is a huge flirt and for whom a date usually ends up in bed. But neither can u stop loving the martinet Monica nor can you stop yourself from falling in love with the greedy, immature Rachel nor can you stop feeling that adulance for the psychic Phoebe.
What strikes here is the warmth in the story interwoven in the pure comedy. How can one react but be warmed at Phoebe talking privately to her triplets or the way Rachel reacts to Emma or when Monica proposes to Chandler. How many serials are there that absorb you so much that you laugh when they do, cry when they do ?
But then there is something very wrong with this serial which though is marginal but definitely requires mention. The amount of premium that is put on S*X is surely outrageous going by the indian standards but then if you are broad-minded enough to understand that this is a story set in a Alien culture to Indian culture, it brings you the much needed respite.
All I can say is FRIENDS is something that you need to watch not see, listen not hear, learn from their mistakes and see that you dont commit them; for in your own life there are NO retakes.
All you have are only some friends in your life and sometimes they may get hurt too, albeit very badly...