With Friendship Day around the corner, Team MM is feeling all lovey-dovey. We realised at a very young age that we’re stuck with family and don’t get to choose them. But you know what the universe gave us? It gave us soulmates, soul ties, people who reflect our energy and love us endlessly as our families do. Some of them will even fight your battles for you and be the literal and figurative shoulders to cry on. I’ve had the privilege of knowing and having some wonderful friends that instantly felt like family. Some of them I may not even be friends with anymore, but they should know they enriched my life with love, laughter and blessed me with great friendship. Anyway, let’s not get all sappy and whiny, so scroll on to take a look at what Team MissMalini had to say about their relationships with their besties and BFF’s.

1) Malini Agarwal on best friends Parul Kakad and Priyanka Kurien

I can safely say I am truly blessed to have so many friends that feel like family. In fact, I believe we choose these souls because we have some undeniable connection from another life. For me, two girls personify this feeling—Parul Kakad who has been my BFF for decades now. You know her as @mumbaimummy, I know her as the girl with the golden heart and of course rockstar mama of 4! We’ve danced on tables, through sunroofs and beyond and she will forever be my heart.

And Priyanka Kurien, who is that snarky friend with a soft heart everyone needs in their lives! She is fiercely loyal and please don’t be fooled by her petite frame because if anybody messes with me she will legit rip them to shreds. Thank you, my bobos for your love. (All true framily have secret code names for each other #justsaying) My fr-amily is HUGE and would high jack your whole blog, but you know who you are squad, I love you! #shotyaar.

Malini Agarwal with best friends Parul Kakad and Priyanka Kurien
Malini Agarwal with best friends Parul Kakad and Priyanka Kurien

2) Alisha Fernandes on Tricia Silveira and Jessica Mendonce

For the last 3 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to live with Tricia in Bombay and we sailed through this COVID19 lockdown all the while having each other for company, support, cooks and cuddles and even motivated each other to work out and learn a language. But the biggest reason I feel like she’s more akin to a little sister (who is sometimes also a grandma) than just a friend is that we’ve argued and fought and ultimately cried, made up and moved on. And I just know that she will always have my back. If that’s not family, what is?

With Jessica, it all started one fateful day when she asked her mum if this girl she just met could stay over because she lived alone and was very ill with Rubella of all things. Who does that for someone they barely know? 15 years later, she’s my family. We never feel bad about leaving each other on read to come back to it when we feel like. We nap together and party together with equal gusto. And I think that’s beautiful.

Alisha Fernandes with her best friends Tricia Silveira and Jessica
Alisha Fernandes with her best friends Tricia Silveira and Jessica Mendonce

3) Natasha Patel on best friends Kavya Agarwal and Freyan Pochkhanawala

The two girls you see here with me, have my whole heart. We’ve known each other for over 10 years and they’ve felt like family right from the start. Currently, we’re all on 3 different continents and time zones but the admiration, support and love we have for one another is everlasting. All my childhood, I longed for the “Sisters from different Misters” bond, and even though I met these two in college, they’ve felt like home all throughout.

Natasha Patel and best friends Kavya Agarwal and Freyan Pochkhanawala
Natasha Patel and best friends Kavya Agarwal and Freyan Pochkhanawala

4) Pooja Maheshwary on Nandini Sarda

We met each other at a dance class 21 years ago. And we’ve been friends since. Through the years at school, through college, through living in different cities and different countries, through different jobs and relationships, through the ups and downs in life—she’s been a constant rock. I don’t know what I’d do without her honestly. You know friends who look out for you, have your back, are infinitely patient with you, are generous with their time and love, know everything about you, remember every story of your life (especially the embarrassing one’s ha-ha), are like your human diary, talk sense into you when you need it, are your best cheerleaders, always push you to be a better person—she’s all that, and more. She’s my soul sister, I love her and wish she gets all that she ever desires.

Pooja Maheshwary and Nandini Sarda
Pooja Maheshwary and Nandini Sarda

5) Nelly Wadia on Michelle Desouza

Michelle and I went to kindergarten together, that pretty much means that we’ve known each other our entire lives. Never got along in the beginning but somehow our fates were to intertwine. Also, just look at how beautiful she looks, not that it matters but look. I have never been more grateful or thankful to the universe for bringing her to my life. She moved to New York at 15 and has been hustling since then. She’s loyal, earnest, honest and the hardest working person I know. She’s someone I look up to, someone I look to for solace and advice. She always pulls me out of my wormhole and wallows with me when I need to.

She even restrains herself from wanting to beat me silly when I am being silly. She’s the family I choose to have and keep in my life. I hold our connection most dear because she’s my reality check and my biggest supporter too. I don’t know how she put up with my crazy, TBH! She’s the sister I never had and truly makes an attempt to be part of my life. She has great taste in home decor and fashion and truly inspires my taste too. In her company, I feel most secure and at home. Thank you for being the love of my life before me falling in love with the love of my life. To infinity and beyond.

Nelly Wadia's best friend Michelle Desouza
Nelly Wadia’s best friend Michelle Desouza

6) Sakshi Kore on best friends Sai Pooja and Sanjana Dhond

Family to me doesn’t mean only blood relations. These girls have been as good as parents and siblings and therapists to me and vice versa. We’ve had an ample amount of downs but the hard times have only strengthened our bond and given us stories to laugh at. And all our good times are just icing on the cake. There is no room for judgment or jealousy in our tight-little pack. We are each other’s biggest fans and motivators; you can even call us each other’s personal publicists! Lastly, there is no one else I’d rather call my “chosen family”! #SAA

Sakshi Kore and her best friends Sai Pooja and Sanjana Dhond
Sakshi Kore and her best friends Sai Pooja and Sanjana Dhond

7) Mrinal Bhat on Gauri Kher

Gauri is my BFF, soul sister, mentor, partner in crime and a rock-solid guide. I cannot imagine my life without her. She adds value in all possible ways and sparks the optimistic side of me! It feels like a strong connection from our past lives and we often joke about it. She has my back and I’m so blessed to have her.

Mrinal Bhat with BFF Gauri Kher
Mrinal Bhat with BFF Gauri Kher

8) Suruchi Patwary on Shradha Kulkarni

That’s my best friend Shradha! We’ve known each other for over 10 years now and I am so thankful to have her because I know she’s that one friend I will always have to fall back on no matter what happens. She’s my biggest cheerleader and I am hers. And my family loves her more than they love me! She’s just too precious.

Suruchi Patwary with BFF Shradha Kulkarni
Suruchi Patwary with BFF Shradha Kulkarni

9) Mahek Porbunderwala on Samail Akhtar

She feels like family because she is the first person my parents would call if I ever went missing! I’ve grown up with her by my side. We have witnessed all of our firsts together and sometimes even our last’s. She’s the only person that can predict my unpredictable mood swings, she really is the best and most constant thing in my life.

Mahek Porbunderwala with her bestie Samail Akhtar
Mahek Porbunderwala with her bestie Samail Akhtar

10) Yeansha Lodha on her best friends Kashyap Sheth and Vikram Fatehpuria

My go-to, my pillars. These boys have been in my life for almost 5 years now. We have had our fair share of arguments, disagreements but the bond we have is so pure. The comfort we share is so natural. I can confidently say they are my am & pm friends. Amongst us, we don’t like to use the term BFF, but we definitely are, absolutely 100% family. Through thick and thin. PS—they will definitely be at my bachelorette party.

Yeansha Lodha with her best friends Kashyap Sheth and Vikram Fatehpuria
Yeansha Lodha with her best friends Kashyap Sheth and Vikram Fatehpuria

11) Sara Lokhandwala on Devasri Turakhia

We’ve literally known each other since we were kids and we’ve grown up together. She’s basically the sister I’ve never had!

Sara Lokhandwala with BFF Devasri Turakhia
Sara Lokhandwala with BFF Devasri Turakhia

12) Pratima Surana on best friends Ankita Shrivastav and Shreya Shetty

These girls are like my soul sisters in all the literal ways possible. It’s been over 7 years and we are still going strong. They say when a friendship lasts for more than 7 years it’s gonna last forever. “They are my happy place”.

Pratima Surana on best friends Ankita Shrivastav and Shreya Shetty
Pratima Surana on best friends Ankita Shrivastav and Shreya Shetty

Let’s give thanks to all the lovely friends out there who stick by us through thick and thin, nobody acknowledges the heroes ya’ll are but thank God we have Friendship Day coming up, so make sure to say Thank You to them while you can.

Who are some of your friends that feel less like friends and more like family? Let me know in the comments below.

And don’t forget to follow @missmalinilifestyle for more interesting updates.