Asha Negi and Karan Wahi may not see each other very often, but they are always there for each other when they need it. On Friendship Day, they explain why their friendship works.
Finding a good friend appears to be a treasure in the glitzy world of entertainment, where people’s equations can alter overnight, where good possibilities are few but insecurity abounds. Actors and cast members frequently join a project, work together for months in close proximity, and form strong bonds, but once the production is completed, many lose touch or do not meet frequently, sometimes for years.
In a business where hustling is the name of the game, performers Asha Negi and Karan Wahi are grateful to have found a close friendship in one another.
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This Friendship Day (August 4, 2024), they discuss what makes them tick, what keeps them together, and what works in their friendship.
Hame gap kabhi kabhi bahut lambe hote hain.
“Jab mile tab friendship day hota hai” for Karan and Asha, but it’s been a long since they met, so they hope to organize something and meet up on friendship day. He considers himself fortunate since “it is beautiful to have a friend of the opposite sex”.”We rarely communicate to each other, but when one of us feels it’s been too long, we call and arrange to meet. Karan characterizes his friendship with Asha as “two people who understand and respect each other’s space,” adding, “Hamare gap kabhi kabhi bahut lambe hote hain.” We vanish and then reappear as if we had met yesterday. This is the essence of our friendship. Maybe that’s why our friendship has lasted so long. When we first met, she had a ‘iss bande se milna pad raha hai’ aura.
When asked when they first met, Karan responds enthusiastically: “Mujhe yaad hai!!” Asha, Rithvik (Dhanjani, actor), and I were on our way to South Africa for an awards ceremony in 2012. We were on the same airplane, and even though I knew Rithvik, I recognized Asha and she greeted me with a ‘iss bande se milna pad raha hai’ attitude. I don’t think she ever glanced at me fully, let alone said hello. But our proper conversation happened at Nach Baliye 6 in 2014. Sometimes I don’t understand how we became friends.” Asha agrees, saying, “Logone nahi socha hoga ki hamari friendship itne time tak rahegi.” We’re excellent friends now, but we didn’t talk to one other respectfully at first. We were overly casual with each other. We had a no-filter talk. Thodi respect honi chahiye for each other,” she quips, adding, “Over the years, their friendship got deeper, as did their regard for each other.”
We share personal and professional information, and we actually overshare.
Karan recalls when their speech and attitude changed. “We filmed the TV show Entertainment Ki Raat in 2017 and were in the same zone; we spent the most time together on set and so supported one other. Hum doosre ko hi promote kar rahe the. We understood each other a lot while working on that show since we were both going through comparable life stages, both good and bad, so that’s where we bonded the most.”
When asked about Karan’s first few years with him, Asha recalls, “We were like kids originally. Sab masti hai. Today, we are grown enough to understand one other, respect each other’s space, and be there for each other. These things have allowed us to be such excellent friends. I’m so glad ours isn’t one of those fleeting friendships that happen in the workplace. We disclose our most intimate details, including professional and personal ups and downs.” Karan adds, “I think we overshare.”
We have our own lives and are not always together.
Asha adds, “We’ve seen each other in vulnerable times and been there for each other. I’m delighted we’re like this with each other. Our friendship is more than just upar upar se, superficial, or simply enjoying good times or masti. It’s not about being an industry friend or going there to party. Also, we are not with each other 24 hours a day, so respect for space is crucial, and we all have our own lives, but we are available when a buddy needs us.”
Our friendship has endured because we are not judgmental of anything.
Karan admires Asha’s growth over the years. “More than a friend, I believe she has evolved like we all do. I have noticed so many changes in her. She is a different person now than she was five years ago. I believe only she can decide if it was for the better or worse. I believe that our friendship has endured because we are not judgmental about some issues.
There may be things she does that I disagree with, but I will not force my opinion on her. It’s about accepting one another. Because there is so much stress in our field, we sometimes put on a veneer, mask up, or act a certain way in front of others, thus I believe Asha finally became one of those typical individuals. Asha was always like this. There are certain individuals in life who are really gullible, and she is one of them, even today, but the good news is that she can now express her point of view much more effectively than she could previously. That is the change. I’ve witnessed changes that are only for the better. I believe her normalcy is what makes her such a great friend.
The actors agree that they may not have had conflicts, but Asha has frequently been “the one to resolve Karan’s fights with others”. “In reality, he has ended up saying things to me to aid with the resolution. Usse kabhi kabhi yaad bhi nahi rehta ke usne mujhe kya kaha tha, main ladai khatam karvane koshish kar rahi thi. He would say, ‘I truly said that’. “We have never had a problem with each other,” adds Asha.
You must work on friendship in the same manner that you would any other connection.
Karan continues, “In each relationship, there may be practices that the other person disagrees with. We both matured and realized what we wanted in our life, including which friends we wanted to maintain. So you must work on that friendship in the same manner that you would with any other relationship. If I am going through something and need a friend, I will not be shy about asking what you are doing. I’d just pick up the phone and go to where I needed to meet; please be available. I believe that we are both in our own worlds, and if we truly want to meet someone or go somewhere, we will. If not, we will state we are unavailable.”
Asha agrees, “It goes unspoken, but we know that about each other. We do not need to explain to each other. We are similar, which is why there is greater acceptance. There is no pressure; mujhe sunayega nahi ke kyun nahi mili, ya wahan kyun nahi aai, phone call ka jawab nahi diya, and so on. And when he needs me, I’ll drop everything and come to him. This is also true for him.”
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