With male bonding becoming an important theme of Hindi comedies, bromance is clearly in the air. From Jai-Veeru in Sholay and Shyam-Ashok in Pyar Kiye Jaa to now Chetan-Bhagat in David Dhawan's Rascals, Bollywood has time and again used the 'male jodi' formula with great success.
The ingredient is simple: mix a successful or unusual pairing with a script bubbling with humour, one-upmanship and the quintessential clash over the same girl and you have a cliche but a winning formula nonetheless.
The upcoming Rascals makes use of the same formula and the incentive, of course, is the Sanjay Dutt-Ajay Devgn pairing. Here's a look at other such male jodis:
Sanjay Dutt-Ajay Devgn
On screen chemistry: Having proved their comic talent in All The Best, Sanjay and Ajay -- who started off as action heroes -- made a smooth transition to playing comic roles, the first of which was offered to them by David Dhawan in Hum Kisise Kum Nahin.
Their comic timing was just right in All The Best. There's big hope that they will repeat their magic in Rascals.
Off screen chemistry: Vey close friends; go out of their way to act in each other's productions.
Best Film Together: All The Best
Akshay Kumar-Suniel Shetty
Image: A still from Hera PheriOn screen chemistry: A successful combination for more than a decade, the duo has a similar back-story -- action stars who moved to light-hearted romance and eventually comedies.
Akshay, being a better actor of the two and also gifted with author-backed roles, mostly walks away as the scene-stealer.
Off screen chemistry: Friends-turned-foes-turned-friends. Suniel has earlier accused Akshay of cutting out his role during editing.
Best Films Together: Hera Pheri and Awara Paagal Deewana
Salman Khan-Sanjay Dutt
Image: Sanjay Dutt and Salman KhanOn screen chemistry: Salman and Sanjay made a dream team in Saajan (1991).
Take a look at the Bigg Boss promos and you will agree that they have lost none of their spark.
Off screen chemistry: Thick friends; Salman looks up to Sanjay as an "elder brother."
Best Film Together: Saajan
Sanjay Dutt-Arshad Warsi
Image: A still from Munnabhai MBBSOn screen chemistry: Sanjay as Munna Bhai and Arshad as his sidekick Circuit showed excellent comic timing in both Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
The best part about their chemistry is that they never try to overpower each other.
Off screen chemistry: Friendly and playful.
Best Films Together: Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Double Dhamaal.
Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan
Image: A still from Main Khiladi Tu AnariOn screen chemistry: The more serious of the two, Akshay was more often blessed with lead roles while Saif had to be content with supporting ones.
Despite that one-sided arrangement, the two went on to partner in a spate of films.
Off screen chemistry: Neither friends nor adversaries -- just about neutral.
Best Films Together: Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi
Govinda-Kader Khan
Image: Kader Khan and GovindaOn screen chemistry: The Govinda-Kader Khan 'No 1' movies were once labelled "cheap" by critics. However, if you look at those movies purely in terms of their entertainment value, you may realise that they are as good (or bad) as maybe a Delhi Belly or Double Dhamaal.
Throughout their career, Govinda-Kader Khan worked in identical comedies, replete with double entendre, stock gags and sexist jokes.
Off screen chemistry: More professional than friendly.
Best Films Together: Aankhen, Dulhe Raja, Raja Babu, Coolie No 1 and Haseena Maan Jaayegi.
Anil Kapoor-Jackie Shroff
Image: Jackie Shroff and Anil KapoorOn screen chemistry: Carrying forward the Amitabh-Shashi legacy, Anil-Jackie were a team to reckon with. Somewhere down the line, Jackie lost his way.
Usually, Anil played a comic foil to Jackie's intense characters (think: Ram Lakhan and Karma).
Off screen chemistry: Great bonding and it looked as if they enjoyed themselves on screen, too.
Best Films Together: Ram Lakhan, Parinda, Karma, Kala Bazaar and 1942: A Love Story.
Amitabh Bachchan-Dharmendra
Image: A still from SholayOn screen chemistry: With their legendary portrayal of Jai-Veeru in Sholay, Amitabh-Dharmendra took male bonding to a different level.
Their wildly different personality and temperament actually worked in their favour, as can be seen in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chupke Chupke -- a timeless comedy in which Amitabh complemented Dharmendra so well that you never realise that Big B's role was only as big as Asrani's.
Off screen chemistry: They're very fond of each other.
Best Films Together: Sholay and Chupke Chupke
Amitabh Bachchan-Shashi Kapoor
Image: A still from DeewarOn screen chemistry: The most successful pair of the 1970s and 1980s other than of course Big B's partnership with Vinod Khanna, Amitabh-Shashi did all kinds of films -- from the iconic Deewaar and Trishul (in which they played brothers) to Shaan and Namak Halaal.
They complimented each other well and film after film, Salim-Javed wrote some of their most splendid characters for the duo.
Off screen chemistry: Easygoing relationship and no trace of animosity; respect each other deeply.
Best Films Together: Deewaar, Trishul, Namak Halaal, Shaan, Kabhi Kabhie, Kaal Patthar and Suhaag among others
Amitabh Bachchan-Rajesh Khanna
Image: A still from AnandOn screen chemistry: Rajesh Khanna was at the forefront of his stardom when he acted in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anand in which Amitabh gives him good support.
The two did only a handful of films together before Amitabh's angry young man phenomenon swept aside Rajesh Khanna, eventually rendering the superstar out of work.
Off screen chemistry: Cold vibes but Amitabh did acknowledge Rajesh Khanna's frenzied stardom when he mentioned at an award ceremony that the word 'superstar' was coined for him.
Best Films Together: Anand and Namak Haraam
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