Featured image credits: Unnati Mishra and Instagram @cubbonpaints

Friendships are the quiet anchors in our lives, which often offer comfort in sorrow, celebrate our joy, and provide companionship through the everyday. While some bonds form effortlessly over a cup of coffee or dancing at clubs, others are nurtured over time, through shared experiences and deep emotions.

And then come the ones formed in unexpected places — like on a stage, behind a sketchbook, through music, or in the glow of a computer screen, as one gets immersed in digital art.

This Friendship Day, The Better India spoke to people whose connections blossomed through grief, creativity, and collaboration. Here’s what they have to say about the friendships that shaped their lives.

Designing bonds: How art and dance shaped Zehra’s friendships

For 27-year-old Zehra Ali from Lucknow — a dancer, freelance designer, and founder of Graphics By Chance — friendships have bloomed through shared passions for graphic design and dance, each playing a vital role in shaping her creative journey.

“I met Rishi Sheth through Instagram,” Zehra shares. “He’s also a graphic designer and has even worked on posters for artists like Piyush Mishra ji’s Ballimaran tour. It was random — I was just scrolling through the ‘Gram, came across his profile, and hit the follow button. He followed me back, and soon we were exchanging thoughts and appreciating each other’s work.”

That was back in 2023. Two years later, the two have bonded over conversations around design and architecture. From Bauhaus minimalism, type layering, and brutalist grids, they discuss everything, often diving deep into how form and function can coexist creatively. Rishi is now planning a visit to Lucknow, a trip Zehra is excitedly looking forward to hosting.

Zehra also shares another cherished friendship formed through her love for dance. With 21.3K followers on her dance page, where she grooves to nostalgic 2000s Bollywood hits, Zehra recalls her school days, when she was part of the cultural dance team.

“That’s where I met Saumya Verma, a fellow dancer and dear friend I truly admire,” she says. “Saumya is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and recently graduated from Bhatkhande Academy. Though our styles are poles apart, we used to choreograph and learn from each other. Even now, we often attend dance workshops together. That friendship has stayed with me through the years.”