Dostana
A 2008 Bollywood movie starring John Abraham, Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra.
Sam (Bachchan) and Kunal (Abraham) think they have found the perfect apartment, but they learn that only women may rent it because the owner, Neha (Chopra), would prefer not to live with potentially sketchy guys. Sam and Kunal immediately claim that they are gay, in order to get around this. They also claim they've been a couple for three years (when they've only known each other for a few hours, at most.) They get to live in the apartment and even form a great friendship with Neha. But then complications arise when both men fall in love with Neha. Or do they?
Tropes used in Dostana include:
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Subverted. Neha chooses to be with the man who's treated her with respect all along.
- Almost Kiss: Averted. The actors are pretty obviously not kissing, but Sam and Kunal are, even after the movie led you to believe they probably wouldn't.
- Ambiguously Gay: Judging by the DVD commentary and the movie itself, it seems that the viewer is meant to decide whether Sam and Kunal end up together.
- Bachelor Auction: Neha makes Sam and Kunal do this after they destroy modern art at a charity auction.
- Bait and Switch: After a horror film makes him paranoid, Sam feels compelled to crawl into bed with Kunal. And nothing happens.
- Bedmate Reveal
- Camp Gay: Every overtly gay character fits this trope.
- Chained to a Bed: Kunal in one of the deleted scenes. Slightly subverted in that the girl in question was trying to have sex, but Neha came home early. Therefore Sam hides her under the bed, and Neha walks in on Kunal handcuffed to the bed with Sam on top of him.
- Crowd Song: Desi Girl.
- Cure Your Gays: at some point, Sam's mother tries to exorcize away the gay out of her son. While he's sleeping. Predictably, she is forced out of the room the minute her son awakes and realizes what's happening.
- Fan Service: John Abraham gamely obliges. Constantly. He seems to have the magical ability to repel shirts and attract rainfall.
- Forgiveness: Neha is surprisingly gracious about this in the end, but she still lets Sam and Kunal have it when their lies are revealed.
- Gaydar: Everyone who knows Sam and Kunal fails at this or is great at it, depending on your interpretation.
- Getting Crap Past the Radar: Averted. The movie doesn't even try.
- Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?: Occurs whenever Sam and Kunal are alone together and do not have to maintain the charade. However, it happens less than you'd think and sometimes Sam in particular goes out of his way to hit on Kunal when no one else is around.
- Hospital Hottie: Sam, albeit he is not seen on his work environment or uniform that much.
- Imagine Spot: Whenever Sam and Kunal imagine Neha's aunt frolicking on the beach.
- The song "Maa Da Laadla" is one for Sam's mother, where she imagines her son taking the place of the bride in a traditional wedding and an extended sequence of Sam and Kunal from babyhood to old age being together.
- Kick the Dog: Sam and Kunal lying to Abhi's son. This permanently takes some viewers out of the film. At least they evidently regret it and are called out when they confess what they did to Anhi and Neha.
- Love Dodecahedron: Sam and Kunal are kinda gay for each other while actively pursuing Neha who is love with Abhi who loves Neha. But Neha thinks Sam and Kunal are in love with Abhi.
- Meet Cute: Sam and Kunal twice. The first time after they both wake up in the same apartment after one night stands with two women who happen to be roommates. The second time they hail the same cab and find out they're both checking out the same apartment.
- Mistaken for Gay: While Sam and Kunal actively encourage this, it's taken to new heights when Sam's mother finds out about the charade and believes it.
- Never Heard That One Before: Sam is a nurse, and every time that is bring out he gets either a "skirt uniform" commentary or a "but you could have studied the same amount of time and become a doctor instead" one. He is evidently fed up of both.
- Nobody Over 50 Is Gay: Almost subverted. Boman Irani was in his late forties at the time of filming and he played a gay character.
- The Power of Friendship: The film's climax celebrates this.
- Relationship Upgrade: Both Sam and Kunal want this with Neha.
- Shout-Out: To the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai — Kunal and Neha replicate the infamous rain scene while watching the movie.
- Transparent Closet: This may be the case for Sam and Kunal, as the last few seconds of the movie suggest.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Sam and Kunal, without a doubt. Sometimes leading to downright Jerkass moments.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Kunal.