It’s 2026 and commitment without romance is trending – and just like you, we’re eager to understand why. Is emotional intimacy in friendships winning over romantic relationships? Or is Shah Rukh Khan’s formula of “pyaar dosti hai” actually making sense to Gen Z?
According to Vogue’s latest 2025 issue, having a boyfriend became embarrassing. Basically, it’s uncool to be boyfriend-girl and fundamentally because for centuries women’s identities were tied to their boyfriends or husbands.
Modern Dating Trends – Gen Z Edition
We are not living in the 1980s anymore; women do not need a man to elevate their social and financial status. However, women also want the clout that comes with being partnered up – the candlelit dates, clinking glasses at dinner and blurred Insta dumps from a weekend getaway that speak of all things fairytale.
Enter the concept of “best friend turned boyfriend”, as long-term platonic relationships are serving more couple goals than actual couples. Many are doing it straight out of hate for their broken relationships and confusing exes.
“Boyfriends are out of style. They won’t come back in until they start acting right,” read a top comment with 10,000 likes on The Delusional Diaries Podcast.
With terms like ‘situationships’, ‘ghosting’, ‘breadcrumbing’ and ‘benching’ – Gen Z has officially quit the dating scene. Dating your best friend is a new norm – after all, who picks up your call at 3 a.m. when you’re crying about what Sally, the evil office colleague, said to you this morning?
Or who comes running to change your tyre when you’re stuck in an isolated place with no help around but only an iPhone with literally 5% battery?
Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend?
Now comes the real question: was Anjali right to take back Rahul in KJo’s blockbuster film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?
While many call him a “red flag”, it might not be a bad decision at all – given they have years of history and understanding. Friends make everything easier, from starting a business to planning a trip together.
Emotional intimacy in friendships is much higher than in romantic relationships. We have all seen Monica and Chandler become a power duo after years of being best friends. Even Ross and Rachel couldn’t figure out their relationship until they became the best of friends who could confide in each other.
How Does Friendship Turn into Love?
It’s not just about your guy-best friend; many sitcoms like Sex and the City have claimed that “maybe, your girlfriends are your soulmates.” And probably they’re not wrong. Many girls on the gram have agreed that an all-girls trip was more healing than any date that they’ve been on.
The new norm of partnership is mutual respect, trust, support and shared investment, and friendships are the best source for that. While we don’t want to start a debate on best friend vs boyfriend relationships, one thing is clear: a wider social circle and core group of friends is more important for survival than a romantic partner.
Why is falling in love with a best friend easier than dating a new person?
Friendships are your chosen family, and even if you and your best friend aren’t interested in each other initially, this dynamic can change over time. It’s less pressure and more comfort and joy – there is established honest communication and sensibility and you are already part of each other’s real world.
He or she knows your dislikes and likes, food preferences and is close-knit with your family. And that is basically the correct equation for “companionship for life”. It’s a wholesome package of love, care and support.
Wedding Asia is here to celebrate love and friendships – old school or something special, we believe in the power of companionship in all forms!
