As Friends: The Reunion streams today, celebs recollect how the iconic show has been so close to their hearts

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Friends … It’s not just a show but an era encapsulated in ten seasons. And when you get an additional chapter, emotions are bound to overflow. As the one-off special, Friends: The Reunion, streams today (May 27) on HBO Max, we ask celebs about what they expect from the reunion and their real-life friends’ moments.

Perfect pitch

The perfect reunion would be if all six come together and summarise their lives since they left their apartments; their highs and lows in life told by each of them and how the others make fun of some of those moments.

n Real-life moment: Just like Ross’ sister, Monica, who is a great host, cook and obsessive about cleanliness, my sister, Kiran, is like that too. — Ihana Dhillon, actress

No complaints

I am a die-hard fan of the show and even during quarantine kept re-watching the seasons! My only wish is that they could have shot a few real episodes (scripted ones) to give that cathartic feeling, but, as long as we get to see them together, no complaints.

• Real-life moment: I wasn’t talking to one of my friends, but the show had such a positive impact on me that I called my friend and made up! — Gizele Thakral, actress

Back to New York

I have always thought of seeing Monica and Chandler moving back to their apartment in New York City, and reuniting with Joey, Rachel, Ross and Phoebe and the babies.

n Real-life moment:Just like Ross in the episode The One with Unagi, a friend of mine had just started learning martial arts and felt very confident about his reflexes, rather sooner than he should’ve, which resulted in him getting punched left, right and centre by our whole group. — Aakash Ahuja, actor

Their usual self

I would love to see them back at the Central Perk cafe and make fun of each other as Rachel serves them coffee, and Phoebe and Joey remain their silly self.

n Real-life moment: When I was in college, my friends had found an old ad video of mine and made fun of me. It reminded me of Monica’s old prom video, where she was badly styled! — Sukhmani J Sadana, actress

Nostalgia in a nutshell

• Friends: The Reunion, also known as The One Where They Get Back Together, is an unscripted show where the main cast — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer — will revisit the sets, the apartments, the Central Perk coffee shop and the water fountain in the title song, at Stage 24, also known as the ‘The Friends Stage’ at Warner Bros Studio, Burbank. The series was filmed there since its second season.
• As the last episode was filmed on May 6, 2004, the cast will be seen together after 17 years! And today’s show will also feature a host of special guests, including BTS, Justin Bieber, David Beckham, Cindy Crawford, James Corden, Cara Delevingne, Elliott Gould, Lady Gaga, Larry Hankin, Kit Harington, Thomas Lennon, Mindy Kaling, Tom Selleck, Christina Pickles, Maggie Wheeler, James Michael Tyler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai.
• While the news of the reunion was out on November 12, 2019, its filming was delayed twice, in March and again in August, due to Covid-19. It was finally shot in April 2021 in front of a live audience, who were, of course, tested for the virus before the shoot.
• For the Indian fans, the show will be brought alive exclusively by Zee5 from 12:32 pm onwards.