When Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra aka Jai and Veeru rode that iconic scooter in Sholay singing Yeh dosti hum nahi todenge, they created an enduring image for male friendships as portrayed by the Hindi film industry. But try and think of a movie or even a theatrical play that does the same for women and you will end up racking your brain. They have either been subplots in films like Devdas (Paro and Chandramukhi) or the movies themselves have been more in the art-house or indie mould, as was the case with Axone. Otherwise, films and plays have largely shunned narratives that rest on the idea of two women building a relationship that lasts the sands of time.

Actor Heeba Shah tells us that she doesn’t know why that is. But she’s altered that equation with a new drama she’s written along with Phulmani Varma. It’s called What Happened?! and shows the bond that two neighbours in Mumbai build during the lockdown. They have never met each other. But something magical happens (Shah is hesitant to reveal exactly what since it will be a spoiler) and their lives are intertwined thanks to technological innovations like smartphones and social media, which help them forge a friendship that alleviates the loneliness that most of us went through in that period.