If you find someone who’s always by your side, treats you with respect and won’t backstab you, that’s true friendship, says Somy Ali

They say life is better with true friends, so you are lucky if you find your pals for life. Somy Ali too agrees but says not everyone is that fortunate - Jyothi Venkatesh

The actor-turned-humanitarian, who has limited close friends in life, has been through Difficult times and therefore has become very cautious.

“I do not have many friends. I think everyone is a friend until they s*&#@ you over, which has happened to me more times than I can remember.</p> <p>So, I prefer acquaintances rather than having close friends,” says Ali. Her NGO No More Tears (NMT) assists and empowers survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.</p> <p>Friendship is important but one needs to give a relationship some time to understand if this is worth it.</p> <p>“If you are fortunate enough to find someone who is always by your side, won’t backstab you, treat you with respect, then yes that’s true friendship.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-146996" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/filters:format(webp)/bollyy/media/media_files/uploads/2021/05/Somy-Ali-3-1.jpg" alt="publive-image" title="publive-image" width="2248" height="2086" /></p> <p>But well that’s rare. Not all the people who party with you will starve with you. I realised this very late in life, but at least now I know,” says Ali, who does not believe in the 4 am friend concept and relies on herself for everything.</p> <p>“I am a strong independent woman, and I can take care of myself. Self-reliance is pivotal not just for women, but for men too.</p> <p>You never know when one can abandon you, hurt you, backstab, manipulate or dupe you. Ask me, I know how much it hurts when that happens,” she adds.</p> <p>Ali’s close friend in Bollywood is actor Zeenat Aman. She has no other friends in the industry. They speak to her from time to time.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-146997" src="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/filters:format(webp)/bollyy/media/media_files/uploads/2021/05/Somy-Ali-5-2.jpg" alt="publive-image" title="publive-image" width="2307" height="2883" /></p> <p>Many feel in Bollywood friendships are relationships of convenience. Ask if she agrees and how important friendship is at this stage of her life and Ali replies, “All friendships are relationships of conveniences, but it works both ways.</p> <p>I will scratch your back if you scratch mine. Our whole existence is based on trade-offs. We all have symbiotic relationships that are literally how the world functions.</p> <p>We only get unconditional love from animals and our parents given you have ones with good parenting skills.</p> <p>Saying this because there are many abusive parents out there as well, we deal with such incidents almost on a daily basis at NMT.</p> <p>”At this stage of life, Ali is fully content with where and what she is. “If I meet new people and I find them to be genuine, I welcome them with open arms. But again, my priority is NMT and nothing comes before that,” she ends.</p>