Can a man and a woman be friends? This study claims no, and it's not because of sex

Nope. Even a friendship cap can't save this sinking ship. Photo: Youtube

Do you have a really good guy friend? Or do you believe a man and a woman can be just friends? Sorry to disappoint you, but that's just not possible.

Well, this should not come as a surprise because chances are deep down you already knew this. Hell, even our films have said the same thing over and over again. Do you not remember the ultimate moment of truth when Mohnish Behl dispelled this wisdom to our oh so naive Salman Khan in the Bollywood blockbuster Maine Pyaar Kiya?

Yeah we admit that the monologue is just too funny! But just look what happened in the film.

Salman Khan's character Prem couldn't stay 'just friends' with BhagyaShree's character Suman. Because, let's face it ek ladka aur ladki kabhi dost nahi ho sakte. Even if the guy gives you a friendship cap and sportingly punches you (well, that's just violence), you just can't stay friends with a guy.

And it's not just Bollywood that has showed it to us. Even the Hollywood films like When Harry Met Sally, 13 Going On 30, and Friends With Benefits tried to answer this age old question.

Oh but one thing, the reason why a man and a woman can't be friends isn't about that lovely word--sex.

Well, a new study has shown that the reason why two people from the opposite sex can't be chaddi-buddies is because of the way how they define friendship. We are not that surprised to be honest!

According to a study conducted by Oxford University's evolutionary psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar, women view their best friends as something in between sisters and soul mates, while men see theirs purely in terms of convenience.

While exploring how people's friendship circles changed when they left school for university, the researcher discovered that women have more intense and close friendships. In an interview to The Telegraph, he said: "What determined with original friendships whether they survived with girls was whether they made effort to talk more to each other on the phone."

"Talking had absolutely no effect on boys' relationships at all. What held up their friendships was doing stuff together. Going to a football match, going to the pub for a drink, playing five a side. They had to make the effort," he explained.

To explain the dynamics of friendship between men, he said: "Guys tend to have a group of four guys that they do stuff with. That is much more casual. With guys it is out of sight out of mind. They just find four more guys to go drinking with."

This might seem all too familiar to you if you have guys as friends. Initially, things are wonderful. Life is full of great catch ups, and laughter over towers of beer. They listen to your woes, and you help them with their woman problems, even try to be their wing-woman (and fail at that!)
 
But whether you would like to admit or not, things do change. They get a new girlfriend, or move to a different city, or maybe take up a job that comes with a ready-made social life. And soon, you find them replacing you, because they don't have the time to hang out anymore.

So you know what? Hang on to your lady friends dearly. Even if you just end up bitching up about that guy friend who ditches all plans to meet you. Because Sex And The City was right too when it said: Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with!