Actor Aditi Rao Hydari Sparks Internet Debate Over Remaining Platonic Friends With An Ex

Indian Express•Published: Oct 11, 2026 12:24 PM IST

Actor Aditi Rao Hydari recently sparked a widespread online debate by claiming that staying platonic friends with an ex is entirely possible, attributing her perspective to her co-ed boarding school background. While her remarks drew mixed reactions ranging from criticism to skepticism on social media, mental health experts weighed in on the psychological complexities of maintaining ties with past partners.

Boarding School Background: Aditi Rao Hydari defended her viewpoint during a promotional interview with Netflix India for Lust Stories 3, attributing her comfort with exes to her formative co-ed school years.
Psychological Complexity: Counselling psychologist Dr. Ashish Pandey explained that the human brain retains emotional imprints and neural pathways from past relationships, meaning familiarity can remain emotionally charged.
Expert Ground Rules: Clinical psychologist Ambika Chawla outlined strict guidelines for platonic friendships with exes, including avoiding private meetings, comparisons, and discussing new or past relationships.

The Context & Background

This discussion brings to light the ongoing social fascination and emotional challenges surrounding modern relationship boundaries, ex-partners, and the viability of post-romance friendships in the public eye.

Why it matters:The debate highlights modern struggles with emotional boundaries, trust, and vulnerability in contemporary relationships. By addressing whether exes can remain friends, the insights offer readers practical psychological guidance on navigating past connections without jeopardizing current partnerships.

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