India, May 2 -- Who knew, when WhatsApp launched video-calling in 2016, that we'd end up calling a loved one, but not really chatting, just leaving the screen on for hours - often the whole evening - while we simply completed chores, got office work done, or just chilled with silent, distant company? Think of it as low-stakes socialising. No one wants the run-down of your day or what you had for lunch. No one wants you to look at the screen too often. Just be there for someone you care about. It's really what you'd be doing with an old friend or a family member if you were both in the same room. Everyone's playing with the idea differently. Bhavya Gehlot, 26, a researcher in the US, met marketing executive Jaay Rathod, 28, at the Coldplay concert in Mumbai in 2024. It kicked off a long-distance relationship, one that started off with structured calls and conversation, and excited chats. "But the 12-hour time difference meant that my morning routine in California overlapped with his night routine in India," Gehlot says. "We didn't always have much to share, but we didn't want to lose touch. So, we stuck to video calls as we went about doing our own thing." The calls lasted 20 minutes to an hour, but the silences were anything but awkward. "Sometimes, one of us is doing a task while the other just quietly sits there on the screen. We're simply sharing the same virtual space." It's a step up from how we've typically used tech. Ask Boomers what placing an inter-city or international call felt like before the Internet era: Ears pressed against the landline, voices from far away coming through in sketchy patches, billing by the minute, no time for quiet interludes. Now, even a basic WiFi connection ensures a seamless audience experience on a Zoom and WhatsApp video call without fuss, at no extra charge. Gehlot says it allows people to "simply exist together" and takes away the pressure of constantly having something meaningful to say, or look at during a conversation with someone you've known for a while. "It helps a relationship feel more grounded and real, even though we're thousands of miles apart." When Rathod moved into a new apartment recently, she was on a call with him as he set up his room. But she was scrolling through her phone or journaling for much of the time. Worldwide, silent catchups involve mundane tasks such as brushing one's teeth, sinking into a skincare routine, preparing a meal, household chores and driving. Shifting focus from 'doing' to 'being' fosters a different kind of intimacy. Your friend or parent on the screen might chime in when you're picking your outfit for the day; or comment occasionally as you watch a sports match. Like so much else, the idea took off in the pandemic, when housebound folks needed company and everyday proof of life. "At that time, it's because we craved social connection; now, it is more about being part of someone's life," says psychotherapist Dr Anjali Chhabria. Three years ago, when Mumbai-based businessman Arya, 27, moved to Italy to study Masters in Product Design, he found it hard to stay in touch with his 26-year-old girlfriend (who chose not to be named), back home. "I was in an intense programme, and she was pursuing a law degree, which is also stressful. There is a limit to how much playing a game, solving a puzzling or watching a movie together one can do virtually. I would feel guilty when I didn't have much to say," he says. Their silent catch-ups, which would go on for anywhere between 45 minutes to a few hours, filled the time between assignments. "It felt like she was around me," says Arya. Most people who log in to these low-effort connections say they've been enriched by the experience. In 2018, when Rachel Teo, 34, moved from Singapore to Japan to teach, doing a virtual dinner date with a friend back home took the sting out of the isolation. "We'd linger longer. Over time, this catch-up became a weekly commitment both looked forward to," Teo says. She says her social battery runs out early - so no-expectation calls fit right into her life. They've helped her bond with her boyfriend (now husband) when they didn't have time to meet early in their courtship. They've also been an unexpected productivity tool. Teo often gets on a video call with a friend in Japan and another in India. They share the task for the day and work with the camera on. "It helps us stay on track and keeps overthinking in check. It is like having co-workers in your virtual office." Silent companionship cannot replace active communication, Chhabria warns. But it can balance expectations of both parties, without feeling like it is a stretch." Or as Teo puts it: It's like having a cat sit next to you."...