In the first few minutes, Netflix’s Kho Gaye Hum Kahan seems to come out as a film much needed for this socially savvy digital generation to have a look at.
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Watching the film is like snapping the digital age generation so that they can come out of reality into the pragmatic world and realize the toxicity.
The new flick revolves around the lives of three characters based in the posch burger area of Bandra, Mumbai. Ahana Singh (Ananya Pandey), Neil Pereira (Adarsh Gourav), and Imaad Ali (Siddhant Chaturvedi) are a trio we rarely come across in real life.
Imaad, a stand-up comedian, is afraid of unveiling his true self to people other than Neil and Ahana. He fears that they will eventually leave him after discovering who he is. The liberal Muslim boy therefore turns to dating apps and seeks relationships that have no meaningful future.
Neil is a fitness freak dreaming of opening his line of gyms someday. He is a super ordinary middle-class boy who aims to dream big and often squabbles with his dad for choosing a mediocre life.
Neil is also dating Lala, a super sassy Instagram influencer with a million followers. While Neil is concerned about his relationship, his partner has mixed views.
Then we have Ahana, a madly in-love sweetheart head over heels for her boyfriend Rohan and always vying for his attention. Unfortunately, her feelings are not reciprocated and her boyfriend leaves. Ahana becomes someone addicted to social media attention, especially to Rohan’s just to win him back
The major things that set their gang apart is that they are of two boys and a girl, they are emotionally attached and enjoy a comfortable platonic relationship in an era where hookups and quick Tinder dates are a real trend.
Many movies having such a group of friends end up in a situation where one boy falls in love with his girl buddy. I can state 4-5 famous examples from Bollywood movies such as Yeh Jawani hai Deewani, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Student of the Year, Badmash Company, Band Baja Baraat, and debatably Dostana.
We got some Hollywood ones too such as the Big Bang Theory and the iconic Friends in which at least one male or female character ends up with their pal.
But here stuff like this doesn’t happen. It represents a fresh and much-needed take to remind us that a boy and girl can also remain crazy and yet just honest friends.
Ahana, Neil, and Imaad are fast friends living in an age in which having 1000 followers on Instagram is a huge sign of social acceptance.
It doesn’t matter whether you are wealthy or not in real life, you must portray yourself as one on social media.
In a world where getting likes has become more important than becoming an actual friend- the one who could show up in a time of stress, this trio is facing their own set of issues rooted in the same problem of social media.
When you initially observe these three characters, you easily relate them to the ongoing issues we have today in our society.
From deteriorating mental stress to clutching to social media attention has ruined Millenials and Gen Z. Kho Gaye Hum Kahan does a decent job highlighting this issue.
Zoya Akhtar, the talent behind The Archies, Gully Boy, and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has had a considerable portion of the script written.
She does her best to reflect today’s aura that can be melted down into her words and then into characters. She does a good job of creating characters and lending them to the right roles. Her favorite one is Immad, she reveals in an interview.
The movie is a testament to Siddhant Chaturvedi’s meteoric rise into Bollywood. He smoothly blends into characters and gives them the respect they were meant to garner.
Ananya Pandey, who is often criticized for her mediocre acting skills does pretty well justice in her role as Ahana Singh. She becomes vulnerable and exudes ingenuity. Thus we can say that Ananya has improved from her first role which was in Student of the Year 2.
Arjun Varain Singh is a debutante director behind the film. For his first project, Arjun has done a decent job in producing Kaha Kho Gaye Hum.
Some of his most amazing traits were ensuring a chemistry between actors that would seem original. He told in an interview once that he had Siddhant, Ananya, and Adarsh socialize and connect before actually starting with the movie shoot.
The overall plot of Kho Gaye Hum Kahan starts with much curiosity and interest. However, during the movie it seems in some scenes that the flick is dragging you down into boredom, only to be entertained by a twist or something more intriguing. The movie is attracting mixed views in the press.
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is a dive into the toxic culture of conventional digital society and even though the movie doesn’t tick all the boxes, the project does bring some serious questions into mind and is a thoughtful initiative. It is recommended especially for teens and young adults.
