'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan' Review: A layered film on the perils of social media – India Today

Have you ever heard individuals round you say how life was once easier when individuals didn’t have cell telephones? Or, how have we develop into anti-social due to one thing that was speculated to bridge gaps and assist us talk higher? Earlier than you begin feeling like your mom could be penning this evaluation, let me guarantee you that Arjun Varain Singh’s directorial debut, ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’, delves into the perils of social media. However does it undertake the preachy tone of your mother and father scolding you for all the time being glued to your smartphone? Let’s discover out.

‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ stars Ananya Panday, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav within the lead. They play three childhood besties – Ahana, Imaad and Neil. Proper from the beginning, you could begin to criticise the characters and their accents. They appear to be SoBo (South Bombay) youngsters dwelling in an ideal residence with large French home windows in Bombay. But, their occupations—a struggling stand-up comedian and a multinational worker with an MBA—afford this lavish way of life.They ‘chill,’ they ‘vibe,’ with frames filtered akin to OAFF and Ankur Tiwari’s music filling the room. Additionally they ‘hang around’ in pubs the place the quilt costs could be excessive sufficient to wipe away per week’s wage!

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However then, when you transcend it and sit patiently for a while, you’ll undoubtedly relate to the characters and what they’re going by means of. In any case, the uncomfortable side effects of social media, and the feelings that we bear are related and everybody shares it.

The trio is collectively on a regular basis, however have their share of trauma and insecurities that they’re coping with. And the way do they try this? Easy – by searching for validation on social media!

Whereas Imaad is a Tinder ‘addict’ who has points with long-term dedication, Ahana falls again to Instagram to realize her ex-boyfriend Rohan’s consideration. Neil, alternatively, is a fitness center coach who’s in search of movie star endorsements to assist him with the dream of proudly owning his personal fitness center. He’s additionally the odd one out, who doesn’t have as a lot monetary backing as his buddies and feels that he lacks one thing in life. He tries to match himself to others by taking a look at their social media put up and spirals deeper into the abyss. The truth that his date, social media influencer Lala (Anya Singh), doesn’t want to ever share his footage simply widens his self-doubt.

The movie’s writing stands out as a winner. Singh is credited for the story, whereas Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti are the masterminds behind the screenplay. So, as a substitute of falling for tropes, the movie cleverly navigates and intertwines their lives with the repercussions of social media habit. Friendships come below the scanner, male egos conflict, traumas unwind and social media habit is handled all subtlety.

One very recurring touch upon social media (in spite of everything, we will’t actually eliminate it, can we?) is how the actors appear to be nailing their act. Whenever you watch the movie, you’ll realise how true that’s! The trio is ideal of their roles, with Kalki Koechlin efficiency including an edge to it.

Ananya performs a mid 20s lady, whose scorching boyfriend Rohan (Rohan Gurbaxani) has damaged up together with her for an additional hottie. She obsessively stalks her (visually portrayed very aptly with a spiralling staircase) and begins posting extra pictures to current this free-spirit persona on social media in order that he crawls again to her. Their interplay by the tip of the movie, and Ahana’s realisation is superbly introduced out on display and Ananya excels in her efficiency there.

She makes use of the Hinglish accent that South Mumbai and South Delhi children are sometimes trolled for, however by no means overdoes it. She additionally emerges as performer within the emotional sequences, and it’s secure to say that she has grown loads as an actor.

Adarsh Gourav is ideal as Neil Pereira, a fitness center coach from humble roots (by the way, their home is in a constructing referred to as ‘Roots’) who aspires to match as much as what his friends put up on Instagram. He’s a sneakerhead and rides a Bobber (as a result of it’s cool), but he grapples with the deep-seated insecurity stemming from his roots. It spirals, with individuals’s remark slicing him like a sword, and he lastly turns right into a troll. He additionally hacks into Lala’s account and tries to reveal her, solely to grasp that as a substitute of constructing him really feel higher, he’s going deeper into the distress that he’s carrying round.

The character required quite a lot of finess that Gourav masterfully lends. He walks on a skinny rope all through the movie, however by no means falls. With the movie, he proves once more that he’s certainly a advantageous actor who we have to see extra!

Lastly, Siddhant Chaturvedi performs Imaad with an ease that’s troublesome to attain. Imaad has been by means of a traumatic previous, whose hints are dropped from the very begin however is addressed by the tip of the movie. Via the interactions together with his Tinder dates, the viewers could make out that this man doesn’t wish to have interaction in something that requires sturdy feelings. In truth, he has a void and the closest he has ever been is together with his two BFFs. When he meets Simran (Kalki), an older, mature and extra sorted particular person, he’s immediately emotionally invested however grapples to grasp and course of it. Siddhant has a number of layers to his character, and he is ready to do justice to it.

Anya Singh’s character is generally caricaturish, whereas Rohan Gurbaxani has restricted scope and each of them ship a good efficiency.

General, in the beginning of the movie, you could really feel that ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ is one other Gen-Z story, however this one is a well-made movie. What’s portrayed in it’s one thing all of us undergo, and the reliability quotient of the movie is excessive. Coupled with sturdy visible illustration, superb writing, good path and nice performances, this one is a superb watch. Watch it, unwind from social media and join with buddies; and what higher time to do it than this festive week?

3.5 out of 5 stars for ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’

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