As I delved into the digital world of Netflix’s recent release, “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan,” a thought-provoking line caught my attention: “It’s the digital age. It feels like we are more connected than ever but somehow feels like we were never this lonely before.”
This dialogue made me ponder on the authenticity of the quality of our conversation or connection beyond the realms of Instagram and WhatsApp. It struck a chord even more around the same time as I was watching this movie when my mother called my phone from the kitchen to inform that dinner was ready.
If I were Indian, I would share these sentiments with friends or perhaps post a story on my socials with the same phrase, “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan”— We are lost, but where? The movie explores the needed truth we never speak, calling out the facade of pseudo-lives of social media and our addiction to it.
This movie sparked some New Year resolutions- number one on the list: to disconnect from social media and reconnect with real life and its conversations.
While the new year begins with parties and drinks for most, my preference for binge-watching movies made me stumble upon the recently released “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan” on Netflix. Directed by Arjun Varain Singh, known for his trio of friendship movies like “Zindagi Na Milegi Dubara”, this movie was promising to show friendship dynamics and explore human connections.
The conversation between the characters in “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan” will humble you soon with their statistical dialogue, “We open the phone 220 times a day according to the statistics.” While using Snapchat, I immediately put my phone away because I felt like I was being called out through their on-screen characters.
The film has indeed challenged the viewers’ obsession with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, forcing a moment to reflect on our scrolling habit. Perhaps you will too start counting the hours with this new year that you have spent scrolling through the reels and TikTok.
This coming-of-age movie revolves around the narrative of a trio of childhood friends: Ahana, Neil, and Immad. Ahana is a successful and well-earned woman sharing a flat with her best friend Immad, who is addicted to Tinder flings, and Neil is their other best friend, a gym trainer from a middle-class family in a big city who is dating an Instagram “influencer”.
A dive into the main characters of Kho Gaye Hum Kahan
Ananya Pandey as Ahana was pretty impressive and looked like this was one of her best works to date. Her character comes with depth, capturing the roller-coaster of emotions after a sudden and painful breakup with her three-year of boyfriend—Rohan.
This leads her to use social media as a weapon and shield to get back with the guy who dumped her and get validation for her existence. Craving for love, she even drunk-texted him shamelessly and stalked with a fake account, which is embarrassing, but who are we to judge as most of us were Ahana at one point?
Siddhanth Chaturvedi as Immad also shone throughout the movie with his emotional layer added to this trio, which was best portrayed with its rollercoaster arc. The movie explores his tendency to be closed emotionally and why he never deletes Tinder, even after meeting someone who could be the one.
As for Adarsh Gourav as Neil, his character was flawed like most of us, and the delivery was on point. Transforming within the plot, Neil struggles with his habit of constant comparison with others and spreads hate using social media. Adding a little peak at his family dynamics and dialogues, you can see him grow out of all comparison, insecurities, and social media influence and try to appreciate what he has around him.
The entire concept of “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan” was a banger and still reminded me of the song from which the title was inspired. Yet the plot in between was what everyone would swipe left if it were a thing on Tinder.
Still, the movie weaves comedy skillfully into its narrative, providing waves of laughter amidst the struggles within the characters.
“My friend is dating an influencer and is so out of her league that it looks like a paid partnership. She doesn’t scream his name in bed, she gives him a shoutout”
Immad, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan
Being hurt because personal conversations were used to make this banger comedy, Neil gets upset with Immad, and they fight. Becoming a mediator, Ahana tries solving their issue while all three of them are still facing the downhill of their life. And a way to cope? Faking yourself on Instagram and Tinder.
While the movie is commendable, its release on the OTT platform suits its Mumbai-urban aesthetic and narrative theme. The cinematography captures the rawness, and realistic portrayal of our life, making it appealing to a large audience from the newer generations—the millennials and the Generation-Z.
Talking to these specific audiences, the movie questions how we are navigating loneliness in this digital era despite having more than 1000 people following us. While our world revolves around obsessing over the number of likes and compliments on social media, or swiping left to right on Tinder, we sometimes forget the beauty of realism we have around us.
Generation Z will specifically relate themselves to the characters: Ahana, Neil, and Immad, who are in their 20’s, struggling with the ups and downs of their individual lives and running on a journey of self-discovery.
Ahana’s closing monologue became my mantra for the year as it strikes 12, bringing a perfect opportunity to change this New Year. This year, I resolve to break free from the digital screen, appreciating all unfiltered reality, tearing down the walls between the mirror and myself where I will be able to accept myself to let others take a step closer to me.
It is a pledge to leave the quest for validation from virtual followers and start being true to myself that this movie will remain a reminder for me. If these are possible, why would we ever in the world need the followers who never even noticed the repeated outfits?
