In debutant filmmaker Arjun Varain Singh's film Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, the lead protagonists- three childhood friends - may rock in their digital persona on social media but struggle to keep a connection with the real world. Singh has&nbsp;co-written the film with producers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and the trio is&nbsp;able to catch the pulse of&nbsp;Gen Z and its obsession with the digital world and at the same time show&nbsp;the hollow lives these individuals live in reality. The 20-something friends played Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav are all pursuing different career paths and are doing fairly well but strive to do something more with their lives.&nbsp; 
 
They are close friends, practically live together all the time, have each other's back&nbsp;yet are battling personal battles which the other two are not aware of. Imaad (Chaturvedi) is a stand-up comedian who is a Tinder addict - or in other words&nbsp;commitment-phobic. Imaad lives with his best friend Anaya, a business school pass-out working with an MNC and struggling to get over a break-up. Their other friend, who complete the trio, Neil (Gourav) is a gym instructor in a swanky upscale gym in Mumbai which has celebrity clients like Malaika Arora. Neil is dating a social media influencer who doesn't want to acknowledge his presence in public or on digital platforms. He is also wanting to break free of the mundanity in life that his middle-class parents are so comfortable with. When Neil decides to go big and start something of his own, his friends Anaya and Imaad back him up and decide to make it a joint venture. But mixing personal and professional lives is always tricky and the trio's friendship of decades is put to test even as they weed through personal crises.&nbsp; 
 
Validation, especially on social media, and being hooked to a screen at all point of time, is a common factor for the three. So much so, that they grapple with reality and the world outside their screens. When you look at their lives, it seems like a lot of fun. They seem to be enjoying their lives and careers, but when you scratch the surface you realise it's a bubble they are living in. And much like their social media persona, they are only projecting the positives in their lives and not happy within.&nbsp; 
 
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan wins right from the beginning because with its able writing, it can connect to the troubled lives we all are living in the age of social media, where we&nbsp;project a perfect life on our social media profiles and subject ourselves to unnecessary attention and even envy but still hide the pains and problems that we deal with daily. 
 
It is a buddy film but delves deeper into the hallowed lives we are living in the digital age. It also is a coming-of-age story of the three individuals who struggle to find a footing in the world outside their screens.&nbsp; 
 
The casting is on point. Chaturvedi gets the meatiest role as the stand-up comic who is okay to crack a joke or two at&nbsp;others' expense but not address his own issues. Ananya Panday delivers a credible performance as a woman who is obsessed with her ex and insecure of her personality even though she has the most stable job among her friends. Adarsh Gorav shines as the conflicted Neil who is too busy to hide his middle-class upbringing his parents have given him. "I don't know what I am doing with my life," Gourav's character says at one point to his friends - almost echoing their thoughts.&nbsp; 
 
The film's camera work by Tanay Satam plays an important part in the narrative. Half-dim-half lit frames in plenty, the film only shows part of the characters' lives, much like how social media and its people operate. The stand-up comic sets performed at various pubs, Imaad and Anaya's cosy apartment which is tastefully done, and Neil's middle class - slightly cramped apartment with his parents, all seem to speak a lot about the environment that the director masterfully creates. The story is set in Mumbai, but the city's inherent character to hustle doesn't loom over these Gen Z's - they are willing to take risks and set their path even though they don't get familial support at all point in time.&nbsp; 
 
There is also Kalki Koechlin, playing an older woman involved with Imaad. A photographer, who is doing a project on the people of Tinder, Kalki's Simran is seen to get attracted to the much younger man. She is poles apart from Imaad and his friends and is drawn to him. Koechlin delivers to her part well even though she has limited screen time and reminds you of her character from Gully Boy - an enabler in the protagonist's life who helps him to come of age.&nbsp; 
 
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is little over two hours and the film's writing, performance and direction make it the perfect story this holiday season. It's entertaining, real and makes you think within. The film is streaming on Netflix.

In debutant filmmaker Arjun Varain Singh's film Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, the lead protagonists- three childhood friends - may rock in their digital persona on social media but struggle to keep a connection with the real world.

In debutant filmmaker Arjun Varain Singh's film Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, the lead protagonists- three childhood friends - may rock in their digital persona on social media but struggle to keep a connection with the real world. Singh has co-written the film with producers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and the trio is able to catch the pulse of Gen Z and its obsession with the digital world and at the same time show the hollow lives these individuals live in reality. The 20-something friends played Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav are all pursuing different career paths and are doing fairly well but strive to do something more with their lives. They are close friends, practically live together all the time, have each other's back yet are battling personal battles which the other two are not aware of. Imaad (Chaturvedi) is a stand-up comedian who is a Tinder addict - or in other words commitment-phobic. Imaad lives with his best friend Anaya, a business school pass-out working with an MNC and struggling to get over a break-up. Their other friend, who complete the trio, Neil (Gourav) is a gym instructor in a swanky upscale gym in Mumbai which has celebrity clients like Malaika Arora. Neil is dating a social media influencer who doesn't want to acknowledge his presence in public or on digital platforms. He is also wanting to break free of the mundanity in life that his middle-class parents are so comfortable with. When Neil decides to go big and start something of his own, his friends Anaya and Imaad back him up and decide to make it a joint venture. But mixing personal and professional lives is always tricky and the trio's friendship of decades is put to test even as they weed through personal crises. Validation, especially on social media, and being hooked to a screen at all point of time, is a common factor for the three. So much so, that they grapple with reality and the world outside their screens. When you look at their lives, it seems like a lot of fun. They seem to be enjoying their lives and careers, but when you scratch the surface you realise it's a bubble they are living in. And much like their social media persona, they are only projecting the positives in their lives and not happy within. Kho Gaye Hum Kahan wins right from the beginning because with its able writing, it can connect to the troubled lives we all are living in the age of social media, where we project a perfect life on our social media profiles and subject ourselves to unnecessary attention and even envy but still hide the pains and problems that we deal with daily. It is a buddy film but delves deeper into the hallowed lives we are living in the digital age. It also is a coming-of-age story of the three individuals who struggle to find a footing in the world outside their screens. The casting is on point. Chaturvedi gets the meatiest role as the stand-up comic who is okay to crack a joke or two at others' expense but not address his own issues. Ananya Panday delivers a credible performance as a woman who is obsessed with her ex and insecure of her personality even though she has the most stable job among her friends. Adarsh Gorav shines as the conflicted Neil who is too busy to hide his middle-class upbringing his parents have given him. "I don't know what I am doing with my life," Gourav's character says at one point to his friends - almost echoing their thoughts. The film's camera work by Tanay Satam plays an important part in the narrative. Half-dim-half lit frames in plenty, the film only shows part of the characters' lives, much like how social media and its people operate. The stand-up comic sets performed at various pubs, Imaad and Anaya's cosy apartment which is tastefully done, and Neil's middle class - slightly cramped apartment with his parents, all seem to speak a lot about the environment that the director masterfully creates. The story is set in Mumbai, but the city's inherent character to hustle doesn't loom over these Gen Z's - they are willing to take risks and set their path even though they don't get familial support at all point in time. There is also Kalki Koechlin, playing an older woman involved with Imaad. A photographer, who is doing a project on the people of Tinder, Kalki's Simran is seen to get attracted to the much younger man. She is poles apart from Imaad and his friends and is drawn to him. Koechlin delivers to her part well even though she has limited screen time and reminds you of her character from Gully Boy - an enabler in the protagonist's life who helps him to come of age. Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is little over two hours and the film's writing, performance and direction make it the perfect story this holiday season. It's entertaining, real and makes you think within. The film is streaming on Netflix.

Kho Gaye Hum Kahan review: Finding love and friendship in the time of social media

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Kho Gaye Hum Kahan review: Finding love and friendship in the time of social media