Kho Gaye Hum Kahan - A Gen-Z Spin on Dil Chahta Hai

A direct to Netflix release; Excel Entertainment's Kho Gaye Hum Kahan reminded me of their Dil Chahta Hai (2001); an uber cool coming-of-age drama involving three besties, who have different passions and outlook towards life yet a strong bond binds them together...

Well, Aamir, Saif and Akshaye are passè. The Gen-Z buddy trio here comprise Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav as Imaad, Ahana and Neil, respectively. Imaad is a standup comic grappling with a past. Ahana loves a guy who doesn't want to commit. Neil is a gym trainer trying to set up his own business. Their camaraderie gets broken when Imaad insults Neil in his act and things get ugly between them...

The film gets its Gen-Z lingo and attitude spot on. Every character appears completely believable and relatable. Moreover, Siddhant, Ananya and Adarsh perform competently. In fact, Ananya springs a pleasant surprise with her assured act. Kalki Koechlin as Siddhant's older live-in mate, is a pleasure to watch. The entire love angle between the the two appears an extension of Akshaye- Dimple relationship from Dil Chahta Hai. Anya Singh as the Instagram influencer Lala, makes an impression.

Like Dil Chahta Hai, the setting is total SoBo (South Bombay, in case you missed the term) and much of the narrative moves along through Tinder and Insta posts, which lend an authentic feel to the plot. The social media addiction as well as the superficial gratification that our new gen constantly seeks is depicted to perfection. The film also ends with a strong message on how real relations matter in life more than a thousand likes on Facebook or Insta.

Basically, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is the Gen-Z Dil Chahta Hai...And newbie director Arjun Varain Singh has the potential to be the next Farhan Akhtar.

Cheers to that!!

Ratings on some key aspects* :

1. Acting : 3.5/5

2. Direction : 4/5

3. Music : 3.5/5

4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/5

5. Cinematography : 3.5/5

6. Editing : 3/5

7. Costume Design : 3.5/5

8. Special Effects and VFX : NA

9. Action : NA

10. Production Quality : 3/5

#SNRating for #KhoGayeHumKahan : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5.

- Sumeet Nadkarni

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* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others.

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#SNRatings barometer:

1 star = Poor

1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable

2 stars = Average

2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it

3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable

3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch

4 stars = Very good

5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

2023 SNRatings.

About Sumeet Nadkarni

Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer