Kho Gaye Hum Kahan Movie Review: KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s strength lies in its performances, memorable moments and depiction.

KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN is the story of three friends. Imaad Ali (Siddhant Chaturvedi) is a stand-up comic with a dark past. He lives in Mumbai with his close friend, Ahana Singh (Ananya Panday), an MBA graduate and a working professional. Both are best friends with Neil Pereira (Adarsh Gourav), a gym trainer. Ahana is dating Rohan Bhatia (Rohan Gurbaxani) since three years. She wants to marry him but Rohan is not ready and he decides to take a break from the relationship. A distraught Ahana tries her best to get back to Rohan. When nothing works, she decides to resort to social media. Neil is having a fling with Lala (Anya Singh), an attractive fashion influencer. Neil is serious about her but she doesn’t want the world to know that they are seeing each other. Imaad, meanwhile, is a serial dating addict with commitment issues. He meets Simran Kohli (Kalki Koechlin), who’s older than her. Yet, both connect and get serious about each other. Meanwhile, Neil dreams of owning a premium gym where he’ll train only 10 members at a time so that they can be given adequate attention which might not be available in other fitness centres. Ahana loves the idea and offers to quit her job and help him in setting up his dream project. Imaad, who’s stinking rich, agrees to invest. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Zoya Akhtar, Arjun Varain Singh and Reema Kagti's story is relatable and relevant for today’s times. Zoya Akhtar, Arjun Varain Singh and Reema Kagti's screenplay is breezy and uncomplicated. Apart from the relatable aspects, what also touches viewers is how the life of the trio has been depicted. A few moments stand out. At the same time, the writing gets too stretched. Yash Sahai's dialogues are riddled with today’s lingo and again, have a relatable quality. Sapan Verma's dialogues for stand-up comedy scenes are hilarious.

Arjun Varain Singh's direction is neat. He ensures that one can connect with the goings-on, especially the urban youth. The issues, happiness, achievements etc. of the characters are a reflection of the lives many are living today. The social media angle also gives a nice touch. Arjun touches upon ghosting, the fake life of influencers, difficulties faced by people in staying away from their phones, using social media to get validation and even stalking ex-partners, bullying on social media etc. Some scenes that are well executed are Imaad and Simran’s first meet, Lala’s birthday bash, the epic showdown between Imaad and Neil etc. But it’s the song 'Ishq Nachaawe' which shows Arjun’s real strength as a storyteller. The finale is sweet.

On the flipside, there are times in the film where nothing much is happening. Hence, this 134-minute-long film could have been edited by 20 minutes. The track of Neil in the end will leave the audience divided. The turn of events is difficult to digest and also how he comes out of it is not convincing. This track is also left abrupt, which is strange since all the other tracks are nicely summed up in the end credits song. Lastly, the issues and lifestyle shown in the film is too urban and a big chunk of the audience won’t be able to relate.

Siddhant Chaturvedi delivers yet another commendable performance after GULLY BOY [2019] and proves why he’s an actor with immense potential. His comic timing is spot on but watch out for him in the emotional sequences. Ananya Panday, too, is a revelation with this film and perhaps, this is her best act. She performs with ease and looks natural. Adarsh Gourav is too good, as expected, and depicts the complexities of his part with utmost conviction. Kalki Koechlin is likeable and apt for the role. Anya Singh is convincing as an influencer who can go to any lengths for fame. She is a bit over the top but that was necessary. Vijay Maurya (Malcolm; Neil's father), Rahul Vohra (Aamir; Imaad's father) and Narendra Jetley (Paresh Phadnis; creepy neighbour) leave a mark. Rohan Gurbaxani, Divya Jagdale (Sally; Neil's mother), Garima Yagnik (Meher; Ahana's work colleague), Kashyap Kapoor (Melbun; Imaad's manager), Mahathi Ramesh (Aisha) and Roshmin Mehandru (Harsh; Malaika's primary trainer) are fair. Malaika Arora Khan is sizzling in a cameo.

KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s soundtrack also has a niche feel, just like the film. 'Ishq Nachaawe' stands out due to the tune, singing and picturization. 'Hone Do Jo Hota Hai' and the title track come next. 'I Wanna See You Dance', 'Teri Yeh Baatein' and 'Baahon Mein Teri' are okay. Sid Shirodkar's background score is appropriate.

Tanay Satam's cinematography is first-class and has a bit of a noir touch. Sally White's production design is superior. Bridget Baker's costumes are glamorous and stylish. Nitin Baid's editing could have been slicker.

On the whole, KHO GAYE HUM KAHAN’s strength lies in its performances, memorable moments and most importantly, depiction of the reality of today's social media era. The target audience, that is the urban youth, is sure to lap up the film.

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