Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is a slice of life drama following the lives of three buddies amidst the digital era of loneliness. The story here is fresh and presents a searing commentary on the outlook of an entire generation overtly exposed to the use of technology. And it touches upon so many aspects of insecurity, vulnerability and loneliness that often work as by-products of the digital era along with topics of impersonation and online trolls. The screenplay standing at about 135 minutes is light and breezy but also edgy in its third act that makes for an intimate and accurate representation of the Gen Z and the relationships that we(Gen Y included) share. 

The drama opens with the introduction of the three protagonists, each from different walks of life and hierarchies of the society, yet tied with a single thread of technology. There is a sense of aimless while also wishing to enjoy life to the fullest. Along the way, each of them have fleeting relationships, some serious, some fake and some casual while putting up a pretence that all is well without addressing the elephant in the room. But to begin with, the bond that they share with each other is infectious and quite unshakable. The question though is, for how long? The writers Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Arjun Varain Singh present a very relatable world that is as close to reality as possible, atleast in its urban setting. The focus remains of the character dynamics that often shepherds the screenplay ahead. And along the way, there is an underlying commentary of the ‘Wannabe’ generation that we all comprise of, that acts like a harsh reality check. 

We are probably the first generation to find ourselves in our phone with our heads immersed, more often than not. As a result, our mindset is fickle with an extremely low attention span. The same aspect reflects in our relationships too, something that the writers tap into perfectly. The proceedings are engrossing and engaging with you as a viewer are consumed by the lives of the protagonists as they navigate through life in a very different manner from what our parents would have. The same is reflective in the contrasting ideologies between a character and his parents wherein he does ridicule them for not upgrading their lives. This, while he himself falls for an influencer whom he would later call as ‘A Chalti Phirti Dukaan’. Elsewhere, the baggage of a relationship does weigh a character down, to an extent that she starts posting stuff outside her character trait, just to get some attention(particularly of her ex who has deserted her for someone else). And lastly, a character undergoing therapy is ironically a standup comic, in what is a juxtaposition of his mindset of what he wishes to be versus what his reality is. And so he resorts to a dating app to keep himself invested and subconsciously in search for love, while burying his deepest secrets deep within himself. 

The conflict introduced here is gentle but also an accurate depiction of how fast friendships can shatter, on the smallest of issues in the digital world. But what the writers do is also add a layer of maturity to the characters as the drama tactfully progresses. So the realisation of their mistakes occurs mostly from their own personal experiences(through the edgy third act), something that holds a lot of relevance in today’s relationships. And yet, the characters represent our generation who are willing to be bygones as bygones and move ahead in life, often with a smile on their faces with a lingering pain in their hearts. And that is what sums up this breezy screenplay that could have skipped the ‘gyaan’ at the very end while allowing things to be interpreted as per the intellect of the viewers. Nevertheless, the writing is exceptional and quite accurate in its representation.