A Swipe-Right On Gen Z

Arjun Varain Singh on his filmmaking journey, the success of his debut film, and why this story needs to be told, now more than ever.

- SHUBHANGI JINDAL

If scrolling through social media is a crime, everybody is guilty of it. Arjun Varain Singh’s directorial debut, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, tells a compelling story that is as twisted and notorious as it is beautiful and relevant. There’s a sense of comfort about the way all three characters play a friend, a companion, and a completely screwed-up GenZer who are both at odds and in sync with their lives, relationships, and self. All while trying to fill their voids with the next new thing, whatever that is. This slice-of-life drama blurs the line between reality and fantasy, scathing its way into a Gen-Z existential crisis. There’s inherent FOMO, constant need for validation, obsessive scrolling, and mindless posting. Forcing us to put our phones away, Arjun asks us to answer simple question truthfully: “Where did we lose ourselves?”

Harper’s Bazaar: This is your debut feature film; how does it make you feel?

Arjun Varain Singh: “Honestly, quite overwhelmed. Even though the film has been with me for four years; having it out there, for the world to see is a feeling that I had never imagined. There’s a sense of relief, and right now, I’m eager to dive into the next film. I miss the rush of being on set.”

HB: What inspired you to come up with the story for Kho Gaye Hum Kahan?