Call Me Bae reverberates Bae Bae Bae. Bella Chowdhary, aka Bae is a mix of many avatars, she could be a keyed-in Barbie, a social media expert and investigation journalist, an instant economist, a fashion guru, a philanthropist, an emotional wreck..what not! With her highs and flaws, Ananya Panday is getting more attention and there are signs of growth in her as an evolving actress. The import of Emily from Paris to India is excusable only in Pandey’s vibrant outfits across Call Me Bae. When Emily is caught in natural scenarios in Emily in Paris, Bae is put into made-up situations to prove her in-store talents and vulnerabilities. It could be a palpable Indian version of Emily! Closer to a genre of Riches-to-rags comedy, Call Me Bae is rich in cringes we can’t escape from.

Bae turns a trophy wife at Chowdharys before she realizes the word choice. She suffered rich babe loneliness too much, had to resort to her naïve but macho gym trainer. Thrown to the streets soon, Bae learns life the harsh ways she could ever imagine and unlocks her hidden potential in places destiny wants her intervention!

Call Me Bae’s vivid portrayal of TRP-led journalism is overboard often though Vir Das had a better start in a caricatured Arnab Goswami role. Satyajit Sen eventually loses his character nuances. Lengthy presence of other characters surrounding Bae just fills the slots. While Bae’s glossy falls light up her inner soul every time with new revelations, the audience has to settle for ordinary. Even then, the 8-episode series varnishes in a blink like its situations and characters.

Call Me Bae thrives on hashtag sis-code, me-toos, and women empowerment alongside Bae’s self-discovery and epidemic motivation theories. When you recreate inspired arches, my free advice would be, keep it fresh and layered infusing desi shades. No hurry. Take your time and flesh out a good script in season 2.

Director: Collin D’Cunha