Review: Ananya Panday holds her own in the riches-to-rags web series 'Call Me Bae'

There’s something incredibly voyeuristic about watching the super-wealthy struggle in style, and Ananya Panday’s glossy series Call Me Bae scratches that itch wonderfully. Bollywood’s often-ridiculed nepo-baby, Ananya, plays the chic South Delhi princess Bella Chaudhary with surprising conviction. Much like how Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) defied the "ditzy blonde" stereotype by enrolling in Yale Law School and embracing her individuality in Legally Blonde, Bella—or Bae—takes on the role of the posh woman in vertiginous heels, pearls, and plaids with equal flair. At one point, she even quips, “Why shouldn’t #PoshLivesMatter be a serious movement?”—a tongue-in-cheek play on the far more significant Black Lives Matter movement, underscoring the disparity between her character's extravagant concerns and pressing social issues.

The eight-episode series out on Prime Video now —with some grating brand endorsements for a French luxury brand—opens with us being introduced to how the charmed and gilded life of Bae is disrupted when her cad of a tycoon husband, Agastya or Aggy (Vihaan Samat), catches her red-handed being naughty with her dishy gym trainer (Varun Sood). The spoiled princess is banished from her kingdom of excess and smoked out of her pampered existence. The wide-eyed Bae lands in Mumbai, armed with limited life skills and her treasure trove of designer bags. What works for this mighty/flighty-have-fallen series is the smart writing and the wacky comedy that accompanies it.

Ananya is in fine form as this privileged-then-penniless trophy wife who lands a job as a paid intern in a television newsroom. She may not be armed with a journalism degree (also a telling sign on the state of modern media), but her short course in how to tell a story in 140 characters or less, apparently, makes her a cracking hire. Did we mention she also holds rapid degrees in cyber-feminism, David Beckham studies, and underwater basket weaving? What works for this series is that Ananya runs with the clueless, but not mean-girl act with absolute conviction. She’s the spine of this show, which also boasts an endearing clutch of young actors who are there to boost her morale and give her a sturdy woman makeover. Actor Gurfateh Pirzada plays an ethical and scrupulous TV host who becomes Bae’s boss and love interest, while Muskkaan Jaferi as Bae’s newfound friend and lifeline to survive in a brutal and bustling metropolis like Mumbai makes the ensemble show entertaining. All the actors pull in their weight, but be warned their closeness and kinship might feel a tad forced. Why are Bae’s new found tribe so eager to help their “behen” [sister] from another mother might feel baffling? Having said that, the collective sisterhood and bonhomie – albeit a bit forced -- among this new clique is heartening because it’s mildly refreshing to see young women not being catty with one another. It’s equally satisfying to know that this series refrains from reinforcing the stereotype that they always fight over the same guy.

Barring Vir Das and Sahil Shroff who play characters with strokes of grey, the rest of the cast are impossibly sunny and likeable. Vir Das plays a smarmy and narcissistic news anchor, but in certain scenes he’s reduced to a caricature of an abrasive TV show host who will go to any lengths for a scoop.

While the series takes some time to hit its stride, the middle episodes are where it truly comes to life. Bae’s journey to discovering her voice, identity, and independence, even as her wealthy family harbors deep doubts about her choices, is both engaging and heartwarming. The show is a delightful blend of Hollywood favorites like Schitt's Creek, Legally Blonde, Clueless, and 2 Broke Girls, bringing together the charm of quirky characters and heartfelt humor. Much like the Canadian hit series Schitt’s Creek, it emphasises the idea that wealth doesn’t always equate to coldness or cruelty; instead, it showcases how those privileged set in Prada or dripping in Dior can still undergo personal growth and display immense empathy. Similar to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Cher in Clueless, Bae challenges stereotypes and proves that being rich doesn’t mean one lacks depth or kindness.

The series also reinforces the message that personal worth isn’t defined by tangibles alone but by resilience, humor, and self-discovery. The connection that Bae makes often feel genuine. But the series sails into murky territory when it tries to be woke and take on a complex themes like sexual misconduct at workplaces. It’s a grey space and somehow this candy-floss, sometimes absurd series CMB doesn’t do a Barbie, Greta Greta Gerwig’s celebrated feminist blockbuster which was equal parts funny, silly, and profound.

But all’s not lost. By the end of the eight episodes, you might just find yourself a new recruit to Bella’s #PoshLivesMatter movement.