Off the bad, Call Me Bae does feel like many different elements were pulled together to create the show, but it doesn’t hinder the experience as much. If you ignore all the over-the-top aspects of Bae’s character and just take her exaggerated personality for its quirkiness, Call Me Bae is a fun experience. A one-time watch which only manages to bring the murder mystery vibe of the Arconia and Murders In The Building for the last two episodes, but it doesn’t do it as well. More can be hoped from this show, but asking that also feels like a risk.
The show begins with a flashback for Bae aka Bella who was born with a golden spoon. Despite her interest in studying and working, she was put into the marriage rat race for rich socialites. Her mom found a groom for her and all she had to do was win his heart and take him to the wedding hall, intern he saved her family financially and kept up appearances. Even if the wedding wasn’t intended with love, Bae and Aggy do find love but it doesn’t last for long.
Bae’s choice changes her present and future, it gets her thrown out of the house and from her parent’s estate, which all exists thanks to the son-in-law. She has one option to go to LA and hide for months until she is forgotten and called back into high society. The other choice is to do what she always wanted and start a new life. Bae chooses the latter and lands in Mumbai. There she learns life is not easy, but she also learns life can be good.
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Similar to the trailer, Bae keeps up with the exaggerated act of Call Me Bae, but it often showcases the unapologetic way of life women wish to live. On the other hand, thankfully the writers don’t stereotype women. All the diverse, female and non-male characters have a bit of a focus on them. Bae lands in Mumbai and her outgoing personality immediately helps her make friends. It may seem convenient Bae never crosses paths with the wrong kind of people even when she is sitting in the middle of an empty road in Delhi, but the plot armour doesn’t last for long either. Her situation seems to get worse when she ends up having to find a job.
Coming back to the characters and the writing, the screenplay uses Bae to tell a story then to just tell her story, which keeps the audience engaged. The story takes over Bae’s quirky personality, in a good way. Apart from her having to explore the world as a poor journalist, we do get to see her accept her privilege, feel the lack of it and make use of it for what little good she can do. The show also explores sub genres like mystery and crime, which adds a more fun take to the story than the contemporary originally expected.
Meanwhile, Niharika Dutt and Muskkaan Jaferi have great chemistry with each other and Panday. The three flock around taking over the world with their Behen-code and it though again convenient in most plays, can be forgiven. On the other hand, the male characters also exist with their own hopes and dreams good or bad, focused on Bae or not. They aren’t treated as plot points or reduced to their purpose in the story.
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It’s clear that the story has not ended, but it ends well for almost all involved except Bae, who has more serious decisions to make in the most frivolous manner. What keeps you waiting for most part is hatred for Vir Das’s Satyajit. And later for the little mystery, the show has to offer.
Cover artwork by Patrick Gawande/Mashable India