Mumbai:

Producer and director Karan Johar said on Tuesday that 23 years have passed since Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham released and if two of its characters, Rohan Raichand and Pooja Sharma, had a baby girl, she would be Bae from the upcoming series Call me honey.

Karan Johar, who serves as executive producer of the Prime Video show, said the character Bae – played by Ananya Panday in her series debut – is a “glorious Gen Z 2.0 take” on Kareena Kapoor Khan’s iconic fashionista Poo aka Pooja from his 2001 feature film.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham ends with the marriage of Poo and Rohan, played by Hrithik Roshan.

“If Rohan and Pooja had to have a little girl right now, she would be Bae. I only say that because she really is a wonderful take on Poo from Gen Z 2.0. It’s like where Poo leaves off, Bae takes off.

“That’s the best way I can describe her, because even when you saw the character Poo, it all started with fun and games, and then she adds to the emotional weight of what’s happening in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” Johar told reporters here at the launch of the trailer of the series.

In Call Me Bae, Panday plays the role of Bae, a billionaire fashionista who is disowned by her super-rich family. How she makes it as a journalist, overcomes stereotypes and finds out who she really is forms the crux of the story.

Johar said the series, directed by Collin D’Cunha and created by Ishita Moitra, is entertaining and cool but also has a “universal appeal and message”.

“All credit goes to Ishita Moitra, the creator of the show, and her amazing team of Rohit Nair and Samina Motlekar, who have brought all the fun and dignity the show needs and requires.”

“Through this character, a lot of meaningful things happen in the show. But I wouldn’t say it’s a textbook journalism show. The communication and politics of the show are strong, everyone in India and abroad can relate to it,” he added.

“Call Me Bae” is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, the digital arm of Johar’s Dharma Productions. Along with Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra serve as executive producers of the show.

Johar, who directed Panday in his 2017 production “Student of the Year 2,” said it was the actor’s best work to date.

“For all of you who watch rags-to-riches stories, this is about the rags-to-riches journey. And it’s done in a tone of humor, in a tone of irony and towards the end in a tone of empowerment, which is portrayed so beautifully by Ananya Panday.

“I would even go so far as to say that you have seen her in many works and she has gone from strength to strength. But this is by far her best work and will define her place in the world of entertainment,” he added.

Call Me Bae, starring Vir Das, Mini Mathur, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood and Vihaan Samat, will be released on Prime Video on September 6. PTI COR RDS RB

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