When Poo met Tina: Bebo and Rani stir 2000s feels

What Bollywood fan doesn't love a good dose of early 2000s nostalgia? To the delight of blockbuster buffs, B-town queens and old friends Kareena Kapoor Khan and Rani Mukerji - or Pooja and Tina from the hit film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham - embraced on camera in a candid clip recorded by none other than filmmaker Karan Johar.

"Jab Poo met Tina, that's all!" captioned Karan as he shared the clip on his Instagram handle on Wednesday. Their excitement bubbling over, both Kareena and Rani can be seen enveloping each other in a tight hug, with Kareena planting a firm kiss on Rani's cheek.

Poo is the glamorous and witty cousin of Anjali (Kajol) in London, while Tina is Rahul's (Shah Rukh Khan) college friend in the flashback sequences. Though they exist in the same storyline, their scenes remain separate, making the recent off-screen reunion all the more exciting for fans.

As Karan records the moment, we can hear him slip into K3G mode as he quips the iconic line in Hindi, "Hi! Hi! Will you be friends with me?" (For those who need a reminder, in the film, it is Hrithik Roshan's Rohan who asks for Poo's friendship.) Caught fully in the moment, Karan then tries on one of Kareena's K3G lines: "I like it, I like it - I'll only go to the prom with you!"

Burying her face in her hands, Kareena says, "Oh God! Why are you doing this?" Ignoring her, Karan once again tries on the "Will you be friends with me?" line on Rani. With a mock-serious look - magnified ever more by her black-rimmed square glasses - Rani declares, "Never!" before bursting into giggles. Karan quips again, "I like it!" prompting Kareena to announce, "We're regretting it!"

Flooding the comments section of Karan's post, which has already racked up over 200,000 likes in two days, fans could not hide their excitement. "Please bring them back!" penned one commenter. "We want to see them together in a fun family movie!"

Meanwhile, brandishing their K3G colours, another fan wrote, "Anticipating and Poo and Tina collab." Others could not help commenting on Karan's enthusiasm, with one fan writing, "KJo's inner self is Poo's character, very similar, very filmy [sic] yet cute."

Released in 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is a beloved Bollywood family drama directed by Karan, known for its iconic characters, larger-than-life sets, and unforgettable dialogues. The film revolves around the wealthy Raichand family, led by patriarch Yashvardhan Raichand (played by Amitabh Bachchan) and his wife Nandini (Jaya Bachchan), whose lives are upended when their adopted son Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) falls in love with Anjali (Kajol), a spirited woman from a lower socioeconomic background.

Two of Bollywood's most beloved actors, Rani and Kareena have been close friends off-camera for many years. Both Rani and Kareena delighted audiences together in 2002 in Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (which also starred Hrithik Roshan once again), as well as Aamir Khan's Talaash. Rani was last seen in the critically acclaimed Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway (2023), whilst Kareena is enjoying the success of Singham Again, which was released on November 1. Karan directed Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023). As per The Indian Express, Karan is reportedly set to direct another love story.