MOVIE REVIEW: Wake Up Sid (2009)

Wake Up Sid: Innovatively handled

Rating: 3 out of 5*

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher, Supriya Pathak and Rahul Khanna in a Sp App.

Director: Ayan Mukherjee

Siddhartha ka Sid Mehra (Ranbir) is an aimless youngster just out of college. Laid back Sid is completely disinterested in joining his flourishing family business of bathroom fittings. He continues to enjoy all the perks of a rich spoilt brat thanks to his lenient parents (Anupam and Supriya). At his college farewell bash, he meets a ‘new girl in the city’ Aisha (Konkona). Around seven years older to him in age, Aisha has arrived from Kolkata to become a writer. They gradually become good friends and he even helps her in settling down in her newly rented flat. However, all hell breaks lose in Sid’s life when he fails in his graduation exams. He has a tiff with best friend since childhood. When his father confronts him over his rude behaviour with his mom, in a fit of rage Sid leaves his house forever. He heads straight to Aisha’s flat. Both start staying together with an understanding they are just friends and nothing else. Anyways, Aisha considers Sid not her type since according to her he is still a boy and not a ‘man’ yet. As days pass by Sid’s non disciplinary behaviour starts grating on Aisha’s nerves. But Sid mends his ways faster and thus begins his journey from a boy to becoming a man.

Debutante writer-director Ayan Mukherjee in his first attempt has managed to strike a chord with the youngsters and their parents alike. Many wonderfully written, handled and enacted sequences leave you mightily impressed, teary eyed and even laughing out loud at times. Be it Ranbir’s tiff with his mother, his breakdown on arrival at Konkona’s doorsteps, Konkona’s interview with her magazine editor played by Rahul Khanna, Konkona lashing out Ranbir on making a mess of her house and the sequences following it, Ranbir meeting his father after he gets his first paycheck. There is no heavy duty sermonizing in the film and the lingo used is fairly relatable. Though most of the times the film succeeds in remaining realistic, certain solutions connected to Ranbir appear to simplistic. Also, you sense it from a mile away that the two good friends are finally end up falling for each other even though they keep on denying this fact to themselves and others around them.

Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is fresh but Dev.D composer Amit Trivedi one song in the film ‘Ektaara’ is the one you come out humming. It has been wonderfully mixed in the narrative.

Ranbir has delivered one of his finest performances and has succeeded in showing the gradual change in his character. Konkona plays the perfect opposite to his character and suits the role to the T. Their awkward chemistry is likeable. Rahul Khanna in a small role leaves his mark. His expressions reveal a lot when Konkona admits she hates Jazz. The actors playing Ranbir’s friends are very good. Veterans Anupam Kher and Supriya Pathak are wonderful. New girl Kainaz Motivala playing Ranbir’s colleague is very impressive.

Watch it for the innovative handling of the subject by debutante director and some really good performances by every single cast member.

-Sampurn Media