Wake Up Sid Review

Wake Up Sid is a film that pretends to joke and play mushy when it's actually giving its audiences valuable insights. And so, if you were watching this film, you'd occasionally find yourself going "Hmmm", when you were only expecting to go "Awww" or "Hahaha".

At the outset, let us lay down that Wake Up Sid is a film that's lovable and watchable, and it's been a while since we've had such freshness and youthfulness in a flick. That said, it's also a layered film that speaks about things we love to hear - following your own heart, or realizing your individual independence. So here's the story of Wake Up Sid, a finely turned out positive, change-oriented movie with a heart that's large to boot.

Sid (essayed brilliantly by Ranbir Kapoor) and Aisha (Konkona Sen- Sharma, in one of her finest roles yet), who meet at his college farewell party, have nothing in common. He's a rich brat, spoilt and totally dependent on his father, and with no focus in his life. She, on the other hand, is ambitious, intelligent and independent, and eager to make it as a writer in Mumbai.

When Sid fails his exams and leaves his parents' home following a tiff with his father, Aisha takes him in. As the 2 friends try to learn their way around their new lives, Sid gains a sense of responsibility he's never had before, finding a new job and earning pride in his freedom. Aisha cannot keep up with Sid's metamorphosis, and when he decides to go home to his parents, it is, to her, the ultimate blow.

Throughout the film, Sid's character exudes appealing vulnerability and sensitivity, even if the transformation from the old Sid to the new is radical and happens fast enough for you to wonder if Sid had met a fairygodmother along the way to help him along.

Aisha, meanwhile, continues to look for a "man" in her life, but her approach to Sid is purely protective in nature, with no sexual overtones. By the time she develops some kind of passion for her unique flat-mate, he is a changed, more responsible man, and ready to leave.

It's admirable how much emotion the film captures in detail. We're not talking melodrama, but those multiple, finely-scripted incidents that humanize a film. Truly a film thought from the heart, Wake Up Sid reaches out to its audiences in a manner few films are capable of.

In terms of style, Wake Up Sid is different from several of Dharma Productions' (the Karan Johar company) films, and debutante Ayan Mukherji has his own distinct touch. Ayan Mukerji is certainly a director with a future, and could promise us some very good films. What is best about his debut attempt is the way in which the narrative flows around little true-to-life incidents very painstakingly imbibed with pathos.

Apart from the splendid performances by ranbir and Konkona, the film has Anupam Kher, in a noteworthy role as Sid's father. Rahul Khanna plays Kabir, Aisha's self-made boss, and makes his presence felt in a distinct yet subtle role.

The movie has high production values as expected, and the music, by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, is already making waves. The cinematography by Anil Mehta also truly transports, and is brilliant.

Wake Up Sid is an endearing flick whose narrative teases, then consoles a lot; and it offers both problems and their solutions without sounding preachy. Perhaps this is a film best caught in random glimpses because the beauty of detail is so overwhelming here. The movie also has a storyline most can identify with, and we're sure that is what will bring audiences who're ready for a change, right up to the multiplexes.