User reviews

Ayan Mukherjee's 'Wake Up Sid' is one of the most eye-pleasing and refreshing films of the year. It is light, entertaining and interesting, and unlike most of Karan Johar's previous productions, it is much more realistic and does not fall into the category of a 'run-of-the-mill fairytale'. The writing and the dialogue are very simple, and despite some sentimental moments, there are neither clichés nor vain attempts to dramatise the story. The film shows the beauty of Mumbai, its youth and its modern culture. Ayan Mukherjee's direction is excellent and his portrayal of India's urban lifestyle is impressive and inspiring alike. He gives the viewer a view of a new India which consists of young, effervescent and ambitious people who want to progress, to graduate, and to have an altogether better life. I think that this depiction was much more important than the film's actual story. Aspects that make this depiction so authentic include the breathtaking locations, the superb soundtrack, and the fantastic star-cast. The film flows brilliantly with all the songs which enhance its story and lighthearted feel, and the acting is roundly natural.

Ranbir Kapoor performs exceedingly well throughout as the main protagonist Sid - a young, indecisive guy whose conflicts with his family and friends and failure at college make him leave his home and try to make a life on his own. But honestly, the one who blew me away is Konkona Sen Sharma. One of the most talented actresses in India today, she is totally convincing as the young, independent career-woman and makes her character very easy to relate to thanks to her natural acting and no-nonsense attitude. Oh, and she is simply gorgeous here. I must note that I did not expect Ranbir and Konkona to form a very credible romantic couple, but they proved me wrong. The two get brilliant support from other members of the cast. Supriya Pathak is wonderful as Sid's loving and caring mother, exuding a certain warmth that really makes one realise the importance of a mother. Anupam Kher is brilliantly restrained. Kainaz Motivala, in a much smaller part, is so beautiful you can't take your eyes off her, and so is the ever so hot Kashmira Shah. Rahul Khanna, Shikha Talsania, Shruti Bapna and Namit Das are all very effective.

One of Wake Up Sid's biggest achievements is the gradual growth of the story, without which no coming of age film could work. With every passing scene, the film grows more captivating, making the viewer care about what happens next and wonder how it all wraps up. It's not that it's totally unpredictable, but its steady pace, identifiable characters, and the genuine portrayal of relationships, make everything much more intriguing than it could have been. The everyday atmosphere created in Aisha's old residence is heartwarming; the neighbours live like one huge family, but not in a cheesy way. The development of Sid's relationship with Aisha is equally natural. I would like to mention one song which is one of my favourite in recent times, and it is "Iktara". It's a soulful track beautifully sung by Kavita Seth and extremely well pictured on-screen, efficiently presenting the film's brightest moment of romantic realisation. All said and done, I recommend you to watch Wake Up Sid, it truly is a wonderful film which is worth revisiting. It is beautifully shot, well written and directed; it is inspiring, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable.

I have seen this movie a number of times, and this is when I am not a movie buff. What keeps me bringing back to this movie however, is the fact that Wake up Sid is definitely more than a movie.

It is a story enjoyable in totality or just in parts, no matter how much one sees of it, there is always something to take away. My takeaways from this movie have been numerous - from something as frivolous as ideas for redoing a house to something as drastic as finding a direction in life. And every time I feel I lack focus, I end up watching this movie.

Wake up Sid does have its flaws, probably the key one being its pace, it gets slow at times (though never painfully slow). Then again, if you are looking for some great climax, there is none to come, because the movie is not really a typical Bolly/Hollywood stuff - it is not a comedy (as incorrectly mentioned at many places), nor a pure love story (though that forms a very beautiful element of the whole package). The true genre of the movie is what you are gonna take away from the movie, so just watch it to realize how different this movie can be every time you watch, it has the potential to come across just as differently as daily weather.

I must be way behind the perfection Ayan brings in what he does the best. I may be immature too to find the movie loses its track a few times in the middle, although it doesn't. Everything makes sense as soon as it reaches climax. Ranbir Kapoor was fabulous, so was Konkana. Anupam Kher always knows how he can bring the best out of anything. He is one of the greatest actors Bollywood has found. Mumbai, the rains, the job, the beaches, the excitement in living, also with one another is satisfying to watch. This movie won't make you laugh like crazy, but will make you get in love with it towards the end.

What i loved most in the movie - Wake up Sid, not every one is perfect, there cannot be pure good, pure bad people, it has its own shade of grey, that is what Sid the character is all about. Then, once you realise this, you go out and try and find what you love doing, and do that. Everything else will fall in place.

Sid, everyone from family to friends want Siddharth Mehra to do something constructive in life and earn some self - respect and of course money. He has no plans and take life as it comes. Aisha (played by Konkona Sen Sharma), who on the other hand has planned very meticulously, what she wants. I believe that because of Konkona's performance Ranbir's performance was complimentary, rather than other way around. Was it just that Aisha was a much stronger character in the movie.

The credit should go to the director to a very large extent, to make one realise, what he is worth does need to go Kargil like Lakshya or Goa like Dil Chahta Hai. You would surprised that once you realise what you want, it was just next door. Loved the way, the house where Konkona stays and they way everything in the studio apartment has been placed - the books (choice of books), the artefacts, the show pieces. The house had no bed, but a bedding that was on the floor. It reminded me of my house in Pune. That's another story.

And I just love the music, every well written and woven into the movie, specially "Iktara" that for sure Favourite song, too!! Towards, the end of the movie, you keep thinking did you like the movie, didn't you like the movie. But then the movie is inspiring in work, in love, in relationship.

I'm am new to IMDb and i have to say that Wake Up Sid! was worth writing my first comment for.

Wake Up Sid! is kind of a coming of age movie about this guy Siddharth Mehra who refuses to grow up. Something I'm very sure a lot of the guys out there can relate to. No matter how old you are, you definitely went thru this stage once. The movie very astutely draws attention to the various aspects of this stage. The young but evidently talented director has been able to very efficiently portray the characters and their emotions . The movie has a lot of very touching dialogs, brilliant acting, great music combined with some beautiful shots of the wonderfully vibrant city of Mumbai. Most of the characters were well defined and the story was told very well by the debutant director. All in all it was a very well made film with a heart and a soul.

A lot of the films credit also goes to the two lead characters Ranbhir Kapoor and Konkona Sen. The 2 actors were brilliant and very sincere in depicting there respective characters, and were very convincing in showing there emotions and feelings on screen. The chemistry between the fresh, though unlikely pairing of Ranbhir Kapoor and Konkana Sen really works to a great extent, which translates into this special yet intimate bond between the two characters. Till this movie i was not very sure about Ranbhir Kapoor as an actor but with this movie he has really risen to the occasion and given a stellar performance while Konkana is her usual remarkable self, with yet another impact-full performance. Actors Anupum Kher and Supriya Pathak were also very good as the father and mother and played their respective characters truthfully. The talents of Rahul Khanna has again been wasted in a minuscule role, but he manages to make the best of what he had. Even most of the smaller actors manage to do a very commendable job.

Well d movie had a lot more going for it but i will now talk a bit about what went against it. The movie to sum extent was a bit slow paced and there will be a lot of people who will kind of find it a bit of a drag. The ending of the movie was quite predictable and borders cheesy. Also the director treated the movie in a little serious and philosophical manner which not many youth in the audience appreciate these days. The movie is very symbolic and one can only really appreciate it if they can strongly relate to what the director is trying to talk about in the movie. This is a must watch for everyone who is or was in the grey stage of growing from a boy to a man. A beautiful movie which deserves to be watched with an open perspective. Please check it out.

Indian cinema is finally coming of age with established banners taking chances with new age directors & relevant themes. Wake up Sid is one such attempt. The movie opens with a last minute study routine that all of us have gone through some time of the other. The film connects with you from then on.

Ranbir Kapoor plays the rich kid Sid who has never thought of any plans beyond tonight and couldn't care less about making a career. Konkana Sen Sharma has just come to Bombay to make something of her in the field of creative writing. She has tastes ranging from Tagore to Annie Hall. How they meet at a party and become friends. And Sid goes about discovering himself with Aisha (Konkana), who is elder to him, as his muse. Their building romance is subtle & well presented.

The director delivers some powerful scenes. The one when Sid's dad asks him to leave home is par excellence. The director's sensibilities are obvious by portraying Sid as a boy who likes his bunch of people but is rude to others not his kind. As is generally the case in real life too. Attention to detail is visible from little things like Sid's servant's over-sized T-shirts which look like Sid's throwaways.

The music may not have been a chart buster, but flows with the movie. "Ikk Tara" is definitely the high point of the movie. Also, the background score is particularly good. In some scenes, the score begins and then stops playing abruptly just enough for the actors to deliver some intense scenes, then it begins again. A good experiment. Impactful too.

Ranbir with his stoned look is ideal for the lead character. His expressions are natural. Look for the sequence when he sees the result sheet to know that he has failed the exams. Konkana Sen Sharma takes over from where she left in Luck By Chance, not to say that she's repetitive, but an almost perfect antithesis to Sid.

There are some flaws like the friends keep coming in & going out & remain on the fringes of the film. They could have been more to them. There are some parts that do remind of Dil Chahta Hai & Lakhshya as the basic premise remains the same. But it does not take you on a journey to picturesque Goa or the Kargil war for Sid to wake up. It is more a journey within, near home. Watch it, it's worth.

The lazy, spoilt, Son-of-a-Rich-Dad is back again on the screens. This time he takes the form of Siddarth Mehra.

Firstly though, Ayan Mukherji (story, screenplay and direction) deserves immense praise for his directorial debut venture. As far as the story goes, there is nothing new or novel. The script has no unexpected twists or such. It goes along at its own sweet pace and you can foretell every next incident. This is a movie more on the lines of 'Dil Chahta Hai' meets 'Lakshya'. But where Ayan scores heavily is in the direction and screenplay departments. The direction is fresh and uncomplicated. He stuck to the very basic rule and kept it simple, and this has definitely paid huge dividends. The screenplay is crisp and well executed. It shows in the way Ayan has resisted the desire to jump into song-and-dance sequences, as are most bollywood movies prone to, and thats a refreshing change.

The movie revolves around our protagonist Siddarth Mehra (Sid, as his friends call him), who is arrogant, self-centred, has an absolute disrespectful attitude to financial dealings (read shopping) and anything to do with exercising his mental capabilities. Be it learning at college or going through the daily 9-to-5 grind. Though most of us may not readily identify ourself with Sid, we all have surely known a personality like him at some point of our life. Sid strikes up friendship with Aisha Bannerjee, played superbly by Konkona Sen Sharma, during a boring farewell party. The friendship grows stronger, initially through e-mails and then through setting up Aisha's flat. The two characters are poles apart, Aisha strives to be independent, is organised and has a set of goals, whereas Sid on the other hand is carefree and childishly immature with not a care in the world. As the story evolves Sid has a spat with his parents and leaves home. He takes refuge in Aisha's flat and is slowly forced to delve deeper into his way of living. He has virtually taken everything for granted in his life so far, including his friends and his parents. He now has to take life by the horns. It can be safely said that he admires Aisha's opinion of him and transforms himself to please her in ways he never knew before, and in the process he matures in his thinking and takes responsibilities seriously. How he nurtures his hobby and utilises it to make a living, thus turning a new leaf in his life forms the rest of the story. Not to mention, he even realises he is in love too, as one is wont to expect.

The actors have all lived up to the expectations. Ranbir Kapoor as Sid is a revelation. This is the first movie i watched of his and i think he has a very bright future, though i would hate to see him go wandering into stereotype bollywood. The way he gets all childish when he has learnt to fry eggs is as admirable as it is funny. He is pleased as a punch and puts a smile on your face. Konkona Sen Sharma as Aisha does here what she knows doing best. She has acted in various roles doing justice to them all and the role of Aisha is no different. You just cant help but admire the various emotions that she can pull-off. A pleasing change from all the eye-candy mainstream actresses who have flooded bollywood of late. Supriya Pathak and Anupam Kher as Sid's parents do an applaudable job. The scene where Supriya Pathak tries to learn English so that she can bond with Sid more as a friend than a mother deserves a special mention. She sure strikes a few emotional chords with the mature audience. Kashmira Shah has very few lines in the movie and she is pleasing on the eye. Hope she had a meatier role. Rahul Khanna as the editor does his job well.

The direction is top-notch, so is the screenplay and acting. Some viewers may find it a bit too long but i think the editing is sharp and the camera work goes a long way to make this movie an interesting watch. Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is pleasing on the ear without being too imposing. All-in-all its a good movie for a weekend at the cinemas as long as you don't look too deep into the 'same-old-story' aspect.

I personally think it's one of the best movies of the year. The good-for-nothing least-bothered college boy has been played by Ranbir Kapoor perfectly. Considering the fact that he's just 3 movies old, this is by-far his BEST performance and not even near to being a '3rd movie performance'. It seems like he has been here since ages.

The movie is not all about him, though.

Konkona Sen Sharma gets a major part as the very ambitious, well-read aspiring writer who is a newbie in the city of Mumbai and knows nothing about the city but gets Ranbir Kapoor as her first friend on her first night in the city. They have a 7-year difference but have a very strong conversational chemistry.

Supriya Pathak is amazing as Ranbir's mother and her acting reminded me of my mum. :D

Anupam Kher also fits his role as the rich hard-working dad.

All-in-all, DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE. You will surely not get disappointed.

And yes, it will get you moist-eyed and make you reminisce about all those days of your college which are surely dumped in some corner of your mind today.

Or just watch it for Ranbir. The movie belongs to him!

I watched it last night and can't WAIT to watch it again in the hall! :D

I do not accompany my wife on her visits to the cinema to watch most new Hindi movies. There is a rash of silly comedies (supposed to be) with one or more from Akshay Kumar, the Deshmukh kid, Fardeen Khan, Sunil Shetty, Govinda in his terrible new avatar and others of their ilk. Or there are the Shahrukh Khan types with his ever increasing hamming that people continue to love in this country after half a century (in my life time) of watching. I wait and wait for a great review or for one of the few friends whose judgment I trust to tell me here is a you must see before I go to watch a Bollywood film. So when my good friend Sandhya Divecha told my wife to ask me to see this one I went.

And it was good.

Yes it could have been better (almost every movie can be and most Hindi movies can be MUCH better) but it was enjoyable. It was my first time watching Ranbir Kapoor and he is pretty good. This kid needs time (and better luck than his father) and he could be a real star. Everyone know how good an actress Konkana is but he more than holds his own and thats a big compliment.

The first half is a bit patchy but gets better as the movie gets going and the second one is a breeze. Anupam Kher does an ordinary job as he does more and more frequently of late and the highly talented Supriya Pathak is given yet another role which makes her mouth silly broken English. Friends tell me that it suits the role but that doesn't convince me. But both Kher and Pathak have minor roles. Its is Ranbir and Konkana all the way and you go with them and their emotions all the way.

Go watch it, as someone said in another review, with someone you love or intend to.

Wow, this movie is a relief from these today type movies. Please make these kind of movies, Simplicity, not noisy, Amazing. Wow, Clean scenes, clean music, For me this movie is what all I wanted to Watch, and I started for searching these kind of clean and Good movies. Thanks to the creators.

We meet Sid, who's confused about what he wants to do in life. He's academically challenged, loves to party, goes to a cool college, has cool friends but has no idea of what he wants to do with his life. And there is one very important difference vs the other people described above. He is the only son of very rich, doting / indulgent parents. His father (Anupam Kher) fought his way up from a very poor slum background to establish India's best bathroom fittings company, which helps most Indians bathe. But none of his missionary zeal has rubbed off on his son who is happy being waited upon by the chirpy Chottu (the man Friday of the house) or playing video games or driving his fancy SUV and coveting an even better one.

And then something happens and he has to Wake Up. By then he's made friends with Konkona, whom he met on her first day in Mumbai. She's come from Kolkata, middle class background, is reasonably focused, clear what she wants and gets her dream job. Now Sid has to figure out what he wants. And he has to change.

In the first half, débutant director Ayan, got the lingo, the college environment, the whole atmosphere just right. The characters are engaging, the tone peppy and upbeat. The humour good, several smile moments. 'Tum hero ban jao, waise bhi kuch nahin karte'. Or Konkona in her job interview 'I'll clean this desk very creatively'. Or 'I didn't know i would be this nervous and you that handsome' in the same interview. Or even Ranbir's colourful boxers.

In the second half, though, Ayan doesn't seem as sure footed, the film suffers from a certain aimlessness and a huge dollop of predictability. Things change too easily, everything, including success, finding focus, realisation, love etc happens without any of the grit, sweat or toil we are accustomed to in real life. The solutions and the dialogues are a bit too pat. The film offers a very rose-tinted outlook, it persists with remaining light hearted and peppy, which is not a bad thing, but even in the 'tough parts'. And the end is too predictable, too formulaic, too cheesy. Leaves you empty, emotionless as you walk out of the hall.

However, some other good points were the scenes / pictures of Mumbai, showcasing the nice, quirky parts without the grime. The music, which really helps contribute to the general frothiness. And the casting. All of the ensemble was excellent – the parents, the neighbours, the friends (including Tiku Talsania's daughter), and Rahul Khanna as the sophisticated, slightly supercilious boss, all came across very credibly. Konkona continues to impress, she has one of the most expressive faces in the Hindi film industry and manages to communicate all emotions very naturally. She brings that Bengali gravitas and sensuousness to the role – a truly good choice for the role. Ranbir was good. He had not more than 2-3 expressions in the first half of the film, a blank look and a slightly frowning one and he brought off both well. For me, he's still weak in the emotive parts but good enough overall here.

This one is at best a one time watch and suffers in comparison to other films of its ilk like Lakshya and Dil Chahta Hai, which can bear unlimited multiple viewings. A lot of the youth of today, though, will identify with the aimlessness of Sid in the first half. And will aspire to the short, easy way he got everything in the second half and pray similar improbable miracles will happen to them as well. Good luck to them… More on this and other reviews at apurvbollywood at blogspot. Enjoy

Wake up Sid is a movie with a simple plot, a typical love story and a predictable ending...an average movie - WRONG!

I stumbled upon this movie while surfing the net and decided to give it a try; and I'm more than pleased that I did. Everything about this movie just made me love it. Maybe it was the realistic script, the believable emotions portrayed by the every actor and not just the leads, or maybe it was the fairytale journey we're taken on throughout every second of this film.

There were glitches here and there in the acting and the background score, but the film's beauty redeems it of all that. I was in a rut at the start of this movie, but by the end of it I must say I was pretty much in a euphoric state.

The casting was perfect, from Chottu the servant, to Sid and Aisha the lead roles. Everyone seemed to fit perfectly into this picture perfect cast.

Everything about this movie was pretty average, but when put together they made something that wasn't quite so average - a stunningly beautiful piece of work.

The thing that struck me the most was just how raw and believable all the emotions were - from the unconditional love between a mother and son, to the forgiveness of a friend we've hurt. At some point of this movie, it stopped being a movie and started feeling more like your own life. Who of us couldn't picture ourselves as Sid, the guy looking to get something out of life more than just the fun parts; or Aisha, the ambitious girl trying to start a life of her own.

Every scene was just so refreshing that you simply don't want this movie to end.

By the end of the film and as the credits roll, I found myself smiling for no apparent reason, but this movie just made me feel so...happy, ecstatic even.

This movie is just what a romantic comedy should be like and who better than bollywood to show us how it's done. 7/10

Review from snehasallapam dot com

Mangalore Adlabs, Paid preview, 95%

I had decided not to take the risk of watching a paid preview after the experience with Chandni Chowk to China. However it was an intuition to catch W SID and to find out how it turned out read on:

Story: W SID is the story of the life of Sidharth Mehra who is another rich spoilt brat. Mr K Johar, are you not fed up of rich dad, spoilt son movies????

He gives a damn to his parents expectations, his future and life in short. Driving the most expensive car in college, paying for the shopping of his friends, dining on pizzas even when mom cooks at home, ie Sid for you.

After his college, his dad (Anupam Kher) tries to get some seriousness instilled on the boy but in vein. By then he meets Aisha(Konkana) who has come to Mumbai to make it big from Kolkotta and become friends.

Defying all logic Aisha sets up a flat in Mumbai fully furnished even before she gets a job. Sid fails in his exams,and the verbal duel with his dad sees him leaving the house and moving in with Aisha. At this point of time the relation is purely platonic.

How Sid's life changes after he is denied the wealth of his dad, how he falls in love, with whom etc form the rest of W SID.

Execution: W SID has nothing that the makers can claim as genuine. Sid is just a rehashed version of Hrithik in Lakshya and even Ranbir of Bachna he haseeno. Aisha is a straight lift from Konkanas char in Luck By Chance.

The direction lacks of creativity and is clichéd and terribly melodramatic at most of the places. Though the initial college period interests you, it has been presented on screen umpteen number of times.

Technical When the script itself is boring, I don't think any exceptional photography/music can save it. However you don't find that either. Both the departments are pretty avg and nothing to boast about.

Performances

The lead cast just repeats what ever they did in Bachna He Haseeno and Luck By Chance respectively. Supporting cast is natural,but how much can they help???

Summary:

W SID is a stale tale told in a stale manner.

A well-directed moral message granting romantic movie by the Ayan Mukherjee. The direction is well-mannered nd scenes all r candid nd natural. Although, if the transitions r also get good the Film became out-standing. The flow of music into scenes r fabulous,nd soothing. More over if we move towards the acting of Ranbir nd konkana, u know Ranbir is the best choice for the character of Sid , aplaudes👏 to casting director. Well konkana portray the character of Aisha, a independent girl looking for a matured guy but tangled in the childish nd outgoing character of Sid , u know konkana keeps all the scenes fresh nd breezed naturality in her acting nd performance.u also have a great applaud 👏. Besides this , Actually not want to mention that, all know that Anupam Kher performed well the character he is marvelous actually yaar👌. Last but not least , This Film script, screen play, content all have the freshness in it , also meaningful movie which showcases nowadays teenagers and youngsters who loots their parents, not have any responsibilities atleast for the daily needs of them, The film guide them to think for future nd try to find the passion in which field they want . Hope we expect more entertaining movies like this from u the cast and crew of this movie.🍁

A very refreshing and a very likable debut from writer-director Ayan Mukherjee. Considering the resume of his producer, a very gutsy effort as well.

There is nothing novel about the premise of Wake Up Sid, neither is there any major plot twist that is not quite evident from watching the preview of the film. And yet Ayan is very observant in his writing and seems very true in his approach. He also treats the viewer with appropriate intelligence to let things unfold consequentially and logically.

It is also very inspiring to know that the entire film is shot in Mumbai - it is a story about Mumbai and Ayan adds a beautiful underlying subplot about the city, its character and its weather. Anil Mehta has done an amazing job capturing Mumbai on screen.

The supporting cast and Konkona as well as Rahul Khanna all do a very admirable job, but this is really all about Ranbir Kapoor. He has come of age in this movie as an actor with tremendous ability. The arc of his character is not extremely difficult in its emotionality, but Ranbir has added tremendous conviction and sincerity to it. It is very heartening to see and keeping in mind his forthcoming films, I am very excited.

But most of all, I must applaud Karan Johar. As a producer or director, this is his seventh film - KKHH, KKKG, KHNH, Kaal, KANK, Dostana and now Wake Up Sid. This is his best and the only one that I have personally liked. I applaud him because he has taken a chance and really put his money and his reputation on the line for something that is truly different given his filmography so far.

Indian cinema has changed amazingly in the last 5 years or so and I hope that with films like these KJ and his Dharma Productions will be a part of the newer, smarter, cooler and dare I say better Bollywood. 8/10.

Wake up Sid tries very hard to be what it wasn't from the very beginning. Several pieces of different themes and movies have been accumulated but put together just randomly, thus, leaving us with something not as rich, deep, soulful and memorable as we would have liked. Debutant Director Ayan Mukherjee chooses a trodden plot about an "I have my father's wealth" spoiled rich lad whose life, even after college wanders aimlessly as those around him gear up for newer challenges. Needless to say, Ayan has chosen to follow Farhan Akhtar's path based on 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Lakshya'. There are numerous resemblances to the characters of Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan from those movies that we see in Ranbir Kapoor's 'Sid' and he does well to take whatever comes in his grasp but sadly, that is not much.

The story has nothing new to offer. We saw the carefree Aakash having fun for half of Dil Chahta Hai and then taking a serious detour by joining his father's business in Australia turning into a responsible Man in the end. We saw young and goal-less Karan enjoying his life without a clear direction until his failure in one initiative motivates him, instead of cowardly abandoning the dream ship. Lakshya was not only about Peak 5171 in the Kargil War but it was the triumph of human spirit. The story of an aimless boy who found a new purpose for living that made him motivated and responsible. Wake up Sid has nothing deep enough for the mind and soul. Sid is just another rich lad who fails his last year in college, has no girlfriend, is disinterested in his family business and does not excel in anything he can make a living out of for himself. Instead of sympathy for his character, what we are left with at times is disbelief of such a character. (Aisha) Konkana Sen Sharma from Kolkata is the exact opposite of Sid. Driven, ambitious, independent and serious about life, she arrives in Bombay to begin a new life in the ever changing city where she thinks that the only unchanged element is the Arabian Sea. Tee hee!

Sid can never see life through Aisha's eyes but he does take up her offer to work as an intern photographer for a magazine. Suddenly, Sid discovers that he indeed has some talent and he decides that he will pursue this as his career. In the end, Sid rejoins his family (but remains the photographer), his dear friend Aisha in whom he discovers love and they all live happily ever after.

Although, Ranbir Kapoor gives his best performance in 3 films and Konkana lives up to her standards, Wake up Sid never reaches any high notes. Anupam Kher barely has a role that would not even need any retakes from him whereas the rest of the supporting cast is at most, forgettable. The movie begins with the title track, giving little scope for it to help elevate the movie down the road unlike Shankar Ehsaan & Loy's version of Lakshya. Iktara is the most memorable part of the movie. The song is superbly rendered by Kavita Seth and Amitabh Bhattacharya with music that one would love to listen to on a rainy morning standing in the balcony overlooking the Arabian Sea. The tune has an unforgettable note to it that will have people humming it for quite some time. Tochi Raina's version of Iktara is also majestic in his rendition with simple notes and consistent rhythm.

Ayan Mukherjee had little scope with the plot of Wake up Sid and he may have done fairly well with that concept but being its co-writer, it is a bit of a let down. With just a few shades of romance, intensity, tragedy, comedy and the lack of depth in a predictable story, Wake up Sid is a regular affair at the movies. Can be caught on its 'World Premier' on satellite t.v. - 6.89 on a scale of 1-10.

Wake Up Sid has a fresh exuberance brought by the actors especially by Ranbir Kapoor who plays 'Sid' who starts out as a spoiled brat who had no ambitions in life other than spend his dad's earnings. Through the course of this movie, he finds his true passion, true love and an independent life.

As a college student who is about to graduate, I can totally relate to this story about the fear and excitement about starting a new life without any help from your parents. The perpetually underrated actress Konkona Sen Sharma plays Naina who travels to Mumbai in the hope of becoming a writer. She befriends Sid on her first day when she met him at a party. Eventually, they become roommates.

Even though both of them have completely opposite types of views on life, they are able to live with each other. The movie does have a cliché ending which dampens the overall impact of the film. However, if you can overlook some of the predictable story lines, you can definitely enjoy this coming-of-age movie that will transform the lead character.

Ayaan Mukherjee's coming-of-age movie 'Wake Up Sid' comes as a breath of fresh air during a time when the Hindi film industry seemed to only focus on the tried and tested formula. Considering that Karan Johar was the producer, I was expecting it to be another one of those rich NRI (non-residential Indian) movies set somewhere in New York but thankfully it's nothing like that. 'Wake Up Sid' takes place in Bombay and I liked how Mukherjee presents the city. His direction is fluid. It's quite surprising that this was made by a first time director.

'Wake Up Sid' tells the story of a rich spoilt brat who, thanks to a rich father, has everything going for him. However, the day he finds out he failed his final exam, frustration takes over and be breaks ties with his old friends and moves out of his parents' house. His new friend, Aisha, a vivacious non-nonsense young lady, new to life in Bombay, agrees to let him stay. However, the clash between lifestyles, that of Aisha, a strong independent tidy young woman, and Sid, a lazy young man who's dependent on others to clean up his mess and cook and serve meals to him, creates tension.

Mukherjee's writing is solid. The story is easy to follow and the characters are easy to relate to. Iyengar's dialogue is witty and charming. The songs are great and they fit brilliantly with the story giving it a whimsical touch. Further, I liked that Mukherjee didn't use typical visuals of Mumbai and focused on what mattered like the sea.

Ranbir Kapoor is very competent as Sid. He shows that he is capable of leading a movie but Konkona Sen Sharma steals the show once again. She plays Aisha with sheer ease and spontaneity. Of the supporting cast Namit Das, as Sid's former friend and Supriya Pathak as Sid's mother are outstanding. I especially liked Sarita's dedication as a mother and how she learns English just to get closer to her son.

Newcomer Ayaan Mukherjee has made a fine little film, something that might exceed entertainment especially for the youth of today. But that's not to say that it ain't for the family. Quite the contrary.

Dil Chahta Hai, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Rock On!--these are a new breed of (cult?) films coming out of India that all seem to share something important. While their plots are not very involved or extensive at all, these films revolve around a handful of central characters--realistic, urban members of today's youth--whom we can relate to. Likewise, Wake Up Sid also belongs in my new favorite genre of Hindi films.

I feel such films must be especially difficult to make. In order for the public to relate to them, every detail from the costumes and screenplay to the dialog delivery and performances must be top-notch. Produced by Karan Johar, Wake Up Sid surpasses all these requirements with flying colors. Ranbir gives a stupendous performance; you can't imagine anyone else doing it. Konkona is also terrific. Even all the supporting actors--Sid's friends, his mother, the intern, the mother living next to Konkona, and Debbie--seem very authentic. Background music fits the film perfectly. The director also deserves an applause for packaging the film together so well.

You can also see a few of Karan Johar's contributions that make very nice touches. There are a few brief nuances that don't contribute anything to the story or the development of any main characters but leave a lasting impression on your heart and make the film all the more charming--for example, Sid sticking his head out of the window for the first monsoon rain, Konkona's neighbor looking at the developed photographs, and Sid's mom studying English.

What I find most fascinating is witnessing through the movie the emergence of a new lifestyle, a new mindset and set of values, a new generation in metropolitan India: a strong desire to be independent and "pursue your dreams"; a growing, hard-working middle-class that can afford an affluent lifestyle; an encouragement to build a career in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. I also find it very interesting how these used to be unique, iconic, American values, and now the U.S. is playing a role reversal with a shrinking middle class; encouragement to pursue careers in sciences, engineering, law, etc.; and more close-knit families.

Before this turns into a cultural essay, I want to say that I look forward to seeing more films like Wake Up Sid to see the direction Gen Y is taking India, a new major world player.

Ranbhir can act, this movie shows. I saw saawariya when it came out but it sucked and so did he but Wake up Sid is his movie. He lives up to expectations. He can act and that is for sure. The movie has a new line of story of a college boy and a failed boy from a rich family. His father kicks him out to get his way and find what to do. Today, many spoiled brats are failure and aren't sured about what to do. But within all this, there is something which they are good at, discover that and then go with it. Work hard and get up is the massage of the movie through Sid. Konkana isn't mainstream, why she trying to be one that is a question. She can act but find some movies where she is a central character, this movie belongs to Ranbhir all the way.

Wake up today's youngs and face the reality, the real world isn't what it seems like. Not everyone can have a place to live or finance once they are kicked by someone. Movie is worth watching, do watch it and learn a lesson.

Saawariya was a bad start or so called bad step taken on a laddar but still Ranbhir is a fresh talent and he needs great roles to showcase his talent. Bachena aye haseeno was a sillier movie even he acted and danced in it. It was paying tribute to Rishi with the tittle song. But here a movie which don't have biggy songs although tittle remix but still the movie shines with Ranbhir and Konkana. She needs to stay parallel. Recommending the movie to movie goers and youngsters. Ranbhir ruled, he compared to his debut film and his earlier film. Long way for him to go, so he should chose the right script if he wants to stay. Dancing around the trees or romancing around the trees is old and today is a modern generation which wants to see something new and different.

What a movie guys, its a treat to watch.. A complete entertainer that will suffice the taste buds of every generation.. A movie that i felt looked & felt so fresh even after 4 years of its release.. & that's where the débutant director & his team score... Its like poetry on celluloid with each frame, every moment conveying a story of its own., such is the fluidity &thought making gone in its formulation... With crisp editing, the movie unfolds & carves magic over the viewer..,

A coming of age film which takes us through the life of a loser & aimless boy & his metamorphosis into an independent man.. A movie that packs in it do many lessons of life, portraying life, love & some,nay but many endearing moments... Wait, this ain't just the director & his team but also the rock star of our generation who by his brilliant screen presence simply lights up every frame.. He has that magical essence that makes the flick all the more watchable & guess no one else possibly could have done what he has... Be it his arrogance, naughty smile, caring nature or exuberance, he portrays every emotion in the book with much ease.. He lives his role simply.. Watching him apologize to his father or loving his mom or striking chemistry with his female colleague, i mean it comes naturally to him... Superlative. Next up is the underrated actress who matches ranbir step by step & though one may get the feel that she was miscast but there she proves you wrong by her awesome performance, her expressive face .. Also worth mentioning are small roles played by his two friends & anupam kher as his father & supriya pathak as the mother.. The last two excel in the short screen time alloted & give us some endearing on screen moments & lines.. Especially when the illiterate mother trying to please her son by speaking in bad English & stating that may be in the process she hopes to become friends with her son.. Very touching..

Ah, guess i have gone too long but last not the least is the superb work done in the background score & on the song 'iktara' by Amit Trivedi & sung such beautifully that one can still find people humming it.. He sets the mood by his work & proves that he is here to stay.. Good melodious music.. Photography too is top notch & catches the different moods if mumbai & the characters in true spirits... In all, this has & will stay as the cult classic modern movie in times to come.. Has to be seen to be believed.. Would like to end up with special mention of the silent genius in amit trivedi... almost all great Indian blockbusters have had a great musical hue associated to them n though the trio have composed a good one this time around though but the real & the mood -setter is the background score..watching d flick nth time I realized how beautifully d background score helps in taking the movie forward, with each emotion being attached a separate tone & a rhythm of its own... Breathtakiong work.....

Wake Up Sid (2009) : Brief Review -

A superbly crafted coming-of-age drama that describes two different phases of Maturity. Wake Up Sid written and directed by Ayan Mukerji may not please audience of a certain matured age (35+ i mean) because it does not really have that sort of intellectual tonic but it is simply unmissable and irresistable life-lesson for youth audience who are still climbing up the ladder of becoming matured, especially the backbenchers. You know from teenager to youth and from youth to manhood, there is only a small gap of 4-5 years but for some people it takes a decade to cross these phases of life. Wake Up Sid is the same old formula of a spoilt boy turning into a matured and responsible man. Hollywood Classic 'Captain Courageous' (1937) started this formula way back in 30s where a spoilt rich and naughty child learns the discipline from a wild, poor man. This same formula has been used in so many films that i can't even count easily. In Bollywood, there was a masterpiece like 'Jagriti' (1954) with the same formula blended with education system and just like that many other films added something of their own by keeping the same idea at centre. Wake Up Sid used the same formula for youthful drama but the film is highly driven according to taste of multiplex audience. That urban touch took away the simplicity and wide appeal but whatever it has to say, it's awfully enough for the projected audience. There are some flaws here and there and it's little long because of songs but thankfully every single song in this film is gonna get you grooving. With this film, i can say, Ranbir got his first ever variable and matured role. Later, he did Barfi and Sanju that cemented his matured acting skills forever. Konkona is as always superb and the supporting cast is good. Undoubtedly, this is Ayan's Best Work and best Writing till date but he couldn't help adding that Dharma's Glamourous Touch which harmed the soul of the script. Overall, Very Good.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

To be straight, if you are expecting yet another, youthful movie on the lines of "Dil Chahta Hai" or "Rang De Basanti" then you may feel a bit low after watching "Wake Up Sid", since the movie has nothing refreshing to show about the vibrant college life or energetic celebrating days of the youth. In fact, it hasn't got the rich & colorful content as projected by its interesting promotional campaign and movie stills.

The movie starts off in a light mood, where Ranbir is shown lazily preparing for his college exams. Later he meets Konkona in a late night party, who has just arrived in Mumbai and becomes her first friend in the city. With more e-mail exchanges and Ranbir helping her decorating her new flat, a friendly relationship starts building between the two. But all this just keeps happening in a very laid off manner and the viewer desperately waits for something more interesting to unfold on the screen. Till intermission the only scene which rises above the usual stuff is the interview scene between Rahul Khanna & Konkona.

In the second half, as Ranbir leaves his parent's house, the movie starts endorsing live in relationship with a cool attitude. Along with that, the story has the same old clashes between rich and middle class ways of living with an added rotten plot of two love triangles incorporated lightly into the script. Keeping more emphasis on the main characters, the writers strangely leave out the parents (Anupam Kher & Supriya Pathak) out of the narration and bring them in whenever they feel like. According to the script the parents don't even care to know the whereabouts of their only son, after leaving his house in anger.

However, the movie has its moments with few worth watching scenes representing the current generation. One, when both Ranbir and his friend laugh at the break up story. Two, when Konkona and Ranbir play around with water bottles and three the birthday scene at Konkona's flat. With more such scenes, the movie could have been the latest talk of the town among the younger generation. Moreover, a completely predicable climax also leaves the viewer less entertained in the end. The climax required a great amount of trimming since the movie drags a lot towards its concluding moments.

Performance wise it's a Konkona movie entirely where she leads from the front with her simple yet gorgeous looks. Her sensuous and soft dialogue delivery wins over the viewer in the first scene itself. Konkona handles Ranbir just like a mature understanding lady, in love with a young innocent boy. Ranbir tries very hard to act real but it's the fault of the misleading promos that his character looks like lacking the refreshing & interesting look shown in the promotional campaign of the movie. Otherwise he has done a fine job in the role of a confused youngster. Rahul Khanna, Anupam Kher and Kashmira Shah play their small roles impact fully, but Supriya Pathak fails to generate any laughter with her faulty English.

Musically, the soundtrack has nothing capable of making you go dancing or singing. An unexpected let down from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Amit Trivedi. On the other hand, Cinematography captures Mumbai in a cool manner. In short, director Ayan Mukerjee delivers a simple project based on a routine storyline, which moves at a slow pace and has nothing extraordinary or exceptional as expected. On second thoughts I also have some questions in mind regarding the projects which you may find interesting too.

Why there always have to be a "Hamming Mother Character" in Karan Johar Productions movie, which is supposed to provide a comic relief to the viewers. (Like Kiron Kher in "Dostana" & Supriya Pathak in "Wake Up Sid") Why we always have to make movies on love stories alone? The movie "Wake Up Sid" has a very interesting plot of knowing your hidden talents, where Ranbir finds out that he has got a great unexplored talent of photography. His raw skills also fetch him a job in a leading magazine. Konkona also has a concealed talent of writing which even gets her a new column in the magazine where she works as a personal assistant. So why the director didn't thought of using these subplots as the main subject of the story, which could have been a great move. Why only love angles have to be deliberately used in our movies to win over the viewers. I think the Indian viewers are now ready enough to watch some unexplored subjects and not just the usual dragging love stories.

Coming back to "Wake Up Sid", it's strictly a multiplex flick which may be liked by Ranbir fans out there but for others it's just an average movie vaguely talking about the current generation.