Wake Up Sid

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.

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.

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.

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.🍁

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.