When Sid Woke Me Up!

I don't like early morning wake up calls but once I'm awake, a good cup of Desi chai does just the trick. What I do love are instances when life wakes me up and somehow my wake up calls often come in the form of inspirational Hindi movies. Today Wake Up Sid! woke me up...yet again. As the plot unfolds, we are introduced to the popularly lazy Siddharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor) who gallivants around Bombay (yes, Raj Thackeray I said BOMBAY, sue me already) swiping his Father's credit card and living the college student life. Just before he fails for the his last year in college, Sid meets with the tad bit older new-to-Bombay Aisha Bannerjee (Konkona Sen Sharma). They immediately strike a friendship but she quickly informs, he is simply "not her type." After a heated argument with his father, Sid leaves his lavish home only and into the real world-- I'm reminded of Gautama Siddhartha Buddha. Learning from Aisha, Sid soon becomes a responsible, clean and ambitious man-- yes, he moves on from being a boy. As he comes of age, we are treated to smaller plots including a blossoming friendship turned love story between Sid and Aisha; the changing relationship between Sid and his parents; a boy turned man and Bombay in all its glory.

WUS works because on some or many levels, you can relate to the main characters. And its not on a gender dependent too. You don't need to be a boy or a man to understand Sid's journey and the same goes for Aisha. And this is exactly where Ayan Mukherji scores as a storyteller. The relatability quotient works for every viewer irrespective of age or sex and ultimately, from scene one you're sucked in. Then there is cool Bombay aka Bombay who plays a central character in the film. In fact, if the film was shot anywhere else in the world, it simply wouldn't work. Whether its the iconic "Queens Necklace", the Bombay skyline or the simple racing autos, Bombay is captured in all its glory by day and night. The relationships between the all the characters too are interesting whether its Aisha and Sid or Sid and best pal Rishi or even Sid and Debbie, you find yourself thinking, "Oh man! I know/knew someone like that!" The character of Sid moves from childish to responsible with such grace and gradualness that by the end, you can't help but feel inspired to get out and Wake Up in your own life. On a minus note, the film dips in pace in the second half BUT still has many incredibly inspiring scenes.

Musically, WUS rocks! It's young and hip as well as somber and romantic. "Wake Up Sid!" the title track and "Kya Karoon" set the lazy mood for the film while "Iktara" is not only amazingly well shot but is musically a delight. No dancey, lip-syncing songs in this film and it probably wouldn't have worked in a film like Wake Up Sid! but hey, ain't nobody complaining.

Ranbir Kapoor is Siddharth Mehra in every which way and form. The star becomes an actor with WUS as he plays Sid. He brings to the character a sense of honesty which is a new facet to Ranbir Kapoor which has really never been seen before. Konkona Sen Sharma is her usual brilliant self-- she is as natural as they get. The younger guy-older gal angle was executed with great style and sophistication if you ask me. Sid's buddies in the film do a great job -- the camaraderie is natural and honest. Anupam Kher and Supriya Pathak are fantastic as Sid's parents -- Pathak especially who plays the wish-I-could-speak-English mom; her interaction with Sid is endearing. Watch out for Rahul Khanna too as the Jazz-liking magazine editor who takes a liking to his assistant. He works like a charm.

What you take away from Wake Up Sid! is your own. For one, this is quite a change from the usual mush that comes out of Dharma Productions. Karan Johar for one has definitely "woken up" to realizing that Indian audiences are tired of the usual gunk that comes out of B-wood; we want them fresh and real.

As for me -- took from WUS three lessons: 1) Its all good to have goals, but you need to be strong enough to really get out there and chase them 2) Successes are best when they are shared with someone special -- need to get myself one of those and lastly, 3) WUS has reiterated my love for the best city in the world, Bombay!

And if you need any other reason to watch WUS; watch it for the exceptionally cute Ranbir Kapoor! Need I say more?