Ranbir Kapoor walked out straight from the sets of Bachna Aae Haseeno and landed at the shoot of WUS and yeah, wearing the same boxer shorts. He made toast there and did his best to crack the egg in this one and yeah, wearing the same boxer shorts. Even the designs were same. Ekdum ditto.
As the yaawwny, done-to-death-gazillion-times story goes, Siddhart Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor) is a rich-spoilt-brat surviving on his father’s credit card and friend’s nonsensical advices. Son insults everyone, respects no one. Father asks him to get lost. Son lands up at few-days-old friend (of all people) Aisha Bannerjee (Konkona Sen Sharma). Friend treats him as bachcha. Develops a liking-turned-love to him only after she realizes her ever disheveled but dishy boss Kabir (Rahul Khanna) is more interested in Jazz than her unpublished/unread article ‘New Girl in The City’ which she keeps adding to his ‘attention’ list. Boss likes it one fine day and publishes it. Bachcha who by now has gone back to his father reads the article and gets enlightened that its him she is talking of in that article. Comes running, finds her exactly at the place he guessed (of course the monsoon had to hit that very day as he had promised he would show her how good mumbai rains can be). Hugs and lived ‘possibly’ ever after.
And there are flaws written all over it.
Wake Up Sid by its subject and its portrayal convey an awakening of some sort but I do not see any awakening of any sort in entirety. As someone told, you leave home uttering I-do-not-want-your-money and you land up at your girl-friend’s place. Wow! And girl-friend who is possibly earning nothing astronomical deck up her house like she suddenly inherited a lot of wealth. The boy meets girl at a party where he is shooting stuff around. Clue that he will do something possibly related with the camera later. He finds her sitting all alone, writing a diary in a party full of loud music and chaos. Clicks some snaps of her and she shies away. How enchanting. Now where I have seen similar stuff already. Of course, they start talking and go out for a walk. It is absolutely unconvincing that he would walk out of the place just because it’s her first day in Mumbai and there is lot to be seen. He also did not get the idea of sleeping around as she cheekily clears her stand. Not done. Nahi hota aisa yaar.
Dad bribes him with a Porsche for a month of work. Last day of the month he chucks it and goes house hunting with her just-a-friend. So, he spends all his time with new found friend on mail/phone/terrace. And by the way, all this while all his other friends whom director showcased so brilliantly in the beginning as close-knit are ignored. They will be found later in the 2nd half for nothing great but to make him realize few more things which his new found friend was already at it.
Results. Fail. Fight with a friend. Leaving home. Moving with new found friend. Self-respect. Ego. But no, Sid boy cannot make egg and is usually hungry, so goes to a nice café to have a nice lunch and doles out his papa’s credit card. Still? Whatever happened to Nahi-chahiye-aapka-paisa. What an awakening?
Comes roomie for the rescue. ‘Why don’t you click?’ 'No, not me, click other stuff. I will still shy away.' Boom goes the boy and clicks n clocks. Gets internship followed by featured photo. First pay cheque. Shows dad. Father is proud. Aah, like I did not see all this coming all this while. What an idea!
Father calls back home. Bachcha decides to go. But alas, the roomie is already in likings with him, if not love yet. But sooner than later. She doesn’t enjoy brooding boss’s jazz outings and prefer bread-chai-beach with the bachcha. Of course, it is love. Too late. Boy reads her article. That’s me, that’s me she is in love with. Like I did not see this happening as well. What the hell. She tore off all her work till date and he helps her re-writing it. So, of course he had read it. But is feigning surprise reading the dame darn article at the end.
The problem with Wake Up Sid is, it is way too much predictable and tries to bring in lot of things at one go. Why are people accepting it’s ok if it’s predictable. Why? Why not with other mindless craps then? Girls find Ranbir way too much hot and is ready to compromise with his immature act. Boys find Konkona naturally beautiful and her acting skills are praised upon. That’s farce. Ranbir is young and just 3 films old. Arrey, how does the number of films matter. I won’t actually blame him for this. He was actually very natural. Seems he was living his real life. Son of Stars Rishi and Neetu had everything on platter and that’s what Sid’s character is all about. But what about Konkona? Why is she getting trapped into these roles. She is gifted, no doubt about it. But, Dil Kabaddi, Luck by Chance and now WUS. All has her playing characters of the same kind (almost). Rahul Khanna, ditto. Dil Kabaddi, Love Aaj Kal and now WUS. Pathetic loser. And this one goes one step beyond. He is not even looking good; something which goes in his favor. Sleepwalking as someone told.
Anupam and Supriya are just about ok. Anyone could have filled in and not got equally noticed. Friends appear and disappear only to reappear again in a lousy script. Script looks borrowed-from and some scenes intentionally are forced into. Like the one when he goes to click the neighbor’s son. That was done to make him realize that he is missing his mom and should go and meet her. Konkona blatantly says no family and friends to him in first meet but is calling her mom back in Kolkota when heartbroken.
Things do seem dazzling and hopeful in moments here and there especially a few between Sid and Aisha. But that’s all. Music was an average one to listen to which gets a point less when heard along the storyline. Too many references, way too many cliched stuff and predictability beyond imagination. 2/5.
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