Starring : Ranbhir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Supriya Pathak, Anupam Kher , Namit Das, Shika Talsania, Rahul Khanna. Direction: Ayan Mukherjee.
Debutant director Ayan Mukerjee
offers a very confident tale and takes the bow in style. The debut , coming as
it does under Karan Johar’s debut is bound to draw comparisons with the said
film maker and even more with Farhan Akthar’s debut making yuppie tale Dil
Chahta Hai. The genre style and thematic content is contemporaneous and the
tale is told with the feel good factor that instantly attracts the audience to
the multiplex. The work show cases the skill sets of the director who in
keeping with the production house backing him places a premium on style.
Two important things need to talked about. First the heterodox pairing of
Ranbhir and Konkona Sen Sharma. It must be said to most part of the film their
relationship bordes on the platonic and yet the simmering of relationship is
wonderfully crafted by the two. It is a moot question as to whether it is the
talent of the players, the imagination of the director or the sheer chemistry
of the stars that gives you a very polished final product. Suffice it is to
state that they make a very nice if contrasting pair. As Konkona walks into
commercial cinema she surely needs better advice on her sense of dress. After
disappointing outings in Laga Chunuri Mein Daag and Aja Nachale, she is called
upon for lesser sacrifices and the camera works on her with greater care than
before. Yet her presentation needs attention.
The other aspect that needs special mention is the performance of Ranbhir
Kapoor. This year surely he will not walk away with awards for Wake Up Sid. Too
early in his career, but the fear that he would fall into a category like his
dad is tragic. Rishi Kapoor is one of finest and under rated actors. Make a
list of great actors and most film pundits will overlook this actor who
throughout his career was given poor roles and he delivered them all with great
sincerity and merit. We often confuse a performance with a role and thus every
great role is seen as a great performance. I very sincerely hope that this
dynamite of talent does not get lost in the vile world of Bollywood. True to
the title Sid not only wakes up from his slumber but delivers the slug in true
cinematic (and over simplistic!) style. He gets into the skin of the role with
ease and shows that dramatics is often a needless virtue in this medium of
entertainment. He states- neither under nor over and this is a quality to be
marked and awarded. Our cinema does not notice such nuances. I hope this will
not work to the commercial peril of this young and promising actor.
Wake Up Sid is about Ritchi Rich Sid who shops and lives life king size on dad’s wealth. While he is willing to use Dad (Anupam Kher) as his credit card he is not prepared to credit dad with too much. He moves into the designer flat of new fried Aiysha (KonKona) who unlike him wants her wealth, her space, her money etc. While the two start living together in this single bed room apartment, their Chemistry for a change does not get the physical. Brewing within their emotional maze however are questions and sentiments that would explode some time. As a film buff we know the inevitable and so it is the route that engages us.
L. Ravichander