I watched Wake Up Sid for the first time 2 years ago, and I felt like it changed my life in that minuscule way a good movie does. I know a lot of people will disagree that it’s a “good movie” at all – it’s an unrealistic Bollywood movie in several ways. How does she get that sea-facing apartment in Bombay on a personal assistant’s salary? How is she supporting him as well on that same income? How can he be so childish and spoiled and still be made to be the hero of the film? But I don’t enjoy this genre of feel-good 2000s Bollywood films for their factual correctness or character accuracy. I don’t love these movies any less than a fan of fantasy films worships their genre. I can’t quite clearly explain why I love this particular one, so here goes:

The music… The entire soundtrack is perfect (I’m not a fan of the title song but that technically isn’t even in the movie because it plays during the credits). This is a magical collaboration by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Amit Trivedi. Iktara (both the female and male versions) is a masterpiece to say the least. There was a period in school when Iktara was my mom’s favorite song and even her hello tune (what you heard as a caller when you rung her cell). I have heard the song for years on the radio and it holds a special place in my nostalgia palace.

I am a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope so watching Sid and Aisha fall in love slowly as they go through day-to-day life is a treat. There are also so many moments of symbolism in the movie that you notice on multiple rewatches. There is this one exchange Sid and Aisha have sitting at the doorstep because it is too hot inside the house. Sid comforts her that it’s just a few more days of summer and then the cooling monsoon will bring relief. I couldn’t help but associate their unspoken feelings for each other to be like the summer heat that would cool down with the declaration of their love bursting like rain.

Every member of the main cast is so talented – the scenes with Supriya Pathak and Anupam Kher are so well done – you can’t help but feeling for their side of the parent-child dynamic. Ranbir Kapoor does very well as a rich spoiled brat who happens to be too innocent for the world (totally a fantasy of course). He makes you feel for him when he fails college even though it’s probably the best thing to happen to him. The scenes with his parents after he becomes more mature make me emotional because they portray so well that he starts to get that his parents are also just people who are trying to figure it out. I am a huge Konkana Sen Sharma fan – she is just an outstanding actress who makes the movie what it is. Her range of emotions displayed so effortlessly always leaves me in awe. And her costumes in the film are basically what I want my summer wardrobe to look like with the cotton kurtis in light pastels in modern sleeveless and halter cuts. 

The dialogues (by Niranjan Iyengar) have some strong moments that set this film far apart from a trashy Bollywood movie. It also has some modern themes for its time (2008) where a girl is living by herself in Bombay with a guy friend (whom she has feelings for) as if it’s commonplace to do so.

It may not have the most mind blowing plot, but it’s my definition of a feel good coming of age movie because I am too still in that decade of learning and growing up. I may have a big girl job paying rent in the city, but deep down I am a restless little girl figuring out what matters to her outside of this rigid definition of adulting. Why did I feel like Wake Up Sid changed my life – I relate with the main characters in their feeling lost and confused, and seek comfort and relief in the narrative that it all makes sense eventually. Sid asks Aisha on her first night in Bombay, “Tumhe akele rehne mein darr nahi lagta” and she says “of course darr lagta hai.” She says it was her dream to come to Bombay and she has so many things she wants to accomplish that she wants to leave no space for fear. Growing up and becoming independent is scary and comes with the cost of leaving the comforts of your home. Cleaning your own space, cooking for yourself, while doing a full time job is a lot to do while figuring yourself out, figuring out what you want from life. It eventually becomes quite freeing and empowering, to the point of almost overcorrecting and introducing hyper independence. Aisha tells Sid after he starts maturing and taking care of her and the house, that she doesn’t like it when others do things for her because she’s afraid she’ll get used to it and lose control of the independent life she built. 

All these coming of age emotions are not easy but this movie is a reminder that you aren’t alone in these feelings. Wake Up Sid leaves you with a belief (albeit temporary) that everything will be alright in the end.