In real life, if you feel your colleague is far more superior to you in intelligence, talent, charisma, efficiency, chances are you might feel the heat. Jealousy, generally, stems from there. In the process, the best of relations get strained. LONDON DREAMS, directed by Vipul Shah, talks of two musicians, thick pals actually, and how jealousy drives a wedge in their friendship.

Let’s clear a few myths before discussing the positive and negative factors of this film. LONDON DREAMS is not BAIJU BAWRA. LONDON DREAMS is not ROCK ON!!, ABHIMAAN, YAARANA or SAAJAN either [a section of the industry wants us to believe that]. The truth is, LONDON DREAMS borrows from Milos Forman’s brilliant film AMADEUS [1984], which was based on Salieri and Mozart’s life. In fact, Suneel Darshan too had made a film based on AMADEUS called SHAKALAKA BOOM BOOM [2007; Bobby Deol, Upen Patel

LONDON DREAMS is a complete departure from Vipul Shah's earlier outings, AANKHEN, WAQT, NAMASTEY LONDON and SINGH IS KINNG [produced by Vipul, directed by Anees Bazmee]. This film is about relationships and tends to get very real and intense, in the post-interval portions specifically. The scale of LONDON DREAMS is gigantic and the execution of concerts [it's about a band] sweeps you off your feet.

In terms of execution, it wouldn’t be erroneous to state that LONDON DREAMS is amongst Vipul Shah’s most accomplished works to date. Also, it boasts of incredible performances by Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. But there are hiccups too and it’s these deficiencies that bog the film down!

They were childhood friends. But they had little in common except their family’s connection with music. While Arjun’s [Ajay Devgn] life was consumed by a passionate drive to get on stage and realize his grandfather’s unfulfilled dream, Mannu [Salman Khan] was content with remaining a child at heart with no higher ambition than enjoying the good things in life.

As Arjun forges a band with Zoheb [Rannvijay Singh], Wasim [Aditya Roy Kapur] and Priya [Asin], a music enthusiast from a conservative South Indian family, far away in Punjab, music becomes a survival tool for Mannu, who takes to playing in wedding bands in his village.

Arjun gets Mannu to London and makes him a part of the band, but soon realizes he’s created the biggest threat and obstacle to his own ambitions.

Mannu, with his inherent musical gift, becomes an instant darling of the crowds. Arjun’s unbearable pangs of jealousy and insecurity only worsen when Mannu also unwittingly woos and wins his secret love, Priya. As he battles his inner demons, Arjun slowly devises a sinister plan to destroy his best friend.

It takes time to get into Ajay’s world [its Ajay who's narrating the story here]. The film moves back and forth and it’s only when the two buddies, now adults, meet that you realize where the story is headed. The first hour depicts the two extreme characters – Ajay, who’s an introvert and who cannot think of anything but his goal and Salman, a happy-go-lucky guy, laidback and fun-loving, least focused.

The narrative has some interesting moments in the first hour, but the actual story unravels only towards the second half. The first half, frankly, only sets things up for the explosive drama that is to follow. The wheels start moving when Ajay plays a vicious game and hatches a conspiracy to ruin his buddy’s career.

It’s the second hour that does the trick. You can’t help but carry several sequences in your heart, even after you’ve made an exit from the auditorium…

* Note the scene when Salman makes four different tunes from the original tune created by Ajay.

* Note the scene when Ajay meets an inebriated Salman and professes revenge, while Salman is completely clueless about Ajay’s sinister plans.

* Note the scene when the band arrives in London after a 3-city concert and they’re received by aggressive mediapersons.

But there’re roadblocks too. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music is a downer. LONDON DREAMS is about a rock band, about music, about concerts and the music had to be the soul of the film. Unfortunately, it’s not! The songs have been filmed in the most energetic fashion, but how one wishes the music was one of the strengths of the film.

Also, the film could’ve concluded when the two friends re-unite at the station. Adding one more song thereafter only dilutes the impact of the emotionally correct sequence that has just been witnessed. Besides, the song in question hasn’t been promoted either, so it only comes across as an aberration.

Prior to that, Ajay’s outburst at the end of the concert is far from convincing. The film has a real feel, real characters and real situations, but the outburst looks unreal and is one of the drawbacks, from the writing point of view. It’s just not convincing!

Besides, Ajay’s childhood character is shown fleeing from the airport and making it big in a foreign land [London], without any support whatsoever. It’s unpalatable!

Vipul Shah has handled this intricate subject well, but the writing could’ve been tighter. Sejal Shah’s cinematography is super. Brownie points for capturing the concerts brilliantly. Salim-Sulaiman’s background score matches international standards.

Both Salman and Ajay vie for top honours. Salman has a role that the junta would take to instantly and the actor too endears himself to the viewers. He’s stupendous. When it comes to displaying intensity on screen, very few can live up to the standards set by Ajay. To state that he packs in a power-packed performance would be an understatement. They, in fact, compliment each other wonderfully well.

Asin is admirable and pairs off very well with Salman. She is sure to have a new name after this film – Chennai Express [that's how Salman addresses her affectionately, all through the film]. Om Puri has a brief role. Aditya Roy Kapur is very good and registers an impact. Rannvijay Singh doesn’t get much to do, except throw nasty looks at Salman. Manoj Pahwa provides some funny moments. Brinda Parekh is okay.

On the whole, LONDON DREAMS has superb performances from its principal cast and several emotionally-charged sequences as its two trump cards. But its biggest drawback is its climax and also the music, which is the weakest link of the movie. At the box-office, the film should appeal more to the multiplex audience than the masses. Business at big centres, especially at metros, should be better, but mini-metros and towns will be a contrast.
Rating : 3/5

Review By : Taran Adarsh / BollywoodHungama

ALL THE BEST makes no claims of catering to the intelligentsia or the elite. Instead, it’s aimed at those who want to spend two hours of their precious life flexing their facial muscles. ALL THE BEST is for those who expect fun and laughter unlimited in those two hours. This one makes you smile, laugh, even break into a guffaw at times.

The jokes and the goings-on may appear silly, but who cares! As long as one feels positive and wears a smile on the face even after the show has ended, nothing else matters.

Comedy is serious business and Rohit Shetty is a pro at this genre now. This time, the talented director seeks inspiration from RIGHT BED, WRONG HUSBAND and what works to the advantage are two factors – the written material and the right casting. Both are just right!

From time to time, it has been noticed that some films are made with the motive of keeping you entertained. ALL THE BEST is one of those films. Go, have a blast this Diwali!

Veer [Fardeen Khan], a singer by profession, is greedy of extracting extra pocket money from his brother Dharam [Sanjay Dutt], a business-honcho. Veer lies to Dharam that he has got married and his friend Prem [Ajay Devgn], a concept car expert, lends a helping hand in cooking up this alibi.

Veer is in love with Vidya [Mugdha Godse], but has qualified in the hate list of her father. Prem is happily married to Jhanvi [Bipasha Basu], who takes care of his ancestor’s outdated gymnasium. Veer and Prem land up in debts as they had opted for a short-cut to earn easy money.

The two get into a bigger soup when Dharam pays a sudden visit to their place. Time does not give a chance and unavoidable circumstances arouse such situations that Prem’s wife Jhanvi is mistaken for Veer’s and Veer’s girlfriend for Prem’s.

Like his previous films, director Rohit Shetty rests the story on multiple characters, with a dozen odd actors in supporting roles. With so many characters in the film, it generally tends to get confusing, but ALL THE BEST has an easy-to-comprehend story and a trouble-free and uncomplicated screenplay [Robin Bhatt and Yunus Sajawal].

Ten minutes into the film and you know that ALL THE BEST is all about mistaken identities. But the proceedings actually take off when Sanju enters the scene. That’s when you get drawn into this madcap world completely.

A number of sequences are howlarious. Note Johny Lever’s intro. Ditto for Sanjay Mishra’s track. Also, when Johny Lever regains his voice – towards the climax – it’s sooooo funny. On the flip side, the pace drops in the middle of the second hour. Also Pritam’s musical score is uninspiring and the songs act as speed breakers.

Rohit Shetty is in top form and his team of writers, Robin and Yunus, contribute enormously in making this film watchable. Dudley’s cinematography is perfect. Farhad – Sajid and Bunty Rathore’s dialogue are very much in sync with the mood of the film. In fact, a few one-liners are extremely witty.

Sanju portrays his part well. His sequences with Ajay are truly fantastic. But the show-stopper is undoubtedly Ajay, whose comic timing is only getting better. He plays to the gallery completely and delivers a sparkling performance. Fardeen needs to loosen up, though he makes a sincere attempt. Bipasha is sweet, while Mugdha doesn’t get much scope. Amongst supporting actors, Johny Lever and Sanjay Mishra are in terrific form. Mukesh Tiwari, Vijay Patkar, Ashwini Kalsekar and Atul Parchure lend credible report.

On the whole, ALL THE BEST is fun and laughter unlimited. At the box-office, the festive period coupled with the solid track record of Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty and also the strong merits will ensure ample footfalls at cineplexes, making its investors laugh all the way to the bank. Recommended!

MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA, directed by debutante Prem Soni, could’ve been an interesting story had the drama quotient been a bit stronger. What comes across is too simple and ordinary.

Actually, the problem lies in its writing. It wouldn’t be erroneous to say that Prem Soni, the director is letdown by Prem Soni, the writer. The writing gyrates from interesting to ordinary to unconvincing and that bogs the film down. The inconsistency is evident all through.

Final words? This Mr. and Mrs. Khanna won’t live happily ever after!

Raina [Kareena Kapoor], Samir [Salman Khan] and Akash [Sohail Khan] are three people whose lives get entwined at an international airport. Samir has to decide whether he wants to stay in the same city [Melbourne] that gave him so much and then took away everything or fly away to a new city [Singapore], to a new life.

Raina has to decide whether her love and loyalty for her husband Samir, who left her to pursue success, is more justified than her faith and trust in her new-found friend, while Akash has to decide whether what he feels for a married woman is lust or true love and whether he’s justified in trying to win her at all costs, even at the cost of her marriage.

Now let’s analyse…
MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA makes a promising start. The cracks in the relationship are evident when the husband starts facing problems on the professional front. He tries to re-locate to Singapore, but decides to send his wife to Delhi, to his parents’ home. Convincing!

The wife decides to stay back in Melbourne and suddenly meets an ‘angel’ [Sohail Khan] and a friend’s friend [Mahek Chahal], who gets her a job at the airport [within hours of meeting her] and a few scenes later, Mrs. Khanna shifts into a palatial mansion. Wowwwww! How can she afford a palace-like home in Melbourne from the salary that she gets, while working in a shop at the airport? Not convincing!

The wife and angel become friends. The angel is well aware of her marital status, yet loves her dearly. The woman trusts him as a friend. Convincing!

The husband re-surfaces [very quickly]. He’s now settled in Singapore, has even bought a house there, he returns to Melbourne to fetch his wife back. Complications arise when the marriage registration letter surfaces. Not convincing!

The question is, why didn’t the wife confide in her husband about it? That she had to do it for the work permit? Of course, she states subsequently that she didn’t want to complicate things further, but didn’t she ever realise that the truth would be out sooner or later?

Also, when the husband is in Singapore, there’s scant or zilch communication between the couple, which looks so unreal. There’s just one sequence of the wife calling her husband, but the husband isn’t responding to the call. Again, not convincing!

The ending is interesting, but the surprise appearance of Deepika Padukone looks forced in the script. Perhaps, it was incorporated so that Sohail doesn’t come across as a loser. Strangely, Deepika’s name is also Raina [also Kareena's name in the film] and she too was in a relationship with a Samir [also Salman's name], which looks fake.

Prem Soni has handled a few scenes well, but the writing is ineffectual. Dialogue, also by Prem, are wonderful at places. Sajid-Wajid’s music is tuneful. ‘Don’t Say Alvida’ and ‘Rabba’ are melodious compositions. The cinematography is striking. The locales of Melbourne give the film a perfect romantic setting.

Salman handles his part with maturity, but it’s a Kareena show all the way. She is remarkable and delivers a winning performance yet again. Sohail contributes to some light moments. Yash Tonk is alright. Mahek Chahal is perfect. Nauheed Cyrusi doesn’t get any scope.

The film has several star appearances: Deepika Padukone, Preity Zinta [okay], Dino Morea [hardly there for a few minutes] and Bappil Lahiri [yes, the veteran music composer has a proper role in the film].

On the whole, MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA is weak in merits. At the box-office, the BLUE wave, followed by another strong opposition in ALL THE BEST will sideline MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA completely. It’s a non-starter!
Rating 1.5/5

Review By Taran Adarsh / Bollywood Hungama

Blow the conch shells.

Beat the drums.

It’s time to pop champagne…

BLUE, the most awaited movie of the year, with its canvas as huge as the ocean, comes alive on the Hindi screen this Friday. Like every biggie, this one also comes with the baggage of monumental expectations. With tremendous hype surrounding it, the inescapable question that crosses your mind is, will BLUE live up to those colossal expectations?

Let me keep it concise and to the point. You haven’t watched something like this on the Hindi screen before. Never ever!

It requires courage, willpower, fortitude, vision and of course, the financial backing to accomplish a project of this magnitude. And debutante director Anthony D’Souza puts his skills and the financial resources to best use. BLUE is not merely a stunning looking film, it’s also a well structured film. Most importantly, it’s a solid entertainer that packs in so much in those 1.58 hours.

Final word? Go, grab a ticket, if you haven’t booked one yet. This under-sea treasure hunt is a kickass film. A must-see for all those who love adventure flicks.

BLUE is set in the sun-soaked white sand beaches of Bahamas. Sagar [Sanjay Dutt] is a simpleton, while his friend Aarav [Akshay Kumar] is a rich, ambitious businessman.

Sagar’s brother Sameer aka Sam [Zayed Khan] has inadvertently managed to rankle the mafia in Bangkok [Rahul Dev]. He flees Bangkok and arrives in Bahamas. But the dangerous men reach Bahamas too. Sagar is the sole person who can bail him out from this crisis, but to save his brother, Sagar has to wrestle with the ghost of his dead father.

If you’re a die-hard moviegoer, you’d draw parallels with a lot of international projects [especially THE DEEP] that were set in the ocean. In Bollywood, flashes of the Dharmendra – Jeetendra starrer SAMRAAT cross your mind instantaneously, but comparing the two is akin to comparing chalk and cheese.

BLUE grabs your  from its opening titles itself. The marine life, which you may’ve watched on National Geographic Channel or Animal Planet, comes alive in all splendour at the start itself.

The story is uncomplicated and Anthony D’Souza garnishes it beautifully. If the aquatic life keeps your eyes wide open, the action sequences are sure to make your jaws drop to your knees. The bike chase at the start, yet another chase subsequently, the chase soon after the interval [atop a running train] is simply astounding.

Anthony’s expertise comes to the fore in several sequences. One sequence that needs to be singled out is when Sanju narrates the tragic past, how he was responsible for his father’s death. It’s simply incredible!

Major portions of the film have been filmed in the ocean and you can’t stop admiring and appreciating the enormous contribution of the underwater cinematographer [Pete Zuccarini]. The lighting in those sequences deserves special mention. Also, the underwater sequences, which feature aquatic life like puffer fish, stingrays and sharks, hold tremendous appeal. Cinematography [Laxman Utekar] is gorgeous.

On the flip side, the climax could’ve been more impactful. The villain’s track looks cliched, but you tend to overlook the minor aberration since the film never falls prey to mediocrity.

Anthony D’Souza is a director to watch. This film has style as well as substance. Also, it requires courage and conviction to think out of the box and most importantly, execute the material with panache. There’s not much scope for music in an action thriller, yet A.R. Rahman’s score suits the requirements. The Kylie Minogue track – ‘Chiggy Wiggy’ – is already popular. Sanju and Lara’s romantic track – ‘Aaj Dil’ – is sensuous. The song at the end credits – ‘Fiqrana’ – has a lot of energy.

Sound design [Resul Pookutty] is fantastic. Action scenes [James D. Bomalick and R.P. Yadav] are a treat and, in fact, one of the mainstays of the film. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] are effective, while the screenplay [Anthony D'Souza and Jasmine D'Souza] is well thought-out, especially towards the second hour.

Sanjay Dutt carries his part well, although he looks very well-fed in some scenes. Akshay Kumar steals the show with a sterling performance. This would easily classify amongst his best works. Zayed Khan is highly competent. This, despite the fact that he’s sharing the screen space with two hugely experienced actors.

Lara Dutta has never looked so good before. Though the story revolves around the guys, you can’t overlook Lara’s small but significant contribution to the film. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous and performs exceedingly well. The feminine charm [at the start specifically] would send the youth in a frenzy. Rahul Dev is first-rate. Kabir Bedi is hardly there.

On the whole, BLUE has style as well as substance. The film has everything going in its favour, right from its incredible star cast to the superb action scenes to the hitherto unseen marine life to the tremendous hype and hoopla. At the box-office, BLUE will strike like a hurricane in the festive week. It should set new benchmarks in days to come. In short, the business will be humungous.

Rating 4/5

By Taran Adarsh BollywoodHungama

Besides Abbas-Mustan, Sanjay Gupta has attempted interesting thrillers in the past. His new outing, ACID FACTORY, directed by Suparn Verma, is a cat-n-mouse chase that will have you on edge of the seat as it unfolds.

Inspired by Hollywood film UNKNOWN, ACID FACTORY is engaging in most parts. Also, it’s well adapted to suit Indian sensibilities. It starts off strong enough and keeps the momentum going till the end, though, of course, it goes back and forth at times and that could get a bit confusing.

ACID FACTORY demands your attention from the very start. The viewer ought to stay alert and watch the goings-on carefully. Even if you blink, chances are you may miss a vital link and the subsequent portions may not work for you since there’s something happening every minute.

At the same time, ACID FACTORY has its share of loose ends. The climax, for instance, could’ve been more impactful. Also, the concept is too urbane and holds appeal for the urban youth, who’ve a penchant for slick thrillers.

Final word? ACID FACTORY is a well-crafted, well executed film with the ensemble cast pitching in competent performances.

A man [Fardeen Khan] wakes up in a deserted factory surrounded by several other seemingly dead men. He has absolutely no memory of who he is or how he got there and he is unable to get out. Before too long, the others [Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea, Manoj Bajpayee, Danny Denzongpa, Dia Mirza] wake up and they all have amnesia too.

All they know is that some of them have been shot, one is tied to a chair, a third is hanging by his wrist, which is handcuffed to a railing… It is eventually discovered that they have lost their memory because of gas leaked from a container.

Much later, they figure out that two of them have been kidnapped by the other three. Who are the kidnappers and who are their victims? Meanwhile, the police are tracking a sinister man [Irrfan Khan], while a worried wife [Neha] desperately searches for her husband.

ACID FACTORY has enough going for it, thanks to its premise which is intriguing. But the plot is such that it takes time to come to the point. There’s not much happening in the first hour, except the fact that everyone’s clueless about their identity and how they seem trapped in a dilapidated factory.

But the answers start flowing in the second hour. The answers come quick and the reasons why they are trapped are also justified. But, as mentioned earlier, the conclusion could’ve been as realistic like the rest of the proceedings. Also, the track of the harried wife trying to trace her husband isn’t too convincing.

This is Suparn Verma’s second film as a director and midway through the film, you realise that Suparn has grown as a storyteller. The film bears a slick look and also, the narrative holds your attention for most parts. Cinematography is top notch. So is the sound design. Tinu Verma’s stunts and chase sequences deserve distinction marks.

Every actor pitches in an effortless performance. They aren’t putting on an act. The film has an assorted mix of experienced and accomplished actors [Danny Denzongpa, Manoj Bajpayee and Irrfan Khan] and yet-to-reach-there actors [Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea and Dia Mirza] and each display confidence in their respective parts. Neha doesn’t get scope, while Gulshan Grover is as usual.

On the whole, ACID FACTORY is a slick thriller that has an interesting premise and also super stunts and chase sequences as its trump cards. The film is targeted at the urban youth, especially those who relish thrillers. Of course, the film will have to storm the dull pre-Diwali period which might curtail its prospects to an extent despite decent merits and also, the three biggies that arrive next Frida

By Taran Adarsh,BollywoodHungama

David Dhawan has always made wacky and bizarre films and his new baby DO KNOT DISTURB doesn’t push the envelope either. His critics may term his cinema outlandish and outrageous, but the fact is that his films cater to the aam junta. His mantra is simple: Haso aur hasao.

Now let’s analyse DO KNOT DISTURB, inspired by the French film LA DOUBLURE aka THE VALET [2006]. David has tackled extra-marital affairs in his earlier films like SAAJAN CHALE SASURAL, GHARWALI BAHARWALI and BIWI NO. 1. DO KNOT DISTURB also talks of a married man having a torrid affair with a supermodel, but it’s not remotely similar to his past endeavours.

Actually, DO KNOT DISTURB rests on a thin plot and David relies on gags and jokes to keep you hooked for those 2 + hours. Even though you realise that there’s not much meat in the story, even though the situations are silly, you remain glued to the proceedings because it keeps you in splits thanks to the funny jokes and the weird characters.

So what’s the verdict? DO KNOT DISTURB is sure to keep you smiling from start to end. A few portions may even prompt you to laugh aloud or break into a guffaw. If non-stop mindless entertainment is on your mind, this recipe is just for you. Do Knot miss this one!

A filthy rich businessman [Govinda], married to a beautiful and sophisticated woman [Sushmita Sen], tries to hide his extra-marital affair with a supermodel [Lara Dutta]. To save his skin, he bribes a waiter [Ritesh Deshmukh] into pretending to be the supermodel’s boyfriend. What follows is a series of mistaken identities and misunderstandings.

David Dhawan opens his cards at the very outset. The emphasis is on comic situations, while the story goes out of the window after a point. You don’t mind it purely because the motive, like always, is to keep you in splits and DO KNOT DISTURB succeeds to a large extent.

At the same time, writer Yunus Sajawal takes a long route to reach the culmination. The Ranvir Shorey dual role sequence, for instance, seems unwarranted. Also, Sohail Khan’s portions looks forced in the narrative. Even otherwise, the post-interval portions are very lengthy, although the comic scenes compensate for the deficiencies in the writing.

David Dhawan is the Big Boss of laughathons and DO KNOT DISTURB proves his supremacy yet again. You may argue that the goings-on are plain ridiculous and ludicrous, but the entertainment quotient is so high that you ignore the weak plot gradually. Nadeem-Shravan’s music is pleasant. The songs are well filmed too. Vijay Arora’s cinematography is excellent. Dialogues [Amit Aryan] are first-rate. In fact, a few one-liners actually bring the house down.

Govinda is matchless in a David Dhawan film and DO KNOT DISTURB confirms this fact yet again. In fact, there are certain parts that only he can portray and David taps that potential to the fullest. Watch Govinda when he suddenly starts speaking in a female voice during the Ranvir Shorey episode. It’s howlarious!

Ritesh Deshmukh is superb. Matching Govinda in scene after scene is next to impossible, but Ritesh stands on his feet all through. His scenes with Lara also are thoroughly enjoyable. Lara Dutta springs a pleasant surprise. Known for glamorous roles uptil now, she handles the comic act extremely well. Also, she looks sensuous in several scenes. Sushmita Sen is wonderful, though she gets limited scope to prove her mettle.

Sohail Khan’s role is sketchy, hence it doesn’t make an impact. Ranvir Shorey is excellent. Manoj Pahwa and Rajpal Yadav are amazing in their respective parts. Himani Shivpuri is alright. Rituparna Sengupta is hardly there.

On the whole, DO KNOT DISTURB is a mass entertainer that keeps you entertained and smiling/laughing in most parts. At the box-office, this one lives up to the hype and expectations and that in turn should reflect very strongly in its business.

By Taran Adarsh/BollywoodHungama

Recall those years when partying hard was the only agenda on your list. Recall those years when staying awake at nights, chatting away with friends became a habit. Recall those years when bunking college and sneaking into movie halls was more exciting than books. Recall those years when you were completely clueless and aimless about the vocation you wanted to pursue once you graduated… That indecisive phase when you were hesitant to take that first big step in life can never be erased from your memory.

WAKE UP SID, directed by debutante Ayan Mukerji, is like revisiting those years that lay at some remote corner of your mind, after you moved on in life.

Actually, WAKE UP SID is a slice of life film. It’s not merely real in concept, but has also been told most realistically, so much so that you can’t help but draw parallels with your life or with someone you know. But what really makes WAKE UP SID most believable is Ranbir Kapoor, who’s mastered the craft at such a young age.

Verdict? WAKE UP SID mirrors those years with flourish. This one’s a simple story that strikes a chord instantly. Strongly recommended!

WAKE UP SID tells the story of Siddharth aka Sid [Ranbir Kapoor], a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series of changes after taking his final year college exams. Sid’s world is breezy, carefree and without any true responsibilities.

Sid thrives around his two best friends, Rishi [Namit Das] and Laxmi [Shikha Talsania], very rarely communicates with his mother Sarita [Supriya Pathak] and takes his father Ram Mehra [Anupam Kher] and all his hard-earned wealth for granted. Despite all these traits, Sid is an honest boy; sweet, funny and above all, a good friend.

Aisha Bannerjee [Konkona Sen Sharma], an aspiring writer from Kolkata, learns this soon enough when her path crosses with Sid’s on her first day in Mumbai. Ambitious, well-read and driven, Aisha has come to Mumbai to realize her dreams as a writer. Despite their contrasting personalities, Sid becomes Aisha’s first friend in the city.

As Aisha sets up her life in Mumbai, with the help of Sid and his gang, Sid allows for time to fly by over long drives, parties that stretch well into dawn, and endless hours doing absolutely nothing. But a series of circumstances and events compel him to take stock of his life and take a hard look at himself.

Let’s not compare WAKE UP SID with anything you’ve watched before. Not DIL CHAHTA HAI. Not LAKSHYA either. Debutante director Ayan Mukerji narrates a story that you can relate to instantly and treats it with utmost care. A few moments linger in your memory and evoke bitter-sweet memories.

The first hour, right till the intermission, sweeps you off your feet. You get drawn into Sid’s world instantaneously; you react to everything he does. But the post-interval portions slackens, courtesy the writing. The Rahul Khanna track, for instance, looks half-baked. Also, the story stagnates after a point and hence, the pacing gets very slow. It’s only towards the finale that things perk up. Ideally, the film could’ve done with some trimming in this hour.

Ayan Mukerji packs in a solid punch in most parts of the film. The emotional moments especially gets you all moist-eyed. The humour too is well integrated in the sequences. Even the confrontation between the father and son is superb. Prior to that Konkona’s birthday sequence is amongst the finest sequences of the film. Music [Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy] is melodious. Anil Mehta’s cinematography is top notch. Niranjan Iyengar’s dialogues are just right.

There’s no denying that Ranbir Kapoor is a supremely talented actor, but in WAKE UP SID, he proves that he’s amongst the best in the business today. No one could’ve portrayed Sid as effectively as Ranbir has enacted, that’s for sure. This is an award-worthy performance.

Konkona is natural to the core and the best part is, she’s so effortless. Here’s another winning performance from this incredible performer. Anupam Kher is wonderful. Ditto for Supriya Pathak. Both shine in their respective parts. Namit Das and Shikha Talsania are perfect. Rahul Khanna doesn’t get any scope.

On the whole, WAKE UP SID is a well-made film that should strike a chord with the youth mainly. A metro-centric film, the film should attract its target audience and should also prove to be the first choice of the elite/urban audience this Friday. Its distributors [UTV] have very rightly released the film at plexes of metros and mini-metros [instead of flooding the market with physical and digital prints], which in turn should only make this small film talked-about in days to come. Thumbs Up!
By Taran Adarsh,BollywoodHungama