BOLLYWOOD

Ayan Mukerji makes a solid debut as a director with his maiden venture, WAKE UP SID.

Mukerji is in control of the proceedings right from the word go. There is a level of rare maturity in his handling of the two lead actors so diverse in their approach to cinema. One a bubblegum, chocolate hero; another, a solid performer known more for her intense performances. Mukerji's control comes to the fore in his handling of every scene. He never goes over the top, and even the perpetual 'bunch of friends at college' are refreshingly used.

There is also a smart smattering of an interesting mix of English numbers used to light up certain moods, which works as a stimulant.

WAKE UP SID, is a mature love story. On one hand of the spectrum, you have a mature, older woman in search of her independence and on the other hand, you have an irresponsible, immature lad who is so dependent on his parents and their wealth. One day there is a wake up call from where begins his inward journey to unraveling the man within.

Sidharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor) has it easy. He has a rich father, a doting mother and a bunch of friends who he moves out with. Life is set. It couldn't be better. He even has credit cards to fund his extravagant lifestyle. Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma) comes to Bombay from Calcutta in search of her identity. She has a dream of becoming a writer and she knows this is the city of dreams. Sid and Aisha meet on the last day of college when she comes in with one of their friends. They hit it off instantly and go on to become the best of friends. Sid helps her in her house hunting and even helps her set it up. However, when the final year results are out, Sid is the only one who has failed.

Upset, he insults his mother (Supriya Pathak) and refuses to apologize even after his dad (Anupam Kher) asks him to. Because he does not want to go by the rules laid down by his dad, he leaves home and finds shelter at Aisha's home. Here is where he begins to mature, seeing life from a different perspective. Helping him through is a confused Aisha. Confused because she thinks he is a kid and somewhere deep down she is slowly beginning to look at him 'differently'.

Ranbir Kapoor has the charm of Rishi Kapoor and the sexiness of his mother Neetu Kapoor. He uses this potent mix to deadly effect. A natural with any scene, Ranbir walks into this role with the ease of a pro and comes out trumps. Be it when he is enjoying himself out there with his friends, insulting his mother or even keeping up pace with Konkona, he is perfect.

Konkona, not known for her glamorous image, keeps pace with the cute Kapoor lad. The two look fabulous together. It's only a tight script and a good director that could weave this magic.

Love you, Sid!