Wake Up Sid 2009

Siddharth “Sid” Mehra, Ranbir Kapoor, is a gifted but aimless young man in his final year of college, more drawn to social ease than to academics despite his sharp mind. He is the son of a wealthy businessman, Ram Mehra Anupam Kher, and his devoted wife Sarita Mehra Supriya Pathak. Sid enjoys a comfortable lifestyle made possible by their care, and he barely scratches through exams, celebrating with friends as soon as the tests are over and treating responsibility as optional. The tension between his easygoing existence and the pull of something more meaningful quietly threads through his days, setting up a shift that will redefine his path.

At his college farewell party, Sid meets Aisha Banerjee, Konkona Sen Sharma, an ambitious writer from Kolkata who dreams of breaking into Mumbai Beat. Intrigued by her independence, Sid questions her resolve, but Aisha insists she will chase her own path. When Aisha struggles with terrible hostel conditions, Sid helps her find a modest apartment. Though the place is shabby, Aisha sees potential, and with Sid and his friends’ help, she transforms it, forging a close friendship with him. When Sid hints at romance, Aisha gently rejects him, explaining that his lack of ambition makes him unsuitable for her and that she needs to stay focused on her journalism ambitions.

Aisha soon secures a job under the urbane Kabir Chaudhary Rahul Khanna at Mumbai Beat, a publication that promises exposure and energy. In the meantime, Sid receives devastating news: he has failed his final exams. Overwhelmed, he quarrels with his friends and storms out after a heated argument with his parents. With nowhere to go, he turns to Aisha, who reluctantly lets him stay. Living together proves difficult: Sid struggles with basic chores, while Aisha, absorbed in her work, grows increasingly frustrated by his clumsiness and lack of practical initiative. The tension tests their bond, even as a quiet current of care underpins their evolving dynamic.

After a tense argument, Aisha advises Sid to return to his parents’ house, noting that while his father runs a successful company, Sid feels out of place there. Sid admits that working at his father’s firm makes him feel hollow; he longs to discover something that genuinely interests him and pleads for another chance. She agrees, and Sid begins to change—taking responsibility for housework and rekindling his love for photography. Aisha introduces him to Amit, a photography director at Mumbai Beat, who offers him an internship after seeing Sid’s work. The prospect of real creative work awakens a pride in Sid he hadn’t recognized before, and he leans into the discipline that comes with practice, feedback, and a deadline-driven world.

As Sid embraces this new discipline, memories of his mother surface during a photo assignment, prompting a quiet reconciliation with her. He also works to repair friendships and rebuild trust with those around him, charting a course from carefree slacker to someone who can contribute. Sid’s dedication pays off when he is promoted to assistant photographer and receives his first paycheck, a small but meaningful milestone that signals tangible progress. Proud of his progress, he visits his father’s office to express sincere thanks, and the moment earns him a warm, accepting embrace from Ram Mehra. The promotion marks a turning point: Sid decides to move back home to embrace a more grounded life, even as he carries the lessons he learned in his time away.

Back at home, Sid discovers Aisha’s forgotten shirt and reads her article in Mumbai Beat—a touching piece about her journey in Mumbai and her love for an unnamed person. Realizing the article is about him, Sid is overwhelmed with emotion. He rushes through the rain to their favorite beach, the place where their conversations and hopes often found their rhythm. There, he finds Aisha, and he confesses his love, which she returns. The embrace seals a metamorphosis; Sid’s transformation from a carefree student who drifted through life to a man of purpose and commitment feels earned, durable, and hopeful, grounded in the support, challenges, and mutual respect that have come to define their partnership.