Did Wake Up Sid Age Well? A Critical Look at Its Legacy

I should confess: I am not a Ranbir Kapoor fan. In fact, having started half the Ranbir Kapoor discourse on X (formerly Twitter), I have witnessed this “Animal” star’s fan base steadily shift to the possession of very misogynistic cis het men over time. For an actor who started out impressing millions of girls and women, the present-day Ranbir Kapoor has little to offer to ladies who can discern his politics.

Nostalgia And Initial Impressions

But 15 years ago? I loved Wake Up Sid. In 2009, Ayan Mukerji was only on his first iteration of ‘Ranbir plays a man-child’ trope. And I was a college student struggling along with hundreds of others who were pushed into seemingly serious career paths by our parents. For 2009 Ishmeet and her friends, Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma) was a port in a storm. We longed for her comforting house where we could crash for months rent-free while we figured out what our actual dreams and passions were. Just like Sid.

The Soundtrack That Resonates

Rewatching it a few days ago, I couldn’t help singing along to Iktara, Life is Crazy, and the hidden gem – Shaam Tanha (by Agnee). The music was a big part of why the movie’s storytelling worked as well as it did. Although some of the background music is pretty corny, the film’s music is better than most songs being produced in 2024. So look out for unexpected bursts of laughter when “So close to you” suddenly chimes in. Still, stellar work by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy and Amit Trivedi. The “Rooh ka banjara” version of Iktara is a personal favorite.

Aspects That Didn’t Age Well

As for parts that didn’t age well? I have one answer: Chhotu. We are pulled into this clueless rich boy’s world who, along with his family, treats domestic helpers like NPCs (non-playable characters). From being yelled at every morning, wearing Sid’s hand-me-downs, serving Sid hand and foot, and also checking in on his emotional well-being, Chhotu is a big part of what makes the house and Sid functional. But we don’t even know his real name. How many rich families have live-in domestic workers relegated to the background just like this. Don’t they have aspirations? Inner lives? In Ayan’s world, Chhotu stands outside the door of Aisha’s house with a box of mangoes and no one invites him in. Neither the host Aisha, nor his employer, Sid’s mother. Though the film addresses Sid’s privilege in so many ways, it fails to even register Chhotu as a person.

The Flawed Characters

I also want to talk about the very handsome Rahul Khanna as Aisha’s boss Kabir Chaudhary. The film shows us that he is not a likable person because he is pretentious and self-important. But I immediately decided to dislike him in his opening monologue about his former assistant Edna who in his words, “She was absolutely brilliant, and absolutely brilliantly she went and got pregnant.” Brother, ewww? Many men in the workplace still behave like this guy. Pregnancy is seen as a failing of a worker. So kudos to Ayan for making it clear how repulsive the guy is despite his good looks.

Relevance in 2024

If Ayan were to make and release this movie in 2024, it would still work. The premise is still very relevant. Even though the protagonist is a rich nepo baby with a bungalow in Mumbai (can’t relate), his core conflict is very relevant. A creative individual forced to conform to capitalistic ideals by Indian parents who expect returns on their investment? Yeah, it happens a lot. And often manifests in tragic ways – mental health issues, financial problems, harmful coping mechanisms, burn out, and in many cases, death by suicide.

The Need for Companionship

This is why we need our Aisha(s)—friends who will house us no questions asked, who will help us grow up and learn to be adults. In a broken system with dwindling public trust, our need for companionship and connection is more acute than ever. Like Konkona, we too want to befriend a stranger and walk with them in the middle of the night. And have nothing bad happen. We too want to eventually have our parents understand our inner worlds like Sid does. We want to accidentally arrive at our parent’s house in an auto rickshaw, and later have them pick us up for reconciliation. It’s utopia, sure, but it’s hope.

Conclusion: Wake Up Sid – Did It Age Well?

Wake Up Sid works for many reasons, and chief among them maybe is the fact that it’s the man who is the damsel in distress here, and the woman, a knight in shining armor. While the glorification of Mumbai rains “despite the flooding (sic)” is in bad taste, most elements in Wake Up Sid have aged very well. It holds up nicely in multiple re-watches. The excellent songs are a big part of its longevity. It was a commercial success 15 years ago and still manages to hit you in the feels. And Konkona’s talent and beauty are unmatched. But enjoying it takes reminding yourself that Ranbir and Ayan from 15 years ago did a good job.