# Wake Up Sid
**Wake Up Sid** (वेक अप सिड) is a 2009 Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by [Ayan Mukerji](https://www.edgepedia.org/ayan-mukerji) in his directorial debut, starring [Ranbir Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ranbir-kapoor) as the aimless Mumbai college student Sidharth "Sid" Mehra and [Konkona Sen Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/konkona-sen-sharma) as Aisha Banerjee, an aspiring writer from Kolkata.[1](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/not-ranbir-kapoor-but-imran-khan-was-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-tuesday-trivia-2443699-2023-10-03) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324059/fullcredits/) It was produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions together with UTV Motion Pictures and released in India on 2 October 2009.[3](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/wake-sid-0)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 2 October 2009, Hindi with English subtitles, 138 minutes[3](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/wake-sid-0) • [4](https://watch.afi.com/movie/wake-up-sid) |
| Director / writers | Ayan Mukerji (story and screenplay), dialogue by Niranjan Iyengar[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324059/fullcredits/) |
| Producers | Karan Johar and Hiroo Johar (Dharma Productions), released by UTV Motion Pictures[3](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/wake-sid-0) |
| Music | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy and Amit Trivedi; cinematography by Anil Mehta[4](https://watch.afi.com/movie/wake-up-sid) |
| India box office | ₹27.95 cr net lifetime; opening day ₹3.66 cr; opening weekend ₹10.42 cr; rated a Semi-Hit[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/wake-up-sid/box-office/page/1/) |
| Overseas | Total overseas gross of 1.89 million USD[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/wake-up-sid/box-office/page/1/) |
| Follow-up | Mukerji's second film, *Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani* (2013), again starring Ranbir Kapoor[6](https://dailyjindrahimages.com/Epaper/2023/JUNE/03-06-2023.pdf) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
Sid is a lazy, wealthy Mumbai college student who does nothing with his time until a turn of events makes him realize his potential in the fast-paced life of the city.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/wake-up-sid) In the film's opening scene he sits at a study table late at night, setting aside comic books and music magazines to pick up an accountancy book for his final-year exams.[8](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/wake-up-sid-well-done-sid/articleshow/22033903.cms) After flunking his finals and a verbal brawl with his father, he leaves home and moves in with Aisha, a 27-year-old newcomer to Mumbai who wants to build a life of her own in the city she loves.[9](https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/1lw7m5xx49hZMnGmfVSQfM/When-boy-meets-man.html)
The supporting cast includes [Anupam Kher](https://www.edgepedia.org/anupam-kher) as Sid's father Ram Mehra, Supriya Pathak as his mother Sarita, Rahul Khanna, Namit Das as Sid's friend Rishi, and Shikha Talsania.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324059/fullcredits/) One of the film's best-remembered scenes comes when a changed Sid visits his father's office to hand over his first salary cheque.[9](https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/1lw7m5xx49hZMnGmfVSQfM/When-boy-meets-man.html)
## Production
[Dharma Productions](https://www.edgepedia.org/dharma-productions) signed the then 24-year-old Ayan Mukerji, a cousin of actors Kajol and [Rani Mukerji](https://www.edgepedia.org/rani-mukerji), to direct in July 2008, with Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma attached from the start.[10](https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood-news/dharma-productions-signs-debutant-ayan-mukerji-to-direct/24202) Mukerji had assisted [Ashutosh Gowariker](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashutosh-gowariker) on *Swades* and Karan Johar on *Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna* before taking the plunge.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/news/2009/wake-up-sid-ayan-nervous-220909.html) He said he wanted to write about a time in his life when he and his friends were young, lost, and having the time of their lives without knowing what they were doing.[12](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-launch-of-video-blog-of-wake-up-sid/20090820.htm)
**A deliberate break from the Dharma mold.** Johar described the film as an experiment with a different genre of filmmaking: no item songs, no outdoor shooting, no pomp, just a slice-of-life story about a boy waking up to his responsibilities.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/sweet-success/story-UH42Tdgt3AeeiLjwQf2MqM.html) It was the first [Karan Johar](https://www.edgepedia.org/karan-johar) production filmed entirely in Mumbai, and Johar said he consciously stepped back, giving Mukerji no inputs because the film belonged to a different generation and sensibility.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/news/2009/wake-up-sid-ayan-nervous-220909.html) • [12](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-launch-of-video-blog-of-wake-up-sid/20090820.htm)
**Casting.** Who was first offered the lead is reported differently. In 2009 Johar said Ranbir was always the first choice of both director and producer.[14](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/ranbir-was-the-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-karan-johar/) In a 2023 retrospective interview marking 14 years since release, Mukerji told Film Companion's Anupama Chopra that he and Johar had initially pursued [Imran Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/imran-khan), and that Johar even offered him the part, but after seeing a rough cut of *Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na* Mukerji felt on instinct that Imran was not right for the role he had written.[1](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/not-ranbir-kapoor-but-imran-khan-was-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-tuesday-trivia-2443699-2023-10-03)
**Post-production.** Although the film looks simple, it used substantial visual effects: Mumbai's Prime Focus executed 196 VFX shots over 45 days of post-production, covering background replacement, digital matte painting, chroma compositing, CG rain, and time-lapse transitions.[15](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/ayan-mukerji-wakes-up-to-vfx/)
## Release and the Bombay controversy
On the day of release, 2 October 2009, the [Maharashtra Navnirman Sena](https://www.edgepedia.org/maharashtra-navnirman-sena) protested outside theaters in [Maharashtra](https://www.edgepedia.org/maharashtra) because the film used the word "Bombay" rather than "Mumbai". Karan Johar met MNS chief [Raj Thackeray](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-thackeray) that afternoon, apologized, and agreed to bring back the film reels and re-dub "Bombay" to "Mumbai"; Thackeray asked for the correction on each of the 700 frames in the film, a job expected to take two or three days. No violence was reported at the protests.[16](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/wake-up-sid-in-trouble/20091002.htm)
## Box office
The film opened to ₹3.66 cr on its first day in India, reached ₹10.42 cr by the end of its opening weekend and ₹15.68 cr by the end of week one, and finished with a lifetime India net total of ₹27.95 cr. Overseas it grossed 1.89 million USD, and Bollywood Hungama's verdict classifies its performance as a Semi-Hit.[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/wake-up-sid/box-office/page/1/)
## Reception
Wake Up Sid received a broadly positive critical reception, with reviewers finding it a refreshing and authentic slice-of-life film about urban youth.[17](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/wake-up-sid/) Anupama Chopra of NDTV wrote that the film "belongs to Ranbir", calling him pitch-perfect as the dazed and confused Sid; Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama praised its realism and Kapoor's command of the craft; and Mayank Shekhar of Hindustan Times noted that the coolness was not fake, crediting a heartfelt debut from a writer-director who had lived the material.[17](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/wake-up-sid/) The most consistent criticism targeted the thin plot and a climax borrowed from stock Hollywood romantic-comedy endings.[17](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/wake-up-sid/) Time Out gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it an accomplished, touching tale of contemporary urban Indians despite a simplistic "follow your heart" message.[18](https://www.timeout.com/movies/wake-up-sid)
## Legacy
The film is regarded as a beloved modern classic of [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) and established the Kapoor–Mukerji partnership, which continued with *Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani* (2013) and *Brahmastra Part One: Shiva* (2022).[1](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/not-ranbir-kapoor-but-imran-khan-was-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-tuesday-trivia-2443699-2023-10-03) Critics repeatedly measure Mukerji's later work against it: reviews of *Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani* called his debut a nuanced coming-of-age film grounded in realism, and contrasted the sequel's textbook rom-com with the independent spirit and unconventional storyline of *Wake Up Sid*.[19](https://accessbollywood.net/tag/wake-up-sid/) • [20](https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood_news/review-ranbir-kapoor-deepika-padukone-are-smoking-hot-in-yeh-jawaani-hai-deewani/76371) As of late 2026 the film is not on any free streaming service in the United States; it can be rented on the Apple TV Store for $3.99 or bought for $7.99.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/wake-up-sid)
## References
1. [Not Ranbir Kapoor, but Imran Khan was first choice for 'Wake up Sid', India Today (3 October 2023)](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/not-ranbir-kapoor-but-imran-khan-was-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-tuesday-trivia-2443699-2023-10-03)
2. [Wake Up Sid (2009) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1324059/fullcredits/)
3. [WAKE UP SID, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/wake-sid-0)
4. [Wake Up Sid, American Film Institute](https://watch.afi.com/movie/wake-up-sid)
5. [Wake Up Sid Box Office Collection, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/wake-up-sid/box-office/page/1/)
6. [Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani completes 10 years, Daily Jindrah Images (3 June 2023)](https://dailyjindrahimages.com/Epaper/2023/JUNE/03-06-2023.pdf)
7. [Wake Up Sid streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/wake-up-sid)
8. [Wake up Sid: Well done Sid, Bangalore Mirror (2 October 2009)](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/wake-up-sid-well-done-sid/articleshow/22033903.cms)
9. [When boy meets man, Mint (3 October 2009)](https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/1lw7m5xx49hZMnGmfVSQfM/When-boy-meets-man.html)
10. [Dharma Productions signs debutant Ayan Mukerji to direct, Business of Cinema (23 July 2008)](https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood-news/dharma-productions-signs-debutant-ayan-mukerji-to-direct/24202)
11. [Wake Up Sid makes Ayan very nervous, Filmibeat (22 September 2009)](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/news/2009/wake-up-sid-ayan-nervous-220909.html)
12. ['I am too old to be part of Wake Up Sid', Rediff.com (20 August 2009)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-launch-of-video-blog-of-wake-up-sid/20090820.htm)
13. [Sweet success, Hindustan Times (10 October 2009)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/sweet-success/story-UH42Tdgt3AeeiLjwQf2MqM.html)
14. ["Ranbir was the first choice for Wake Up Sid" – Karan Johar, Bollywood Hungama (22 September 2009)](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/ranbir-was-the-first-choice-for-wake-up-sid-karan-johar/)
15. [Ayan Mukerji wakes up to vfx, Bollywood Hungama (8 October 2009)](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/ayan-mukerji-wakes-up-to-vfx/)
16. [Wake Up Sid in trouble, Rediff.com (2 October 2009)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/wake-up-sid-in-trouble/20091002.htm)
17. [Wake Up Sid (2009) Movie Review — 8 Critic Reviews, TheReviewMonk](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/wake-up-sid/)
18. [Wake Up Sid review, Time Out (5 October 2009)](https://www.timeout.com/movies/wake-up-sid)
19. [Movie Review: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013), Access Bollywood](https://accessbollywood.net/tag/wake-up-sid/)
20. [REVIEW: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone Are Smoking Hot In 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', Business of Cinema](https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood_news/review-ranbir-kapoor-deepika-padukone-are-smoking-hot-in-yeh-jawaani-hai-deewani/76371)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2000s › Drama films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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