Karan Johar

Ayan Mukherji, the young and talented writer and director of Wake Up Sid approached me with a story he had been working on, a coming of age film about a rich, lazy, irresponsible, slacker boy from Bombay, who is aimless and carefree, without a plan in life.

Of this particular breed of Bombay kids, I know many, but I also knew that Ayan was none of these things in actuality, but knew all of these things in essence. Hard working and super smart, Ayan assisted me on Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and created an impression on me and the rest of the KANK team with his observations and boundless supply of energy.

His enthusiasm and passion for cinema is infectious, and his narration for Wake Up Sid was reflective of that, and half way into the story, I found myself completely hooked. In many ways, Wake Up Sid mirrors Ayan's own coming of age, as he found the confidence and discipline to churn out a screenplay that was like none other I had read before.

As a producer, there are many variables to consider when deciding to undertake a film.

Obviously, you can't ignore a certain commercial salability, a certain comfort in knowing that the project is in the same vein as the work produced before, but ultimately, what resonates is how unique the project is, what separates it from the rest of the crop, and how receptive an audience will be to a very contemporary style of story telling, and that's what made it a healthy challenge, something that I couldn't resist being a part of.

Wake Up Sid represents many firsts for us. The story explores the first time you start to take responsibility for your life, the first time you are expected to act like an adult.

Producing a film based and shot entirely in Bombay was a first for us too, as was the look and treatment Ayan had envisioned. There was a charm to the screenplay, and honesty in the characters that made me trust Ayan's instincts on this film completely.

The music of the film is unlike any Dharma soundtrack you've heard before and the journey of the album was another first for us.

The opportunity to work with Ranbir Kapoor, a young star who only continues to rise was especially exciting for me as his father; Rishi Kapoor was my favorite actor growing up.

Ranbir has a likeability, a sincerity, and a coolness that the Indian audience is hungry for, and has played Sid with a charm and subtlety that is endearing. Konkona Sen Sharma's talent and screen presence is unprecedented and the inclusion of her in this project made perfect sense.

What excites me about the casting of this film, unique as it is, is that while it's easy to create a crackling pair on a surface level, the true challenge is to engage the audience with something unexpected and new and attempt to change some of the norms and conditions we find ourselves falling prey to.

As a producer, I offered my support and advice to Ayan and his young team when needed, but for the most part, I remained somewhat uninvolved with the creative aspects of the film, including the music, as I knew the film had a style very different from my own and that there was a certain charm to it that I was anxious to see unfold.

What resulted was a unique experience for me as a producer because I was able to be surprised with the final outcome, and have an objective experience throughout, which is a rarity.

I believe that what makes a film special is what you are able to take home from it and I hope Wake Up Sid resonates and connects emotionally for you as much as it did for me.

The release is still a month and a half away, so for now, sit back, no, SIT UP, and enjoy the promos on air and the soundtrack that will release August 21st and don't forget to set your alarms for October 2nd, when Sid finally 'WAKES UP'!