INSTEP Magzine

If you thought Monsoon Wedding was Mira Nair's finest film, think again. The Indian-American director's latest offering, The Namesake is a beautifully poignant tale of family ties that tackles the immigrant experience compassionately and most importantly, intelligently.

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jhumpa Lahiri, it is a film that gently expresses the gap between tradition and modernity without any usual clichés.

In between the cold winds of New York and the heat and dust of Calcutta, we are introduced to four members of the Ganguli family and what it means to hold a divided cultural identity.

Ashima Ganguli (Tabu) with her new husband Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) moves from Calcutta to America – the land of opportunities that promises a better livelihood – in 1977. Virtually strangers, Ashima slowly and slightly awkwardly discovers her new engineer husband in a lonely foreign land.

Some time later, Ashoke and Ashima have a son, who they name Gogol, a name which he embraces and rejects, quite like his divided identity. They also have a daughter who, like her brother embraces life in America.

Gogol is an average American rock 'n' roll loving teenager, he rebels and sneers at the Indian ways. And thus begins this saga of love, loss and identity.

It is a meticulous film and Mira has visibly given attention to little details that make The Namesake such a delight. The scenes where Ashima adds spices to breakfast cereal or when she discusses with her friend, why her son is dating a girl who has a name like Max (it's actually Maxine) are like little nuances that shine through the film, adding a subtle flavour of humour.

The subject of cultural identity crisis and immigrant experience is not new. Many films before have touched this subject. Some do it blatantly and rather predictably like Tanuja Chandra's Sugar and Spice. Others, including many contemporary Bollywood films hint at it ala Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenga, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Swades and these are just some names. The Namesake is distinct because it tackles such a subject without using predictable patterns. As divided as identities maybe, one doesn't see Gogol scream and shout at his Maa or simply become indifferent to a set of parents who are still struggling and longing to return to their roots, especially, his mother Ashima.

Other than the tight screenplay, it's also a visual treat. Like many hit Bollywood and Hollywood films, The Namesake does not boast of grandeur. Instead, the small details like Ashima's first snow in America, the small lanes of Calcutta and the history of Agra gave it a rich colour palette.

Even as the story plays a pivotal role, the actors set their own paths in the film. With every film, Irfan Khan improves. The Namesake remains his best achievement as an actor. In it, he is sightful, intuitive and loving as a husband, silently encouraging and loving as a father and an intelligent, even if somewhat tradition-bound as a man. Irfan Khan is incredible. And now that Irfan has scored an important role in Angelina Jolie starrer, A Mighty Heart, it seems his acting card is all set to go further up.

Not the first choice for the role of Gogol Ganguli – that was Abhishek Bachchan who couldn't do the film because he was busy shooting Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna – Kal Penn has broken barriers and made a mark with critics all across the globe with his performance.

From his young and rebellious years of smoking up and being 'hip' to understanding the link between traditions and modern day life, Kal Penn as Gogol is magnificent.

The star of the show and the most popular actor in the film – Kal Penn remains relatively unknown as does Irfan Khan to many, especially Asians – is Tabu (she was also not the first choice for the film. That honour went to Rani Mukherji because of her Bengali roots but she too was busy with KANK!) and Tabu delivers to the hype that surrounds this film.

Year to year, with a single dialogue, a subtle glaze, and unspoken aspirations spun in between two continents, Tabu as Ashima casts an outstanding spell.

Tabu has sheered away from Bollywood over the last few years. Her last film was Fanaa in which she made a small cameo appearance. The Namesake marks her return in the spotlight despite the fact this is not a commercial Bolly flick. By every standard, it is that off an international scale. Even background score from melodic genius A. R. Rahman

Compared to The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding was froth and Vanity Fair, a visual treat. Mira has matured as a filmmaker and it is this visible progression that makes director consistent in delivering great films.

Despite an Indian storyline and English-Bengali language, The Namesake has become one of the biggest hits of the season. In India, it is doing above average business and considering the language barrier, it is a decent start. Interestingly enough, the film has crossed 4.6 million dollars mark in just two weeks and is still going strong in UK and USA, beating Aishwarya starrer Provoked hands down.

In all probability, this role will not win Tabu any leading popular Indian awards but it has won international accolade. Rani and Abhishek would have played their cards smarter had they chosen The Namesake over KANK.

In the end, the words of an American critic ring true: "You don't have to be Indian to enjoy The Namesake."

--Maheen Sabeeh

*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME