DIRECTOR- Mira Nair
CAST- Irrfan Khan, Kal Penn, Tabu, Zuleikha Robinson, Jacinda Barrett.
A father is telling his peculiarly named son “Gogol” about the origins of his name….about the horrific night the father was travelling by train, and the train derailed. The father would have been left for dead, but for the pages of a book by Nikolai Gogol fluttering in his hand, which were spotted by some people, and hence led to his being rescued from certain death. A horrified Gogol looks into his father’s eyes and asks, “Does my name remind you of that terrible incident?” The father looks lovingly at his son and says…”No, Gogol. It reminds me of all the happy moments that have followed that fateful day. It reminds me constantly that life, each and every moment of it, is a gift to be treasured….”
THIS one incident is the essence of “The Namesake”. The Namesake is the story of a newly married, Bengali immigrant couple Ashoke (Irrfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu) who move to New York. The story is about how they get to know and love each other in an unfamiliar land, how they raise two children Gogol (Kal Penn) and Sonia, and how the children, especially Gogol, struggle with their Indian identity in a country that perhaps accepts their Indian-ness, but doesn’t quite understand it, .
This family goes through the joys and upheavals that every family goes through. Gogol gets into a couple of relationships- with an American girl Maxine (Jacinda Barrett) and a Bengali-Indian Moushmi (Zuleikha Robinson). Neither of the relationships turns out quite the way he expects it to, although they both teach him something about himself. But the one relationship that really forms the crux of his life is that with his father, and with the name gifted to him by his father…..
MY TAKE- “The Namesake” is a beautifully written book, which is crafted into a great film by Mira Nair. If you are at the stage of your existence where relationships, especially that with your family, holds a lot of meaning in your life…then“The Namesake” cannot fail to move you. The narrative pulls you in gradually, but once it grabs you, it holds you in its thrall, like a clinging vine wrapped around your emotions.
As I’ve mentioned before, for me the father-son equation was the essence of the movie…and as such the one character/performance that stands out in my mind is that of Irrfan Khan. He is absolutely astounding as the gentle, quiet, yet unmistakably loving Ashoke. I have always seen him play stoic roles before this, characters that almost appear emotion-less. But in Namesake, he is anything but emotion-less. The amount of affection and love Ashoke’s eyes convey…it reaches right across the screen to you and enfolds you in its warmth. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Irrfan/Ashoke is the soul of the movie.
Not taking away from Kal Penn, who essays a difficult role with conviction. The growth of Gogol- from a rebellious surly teenager, to a confused American Desi, to a man who finds himself- is all wonderfully done by Kal Penn. I thought the other roles were cast well too. Zuleikha Robinson as “Moushmi” is exactly the way I would have pictured her from the book…not conventionally pretty but very earthy, attractive, and definitely confused!
The only disappointment for me was Tabu. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the actress, and she has played the most diverse roles to perfection in the span of her career. But Tabu in the Namesake just does not “get” the character of Ashima. There is a scene in the beginning of the movie where Ashima tries on the shoes of her husband to be, and seems delighted at the way they fit…..if only Tabu were as comfortable in the shoes of Ashima! Somehow Tabu seems very ill at ease throughout the movie- the accent, the look, and even the emotions of Ashima, nothing seemed to connect with Tabu…if you’ve read the book, you know what I mean. Tabu has her moments...especially when she is with Irrfan coz they do have great chemistry. But Ashima is also a mother...and that part Tabu just doesnt get right.
Still, that one flaw does not take away from the greatness of the movie. If you are in the mood to be swept away by a very real, poignant human drama, watch the Namesake. I guarantee that it will make you appreciate the vagaries of life, make you appreciate the people you love, and will make you appreciate the gift that life is. Even if it is just for the duration of the movie, don’t we all want to feel that?