Introduction *Namesake* is based on the debut novel by Jhumpa Lahiri, inspired by the author’s own quandary of being a “London born American Bengali”, away from Kolkata, & the fact that she adapted her nick name over her good name- *Nilanjana*. All Bengali’s have *two* names. A nickname is a neat outcome of the relative’s endless love & affection to the newborn. It’s a mono or duo syllable word, mostly meaningless, just a sweet timbre of lilt. Like pele, buban, gogol, hojo for boys & mimi, jhumpa, tapur for girls. Bengali’s normally takes too long to decide a "good" name.
Namesake* is a representation of present day issues involving an émigré Bengali family & a young man’s identity, his relationships, marriage, love, life, & death in the Americas.The Story & Cast As I have not read the book, I will briefly touch the subject as understood from the film.Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) a Bengali young man from Kolkata loved reading Nikolai Gogol, a Russian Author who’s life was bit similar to Van Gogh, what I gathered. Ashoke survives a train accident while he was reading Gogol’s *“The Overcoat”.* Just before the accident a co-passenger, Mr. Ghosh tells him to get out of the rut & see the world.
Ghosh dies in the accident, his last dialogue being *”to each his own”…*while sipping his liquor from his hip-pouch.Survived & inspired by Ghosh, Ashoke goes to America to pursue his PhD. His parents get him married to a Bengali girl from Kolkata, Ashima (Tabu). Gogol (Kal Penn) is born shortly & named after his father’s favorite author. Gogol is neither an American nor a Bengali name. Moreover, the associated fact that the Russian author was insane, never been successful in his living life & was unable to father a child- makes our Gogol an easy bully!
The story spans around 25-30 years of time till Gogol grows to a charming confused adult. The beginning evolves around life of Ashoke & Ashima showing their married life, birth of Gogol & Sonia & how they gradually settle in America. The story then gradually moves on to shift focus towards Gogol’s growing up in life, his relationships, happiness & pain. The story narrates the ups & downs of the family, their visit to Kolkata- root, the bonding & split, how Gogol gets inspired to opt for Architecture seeing Taj Mahal. Finally, the story leads to freedom of Gogol & his self-realization within his world.
The film ends in 2 hrs, but the story does not. Can story of a journey ever end? *Sesh jekhane; shuru sekhane *(End is beginning of something else)….Performances Depicting a story of two generations spanning 30 years within 2 hrs may be difficult. But further difficult task is to take the audience along in the journey, let them feel the passion, emotion & agony of the characters within the limited hrs of viewing. Though, the film is set little apace at places, Mira Niar, has probably done a great justice to the novel in her crisp direction. While reading a book, we can always pause, think & re-read. A movie, being a director’s medium we need to believe what we are directed to see.
The cast & the direction made it a brilliant piece of cinema, leaving me in a somber state of mind.
Irfan, portrays a scholarly Bengali man from youth to middle age with much conviction, which is complemented brilliantly by Tabu as his wife. A typical Bengali man wears specs, smokes a lot, loves his family & fosters sublime values to his children. A typical Bengali man also loves to travel. Irfan’s character has a lot of detail to observe & understand.
Irfan after playing lead roles in *“Shadows of time*” & *“Namesak*e” is as Bengali as I am.Tabu, grows in the movie from a classical music student from Kolkata to a wife of an American professor to mother of American children. While there are some detailing drawbacks (e.g.- the way of wearing a sari is not Bengali) to portray a Bengali housewife, the way she enacts mothering her children, is awesome. She travels 30 years of Ashima’s life, based on simple values like love, affection & sacrifice; her performances while dealing with the pain of losing near ones & still strong enough a character to find her own destiny is absolutely mind-blowing. Destiny, Tabu got the role as Rani Mukherjee & Konkona could not find time to do Ashima.
Kal Penn (real name is *Kalpen Modi*) as Gogol is the most complicated character in the movie. A bullied student, a confused young, a rebel son, a romantic boy-friend to an American girl, an aspiring Architect, a good son, a betrayed husband- he had to do it all. And he does it perfectly, unlike *American Desi.* His screen presence was probably equal or just shorter than Irfan or Tabu, but his performance as Gogol is way beyond the limit of cinematic duration. I wish, his journey as a confused rootless American to a determined Bengali son in *Namesake*, takes him to greater heights.
Jagannath Guha as Ghosh is impactful in the shortest role. *To each his own*. Sabyasachi Chakravarthy as Ashima’s father, Jacinda Barrett as Gogol’s girls friend helps strengthening Tabu & Kal. Special mention must go to Zuleikha Robinson as Moushumi Mazumdar as Gogol’s wife for her short , sexy & sweet performance as a French speaking liberated woman.
Jhumpa Lahiri plays a typical Bengali “masi”, but it is difficult to recognize her also as author of the book!
Cinematography, ScreenplayOverall brilliant- having shot in locations like Kolkata, US & Taj. The chill of winter & color of autumn surmounts beyond celluloid.
However, the portraying of 70’s Kolkata was a bit clichéd & fast, especially outdoors. There’s more to Kolkata than procession, Howrah Bridge, wrought iron railings of balcony. Yuva captured the city in a better way. The shots at Agra & Victoria memorial in Kolkata were superbly taken. The movie retains its gravity & splashes of humour albeit makes it lighter at places. The earlier part of the language is Bengali, later it shifts to English in B*angla* & American Accent.
MusicBackground score by Nitin Sawhney varies greatly according to the themes of the scene. I liked the heavy undertones for the gloomy scenes. There’s a Bhatiali song & a Bollywood number as well!
Bottomline*You can take a Bengali out of Kolkata, but you can’t take Kolkata out of a Bengali.* Being a woman, the way Jhumpa wrote the story from a man’s perspective & the way Mira Nair handles the complexity of relationships to gift us a superb heart touching film, my ovation to both of them.
The title comes from a Wordsworth poem featured in the movie.
We all came from Gogol’s overcoat. *I carried this movie out from the theatre, thinking of my childhood at Kolkata. A must watch for all serious cinema lovers.*Warning: This is not a feel good movie. There are few shocks, part nudity & graphic scenes not suitable for minors. Also don’t judge this book by its movie.