“The Namesake,” directed by Mira Nair (based on the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri) follows an immigrant family in New York comprising of the well-settled Ashoke, his slightly conservative wife Ashima Ganguli, and their children, Gogol and Sonia, who’ve been born, brought up, and taken to Western culture like a fish takes to water. This movie is all about Gogol trying to find his path as well as getting in touch with his roots, without letting his culture or even his own name overshadow him. It speaks not just for Gogol or for Ashima but probably for millions of other immigrants who struggle to find a balance between their native and the country they’ve chosen to settle down in. It also deals with themes of grief and loss, as well as moving on—for life is a journey beset with hurdles and train-wrecks.
I love the messages in this movie, the beautiful locales, the encapsulating cinematography, and the performances in it also. It is indeed a great loss to cinema with the passing of Irrfan Khan, an actor who breathes his very soul into the character of Ashoke Ganguli, a loving father, an equally loving husband, and most importantly a man who is kind enough to know that his family feels out of place in a new country and still lets them lay out their own blueprints for their life. I will forever miss those eyes, that chuckle, and the lopsided grin which speaks volumes alone. Tabu as the resilient Ashima is yet again a powerhouse and is ably supported by Kal Penn who makes one feel for Gogol as he sets out to seek his own identity. The rest of the supporting cast do wonders in even the smallest roles. The music—a mix of Carnatic music and hip hop—strikes the right chord with both the Indian as well as American crowd, thus complementing the diasporic themes.
I end this review by paraphrasing Ashoke Ganguli himself: “Pack a pillow & a blanket…and go see this movie. You will not regret it.”
