The Namesake

 

The Namesake 2006

• Director: Mira Nair
• Seen by this director: Hysterical Blindness, Mississippi Masala
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Kal Penn, Tabu, Irrfan Khan, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, Brooke Smith
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Kal Penn – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Tabu – The Life of Pi
• Irrfan Khan – The Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire, Darjeeling Limited,
• Jacinda Barrett – The Human Stain
• Zuleikha Robinson – The Merchant of Venice, Hidalgo
• Brooke Smith – Interstellar, In Her Shoes, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Kansas City, The Silence of the Lamb
• Why? Liked it the first time,
• Seen: Once before. Now 9 April 2021

             Marriage is arranged between Ashoke (Khan) and Ashima (Tabu). They leave India for New York where Ashoke is getting his PhD in fibre optics. It is winter and everything is strange for Ashima. Ashoke is kind and loving but he’s often gone.  

       Their first child is born. They call him Gogol after the Russian author. She wants to return to India. Ashoke wants to stay where there are opportunities.

       They stay. Time passes. Gogol and his sister grow up. Gogol doesn’t appreciate being named after a crazy suicidal author.

       It’s not very dramatic but it’s a poignant portrayal of a family caught between India and America.

  4 * of 5