The Namesake

A.V: ****1/2

E.V: ****

Gogol. Gogol Ganguli. It’s as Bengali a name as you would find in the whole of Kolkata.When I first heard this name, I wondered why any parent would want their child to be called that. How embarrassed the child himself must be feeling to be called such a name. There is a scene in the movie where the father explains to the doctor, “Every Bengali has two names dak naam (pet name) and bhalo naam (good name)”. That’s a statement any Bengali (Shontu, Montu, Piya, Shona etc) would connect with I am sure. It is an identity assigned by you personally by your parents and so strengthens the bond they share with you. It is the central theme of The Namesake.

Based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s award winning novel, The Namesake is a touching story of cultures, relationships and identities. Ashok Ganguli (Irfan Khan) the PhD scholar from America finds a match in Ashima (Tabu). They build their own small life in New Jersey. They are thrilled to welcome a new member into this life, their son. As a temporary purpose Ashok names his son Gogol after the famous Russian author Nikholai Gogol whom he has a strong bond too. They go through the same dilemmas that all NRI parents do – instilling the right values in their children while allowing them enough freedom to grow. As he grows up Gogol (Kal Penn) hates his own name, and slowly gets alienated from his parents with time and age. He faces dilemmas of his own, while his parents pine for him. A series of incidents make him aware of his responsibilities and purpose and it takes him back to his roots.

Mira Nair blends the story of an Indian Bengali family with the same earthiness as her own Mississippi Masala. In the beginning we are only introduced to Ashok and Ashima to take us into a world which is built around them solely. With the birth of Gogol more and more characters come in along with additional tracks to show how the couple slowly become only a small part of their son’s life. Throughout the movie the setting is maintained around a middle class family whether in Kolkata or New Jersey. The background music has a soothing effect and becomes part of the narration.

The beauty however lies in the sequences and the performances. Who would say that Irfan Khan and Tabu are not Bengalis, after hearing them speak English with a Bangla accent without making it sound exaggerated. Their love story is one of moving moments of the movie, understated but deeply felt. Kal Penn lends realms of maturity to his character. From the phase where he rejects his name to his final realization he portrays an entire journey of emotions with ease.

The movie slackens a bit after the reentry of Moushumi’s character but picks up later on. And what was that weird dance bit on the wedding night?? Yet the fact that this story is viewed through the eyes of a father, a mother and a son make it a must watch for everyone.

- Suprateek Sinha