The Namesake (film)
| The Namesake | |
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Promotional poster
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| Directed by | Mira Nair |
| Produced by | Mira Nair |
| Written by |
Jhumpa Lahiri (novel) Sooni Taraporevala |
| Starring |
Tabu Irrfan Khan Kal Penn Zuleikha Robinson Jacinda Barrett Sebastian Roché Sahira Nair Ruma Guha Thakurta Sabyasachi Chakrabarty Supriya Devi |
| Music by | Nitin Sawhney |
| Cinematography | Frederick Elmes |
| Edited by | Allyson C. Johnson |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
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Release date
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| Country | United States India |
| Language | English Bengali Hindi French |
The Namesake is a 2006 Indian-American drama film which was released in the United States on 9 March 2007, following screenings at film festivals in Toronto and New York City. It was directed by Mira Nair and is based upon the novel of the same name by Jhumpa Lahiri, who appeared in the movie. Sooni Taraporevala wrote the screenplay. The film received positive reviews from American critics.
The Namesake depicts the struggles of Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli (Irrfan Khan and Tabu), first-generation immigrants from the East Indian state of West Bengal to the United States, and their American-born children Gogol (Kal Penn) and Sonia (Sahira Nair). The film takes place primarily in Kolkata, New York City and New York state suburbs.
The story begins as Ashoke and Ashima leave Calcutta and settle in New York City. Through a series of miscues, their son's nickname, Gogol (named after Ukrainian author Nikolai Gogol), becomes his official birth name, an event which will shape many aspects of his life. The story chronicles Gogol's cross-cultural experiences and his exploration of his Indian heritage, as the story shifts between the United States and India.
Gogol becomes as a lazy, pot smoking teenager indifferent to his cultural background. He resents many of the customs and traditions his family upholds and doesn't understand his parents. After a summer trip to India before starting college at Yale, Gogol starts opening up to his culture and becomes more accepting of it.
After college, Gogol uses his "good name" Nikhil (later shortened to Nick). He works as an architect and dates Maxine (Jacinda Barrett), a Caucasian woman from a wealthy background, who is clueless about their cultural differences. Gogol falls in love with Maxine and introduces her to his parents, who struggle to understand his modern, American perspectives on dating, marriage and love. They are hesitant and guarded when meeting her. Gogol gets along with Maxine's family and feels closer to them than he does his own family.
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