2006, India/USA
Drama, Romance
The effects of a book can be astounding. Whether it is reading a truth that alters a way of thinking, an inscription that reminds one of passionate times or a note more profound upon second reading.
Based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, director Mira Nair (Vanity Fair, Monsoon Wedding) continues to infuse her Indian heritage into films through this tale of quietly struggling generations. The journey is long and the road often rough, but the telling is gentle and comforting.
The Namesake’s title would imply that the story centers around son Gogol, named for genius Russian author Nikolai Gogol. As with Gogol’s character Akakiy Akakievitch in his short story, “The Overcoat,” Gogol Ganguli is cursed by a name that causes his peers to verbally stumble. An American born of Indian immigrants, Gogol would prefer to hide his legacy than explore it.
But the film is not really about Gogol. Rather, it peripherally focuses on the lives that created him. From his parents’ arranged marriage in India to their chilly, sparse home in New York, Gogol’s family makes compromises to provide him with more opportunities. Though they only ask for love and respect in return, the public reaction to his moniker has shamed him into shutting off his family history and traditions.
Portrayed by the often comic Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Gogol reveals growing pains as he attempts to become a unique individual. A bit whiny and sullen as a graduating teen and a tad uneven as he matures, Penn could learn much from the expertise of his Indian costars, Irfan Khan and Tabu. Tabu is rightfully a celebrated actress in her home country, and her talents are obvious. Her acting is subtle and beautifully crafted, and she steals the spotlight without overdramatizing.
As conversations meld Bengali and English, the audience becomes aware that this film weaves aspects of two distinct cultures. As Tabu’s young bride steps into her unknown groom’s “Made in America” shoes, she becomes curious about life on the other side of the world. Yet even as she learns of this foreign lifestyle, she remains grounded in the culture into which she was born. Her son Gogol, on the other hand, views her homeland as a world apart from the one into which he was raised and must learn to acknowledge the lineage he buried in his youth.
Just as the opening titles are created from gentle brush strokes, so too is the story delicately delivered. The passage of time is viewed over 30 years, and yet the transitions are not abrupt nor weakly elucidated. The dirty, crowded cities of Calcutta and New York City are shown in all their bustling glory, while the musical score creates a light mood in celebration of the life within the streets.
Nair has succeeded in creating a rich story, softly told. Each character battles with internal struggles, yet it is their connections with one another that are ultimately most important.
Read Nikolai Gogol’s short story, “The Overcoat.”