FILMS: Watching "The Namesake"

[ March 9, 2007 UPDATE: See SAJAforum Review Roundup of the movie ]

I have marked Friday, March 9, 2007, on my calendar and suggest each of you in the U.S. do the same. It's going to be landmark day in desi arts. To learn why, read on.

Last night, Nov. 1, at Lincoln Square Cinemas in Manhattan, "The Namesake" made its NYC debut at Aroon Shivdasani's Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival. It was a start-studded evening, with Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi hosting the movie as assorted other celebrities - Mira Nair, who directed the movie; Kal Penn, who starred in it; Booker winner Kiran Desai; Sabrina Dhawan, screenwriter of "Monsoon Wedding," among others - joined a crowd of eager (mostly desi) New Yorkers for the gala screening.  I attended with my wife, mother and father - and am so glad I did. The movie (based on Jhumpa Lahiri's novel and written by Sooni Taraporewala) is simply wonderful. I had high expectations, thanks to the terrific novel. The acting is outstanding among the three main actors: Irrfan Khan, Tabu and Penn (in the title role, as Gogol, he is given a chance to show us his talents well beyond "Harold & Kumar Go To Whiletcastle").

SAJAer Aseem Chhabra, whose review of the film at the Telluride festival - "Namesake Will Make You Cry" - also raised my expectations. Watching the movie with my family was especially appropriate as it deals with so many things that have affected mine and countless other families: immigration, death, foreign travel, separation and much more. We talked about the movie in the cab home, over dinner and early this morning - few movies ever cause this much discussion. Aseem was right, by the way, I did cry, at two points.

Unfortunately, it doesn't open in US theaters till March 9, 2007. I plan to encourage everyone I know - desi and non-desi - to watch the movie when it comes out.

[In Aseem's review, he quotes Nair describing Tabu, the heroine, as  "India's Meryl Streep" and that got me thinking of some of Streep's biggest roles, including her haunting, Oscar-winning turn in "Sophie's Choice" and how apt the description is. Imagine my surprise, then to see in this morning's New York Times that William Styron, author of "Sophie's Choice" has died yesterday.]

Resources:

• More on the movie here (IMDB) and here (Mirabai Films, Nair's company)
• See the trailer
• More on the book here (Amazon)
• More on Nikolai Gogol, the namesake of the title and a hero of the movie and book (Wikipedia)
• More items about "The Namesake" NY debut here (essay by Arthur Pais and photos) and here (Pais on the nudity in the film) and here (Pais on the festival) and here (Pais on more of the movie) and here (T.P. Sreenivasan, my father, on the movie)
• Kamla Bhatt's podcast on the movie (interview with Mira Nair)
• Other films at the IAAC Film Festival

• [ March 9, 2007 UPDATE: See SAJAforum Review Roundup of the movie ]
  

Share your thoughts on the movie or book or Gogol or the coverage by posting a comment below.

[ POSTED BY SREE SREENIVASAN ]

Comments

[chhavi]

I just saw the trailer for the first time and while I'll admit I avoided the book (and was actually perversely proud not to have read it ;) email me if that's puzzling) I will go to see the movie and I'll drag everyone I know with me. It looks great! and I trust your opinion and Aseem's!

[Aseem Chhabra]

Sree --

More celebs sited at last night's IAAC event -- Nobel Prize for Literature winner Orhan Pamuk (who was seen outside the theater with Kiran Desai -- how I wish I had a camera; later Pamuk sat with Rushdie and Lakshmi for dinner), director Julie Taymor (Frida), actress Madhur Jaffrey and her daughter Sakina Jaffrey, actress Sarita Choudhury(Mississippi Masala). Among the filmmakers at the festival -- a young Aditya Bhattacharya (Irfan plays the lead in his hilarious Dubai Return) -- son of director Basu Bhattacharya and grandson of Bimal Roy.

And tonight the festival holds the world premiere of Umrao Jaan with Ash and AB Jr.

Aseem

[Shundell Prasad]

I also saw the film on Wednesday night, at the very crowed Lincoln Square Theater. Mira Nair continues to make us proud. As an 'aspiring filmmaker' myself, Mira's work continues to inspire.

I must commend Mira Nair on her courage to bring to life such an Indian themed film. I'm curious to see what the public response will be on March 9. We must all support her and tell our friends & family to check out the film.

Please also support the IAAC film festival which will continue through Nov. 5th. If anyone has an interest in the Indian Diaspora, please check out my film, Once More Removed: a journey back to India, which is also part of the festival, on Nov. 5th at 2:30pm at the Anthology Film Archives.

Shundell Prasad
www.oncemoreremoved.com

[Karen]

The Namesake is one of my favorite books, and I'm wondering if you have any idea at all if there is going to be a screening in NYC this December. I would like to try to see it around my birthday, which is the 14th. Wishful thinking, I know, but hey--I've read the book more than a few times.

Thank you.

[DEMET KARA]

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ByBye