What Do The Critics Say?

"The actors are so engaging and the settings often so seductive, we pleasurably submit to what is essentially a two-hour penance for all the hurt and wrongs one has ever inflicted upon one's parents." Jan Stuart NEWSDAY "..accomplishes what many fact-based biopics fail to do. The picture gives us a sense of someone's full, lived life." Josh Larsen SUN PUBLICATIONS "Kal Penn's performance is a good cornerstone to a good, worthwhile film." Eric D Snider ERICDSNIDER.COM "This is a generational family saga everyone can relate to, and Nair gives it her special magic." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE "Deserves credit for its graceful attempt to tell an all-American story with warm, unromanticized characters trying to discover who they are in a land too eager to impose its own definition on them." Keith Phipps ONION AV CLUB "The Namesake is a thoroughly engaging, terrifically moving family story that's rich in beautifully observed and lovingly conveyed human detail." Glenn Kenny PREMIERE MAGAZINE

"Few film directors have captured the real immigrant experience with the uncanny empathy which Nair has here. Zuleikha Robinson conveys potent sensuality and smarts. The Namesake is also graced with one of the best music scores heard in years, by Nitin Sawhney." David Noh FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL "This gorgeously designed and photographed movie artfully depicts the immigrant experience in ways that transcend its setting." Lou Lumenick NEW YORK POST "Nair has taken a fascinating piece of literature and woven a rich cultural tapestry for the screen. The Namesake elicits laughter and tears in its profound and emotionally resonant family portrait." Claudia Puig USA TODAY "a deeply felt look at the ties of family and birthplace, the loneliness of living far from your home, and the connections that hold everything together." Kim Voynar CINEMATICAL "Nair has such a cinematic eye that her films are always a visual feast. She does not disappoint here." Jean Lowerison SAN DIEGO METROPOLITAN "After The Pursuit of Happyness I didn't think I'd see a better movie about dads for a decade, maybe that's why I was bowled over by The Namesake." Gary Thompson PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS

The Inside Story "Gabriel Byrne had raved to me about the novel "The Namesake" while I was dubbing for "Vanity Fair", which was a remarkable coincidence since I was already reading the novel at the time," says acclaimed director Mira Nair. Nair admits "she was struck speechless by the novel; in part because the story seemed to so closely reflect her own experience. Here was the story of a young girl who traveled from Calcutta and wound up in New York City, which is almost precisely the same road I traveled. I thought it was a deeply human story about the millions of us in America who have left one home for another and learned what it truly means to combine the old with the new." The novel profoundly connected with her on another level because she had just lost a loved one. "I think out of all my films, "The Namesake" is probably the most personal," she said. "When I read Jhumpa’s book it was like I had just met a person who completely understood my grief, who knew the cocoon I was in and everything I was experiencing and I told myself that I must buy the rights immediately." Nair’s long-time producing partner, Lydia Dean Pilcher felt right away that "The Namesake" was perfect for his next project. "It was obviously a piece that really spoke to Mira, very deeply and in a personal way," says Pilcher. "This was clear even in the urgency she felt to make this project happen right away. It was great material for her, because Mira has such a rare ability to take a very specific story and open it up into a universal story that everyone can relate to and take something from." Now all they had to do was convince author Jhumpa Lahiri. Nair soon won the Pulitzer Prize winning author over. "I don’t think I would have been interested in making the movie if it were for any other director," Lahiri stated. "But I have so much admiration for Mira and the journey she’s made as a filmmaker in this country, bringing out the Indian experience in such a fresh and innovative way; I really see her as a pioneer. She’s so passionate that she swept me and my entire family along in this film!" Nair next brought in her long time friend and collaborator, screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala, with whom she had studied at Harvard. "Sooni and I exchanged a lot of notes back and forth," Nair explained. "For me, it is absolutely essential that any film I make has both tears and laughter so we used every opportunity available to expand on the more humorous and poignant scenes in the book." Now all they had to do was cast the actors and actresses for the roles. Central to "The Namesake" is the character Gogol. That role would go to the star of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle", Karl Penn. It had a great connection because as a young kid Penn had been inspired to become an actor after seeing Nair's "Mississippi Masala. Penn had already read Lahiri's novel and spoke of the effect it had on him. "It provoked a lot of different responses from me, from laughter to tears," he says. "I immediately knew it was something very unique." But here's a twist. Originally Nair planned to cast a young Indian actor in the role. "Mira had initially considered some actors out of Bombay but as we progressed in the casting process, it became clear that finding an American to play Gogol was of paramount importance. Kal became the perfect person because he not only is an amazing actor, but he also understood the character in the most deeply felt way. It seemed like destiny to find him," says Pilcher. Nair was impressed by Penn. "Kal just moved me, frankly. He was so honest and so cute and he was able to capture Gogol’s angst, Gogol’s awkwardness and also Gogol’s distinctive coming of age. It’s a role very close to Kal’s heart because he also sees it as being about his family and where he comes from. There was a genuine sense right from the start that he owned the role and he took it very, very seriously," notes Nair. Just as important when it came to casting would be those who would play Gogol's parents Ashima and Ashoke. "They are complete strangers when they wed and then we watch as they fall in love slowly over the years," Nair explained. "It is a love that is not about saying 'I love you' dozens of times a day or sending out Hallmark cards, but it’s captured in how they look at each other." The role of Gogol's mother went to one of India’s most beloved and versatile actresses, Tabu, who has starred in over seventy feature films and is adored in Bollywood, yet here makes her Hollywood debut. "Tabu is in my view one of India’s greatest actresses and also a consistently brave performer," Nair says. Tabu impressed author Lahiri. "Tabu found just the right mixture of revealing Ashima as someone who is quite vulnerable and lost and pained by everything she’s experiencing, yet is also resilient and strong and a true survivor," she said. Working withNair was a great lure for Tabu. "I’ve always wanted to do something with her," she says, "so I was really happy when she approached me for the role of Ashima. I had already read the book and knew it would be a wonderful experience because the character is so important to the story and goes through such a wide range of emotions and experiences." Tabu revealed the big aging process Ashima goes through was a challenge. "The first few times I was made up as a fifty year old, I didn’t even want to open my eyes! But then I became used to it and now that I know what I might look like later in life, I don’t think I’ll be as scared of it." For the role of Gogol's father Ashoke, Nair cast lauded Indian star Irrfan Khan, whom she had originally discovered years ago when she cast him for a small role in "Salaam Bombay!" "Irrfan brought a very unusual and very special contemplative quality to Ashoke," notes Pilcher. "He is a great, great actor and more than that he and Tabu had extraordinary chemistry together," says Nair. "I think one of the most remarkable features of their performances is that you really feel the depth of their love growing in every scene and they capture these very internalized, restrained emotions of the characters so beautifully." And what did Khan think of his character? "Ashoke is someone who doesn’t really talk about his feelings," Khan observes. "He keeps everything to himself and his surface is always very calm even though there’s so much more going on within him. So that was the big challenge. I always felt that this was the kind of character who grows on you over the course of the film." Khan gave Peen a huge wrap. "Kal is a fabulous actor who works with his instincts and that’s what I loved about him, he'’s very spontaneous so it was a constant surprise working with him." Australian born Jacinda Barrett was thrilled to get a role in "The Namesake". "I was head over heels," she says. "I really loved the story because it has so many different colors and characters and experiences that make it unique." Barrett says she found working with Penn "exciting and refreshing. He has a really unique, peaceful presence about him," she notes. “He’s so easy going and brings so little baggage, it was really nice to work with him." Zuleikha Robinson plays the provocative Moushumi, who ultimately becomes Gogol’s troublesome wife. "I was drawn at first to Moushumi because she’s the opposite of the characters I usually play, who have generally been much more innocent and unassuming. Moushumi is very strong, very confident, very out there with her desires and ambitions." Finally, what were the authors thoughts on the finished product? "I really didn’t believe that my book could be translated into film," Lahiri admitted. "There’s so much description and summary but Mira and Sooni had read the book so carefully they were able to coax out the dialogue and action that is implicit. I could never have done this as the writer of the novel, but I thought what they did worked remarkably well." About The Author Jhumpa Lahiri was born 1967 in London, England, and raised in Rhode Island. She is a graduate of Barnard College, where she received a B.A. in English literature, and of Boston University, where she received an M.A. in English, an M.A. in creative writing, an M.A. in comparative studies in literature and the arts, and a Ph.D. in renaissance studies. She has taught creative writing at Boston University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the New School University. Her debut collection, Interpreter Of Maladies, won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It was translated into 33 languages and became a bestseller both in the United States and abroad. It received the PEN/Hemingway Award, the New Yorker Debut of the Year award, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Addison Metcalf Award, and a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Lahiri was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2002. Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel, The Namesake was a major international bestseller and was named the New York Magazine Book of the Year. She lives in New York with her husband, son and daughter. Synopsis

After wedding via an arranged marriage, Ashima moves with Ashoke from her native Calcutta to New York. As Ashima struggles to adjust to life in her new home, a true love grows between the newlyweds. When they give birth to Gogol (who does not learn the true origin of his name until adulthood), the Gangolis decide to stay in American for their child’s sake, settling in the suburbs and eventually giving birth to a daughter, Sonia. While Ashima and Ashoke attempt to balance their new life with Indian traditions, their children have the very different experience of being raised first-generation Americans. With little interest in their ancestry, both Gogol and Sonia disappoint their parents by having little respect for the sacrifices their parents made for them. Gogol’s desire to change his name, and his relationship with a wealthy American girl, places a strain on the family which Gogol will later sadly regret.

The Verdict "Once again Mira Nair directs a superb piece of film-making. A rich tapestry that flows across two continents and two generations. While much kudos must go to Nair for her talented direction, a lot of credit should also be directed to screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala, composer Nitin Sawhney and cinematographer Frederick Elmes A.S.C. whose contibutions would be easy to overlooked in light of the wonderful performances by the cast. In particular, Khan, Tabu, Robinson and Penn. "The Namesake" is a film of enormous proportion and one filled with remarkable spirit, worth seeing if only for the great love that grows between Ashoke and Ashima. The contrast between the two countries is beautifully captured, and the scenes involving the Taj Mahal in Agra are breathtaking (click the link for an amazing virtual tour). From the overcrowded streets, the heat and human tide of India to a snow covered New York City and Ashima's heartfelt isolation, "The Namesake" provides an engrossing cultural experience. Highly recommended. 4 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE NAMESAKE" stars .......
Karl Penn ["Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle", "A Lot Like Love", "Man About Town" and "Superman Returns"]; Two Time India National Best Actress Award winner Tabu [Maachis", "Chandi Bar", "Shikari", "In the Forest... Again" and "Bhagmati"]; Irrfan Khan ["The Warrior", "Footpath", "Shadows of Time" and "The Killer"]; Sahira Nair ["Mississippi Masala" and "Monsoon Wedding"]; Jacinda Barrett ["The Human Stain", "Ladder 49", "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" and "Poseidon"]; Michael Countryman ["You Can Count on Me", "Black Knight" and "The Squid and the Whale"] and Zuleikha Robinson ["Timecode""Slash", "Hildago" and "The Merchant of Venice"] as Moushumi Mazumdar.
"THE NAMESAKE" was .......
directed by 1988 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Award and 2001 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Award winner Mira Nair ["Mississippi Masala", "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love", "Momsoon Wedding" and "Vanity Fair"]; screenplay by Osella Best Screenplay Award winner Sooni Taraporevala ["Salaam Bombay!", "Mississippi Masala" and "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar"]; from the book "The Namesake" by the 2000 Pulitzer Prize Fiction Award winner Jhumpa Lahiri M.A. ["Interpreter of Maladies" and "The Namesake"]; costume design by Arjun Bhasin ["Monsoon Wedding", "Swimfan" and "Lakshya"]; production design by Stephanie Carroll ["Living in Oblivion", "Monsoon Wedding" and "The War Within"]; edited by Allyson Johnson ["Dinner Rush", "Monsoon Wedding", "Vanity Fair" and "Fierce People"]; cinematography by Independent Spirit Award winner Frederick Elmes A.S.C. ["Eraserhead", "Valley Girl", "The Ice Storm", "Kinsey" and "Broken Flowers"]; original music by BBC Radio 3 Boundary Crossing Award winner Nitin Sawhney ["The Dance of Shiva", "Pure", "Anita and Me" and "Still, the Children Are Here"]; produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher ["Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love", "Chinese Box", "Cradle Will Rock" and "Vanity Fair"] and Mira Nair ["Salaam Bombay!", "Mississippi Masala", "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love" and "Monsoon Wedding"]. Who's Who?

Irfan Khan Tabu Kal Penn Sahira Nair Jagannath Guha Zuleikha Robinson Tanusree Shankar Sabyasachi Chakravarthy Tamal Roy Choudhury Ruma Guha Thakurta Michael Countryman Glenne Headly Daniel Gerroll Jacinda Barrett

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Ashoke Ganguli Ashima Ganguli Gogol Ganguli Sonia Ganguli Ghosh Moushumi Mazumdar Ashima's Mother Ashima's Father Ashoke's Father Ashoke's Mother Mr Wilcox Lydia Ratliff Gerald Ratliff Maxine Ratliff

Run Time 122 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Fox Searchlight Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.