Film Review: Namesake
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A stickler for the emotional, the Namesake is a torrent film ridden by familial sagas, cultural retributions and a women’s plight for unity. Hailed by the novelist Sooni Taraporevala, Director Mira Nair translucently translates Taraporevala’s words into onscreen imagery.
In depicting the sojourn, couple Ashoke (Khan) and his wife Ashima (Tabu) are introduced as the newly –weds who embark on their American dream. A grave depiction of their alternative lifestyle emerges, from dilapidated housing to their adjustment to shivery climes; all is reminiscent from their Indian customary practices and usual habitat.
The plot slowly thickens as Ashima (Tabu) gives birth. From bubbles of joys to teenage tyrants, Namesake extends to the consequential upbringing of their children in modern society. With their son, Gogol (Penn) and daughter Sonia played by Sahira Nair mirroring briskly teenagers devout of ‘westernised’ attributes and resistant to their rooted upbringing- the crack begins to form.
Having a concept that dwells on torn traditions can agitate your patience yet, in the same light it is particularly impressive to recoil a family’s struggle and determination to remain grounded in a foreign country.
Not rigid, in terms of storyline, a host of issues and predicaments do surface- divorce, affairs, relationships and the most obvious division. The separatism of culture is at times mind numbing, but it also serves as a revelation to the disparities in judgements and hardship across the borders. Hard –hitting and comical, Namesake is worth its name in cause.
Read interview with Film Composer Nitin Sawhney
MyVillage 20th March
"I think Nitin Sawhney could not feel Ms. Jhoompa Lahiris' original novel (not even mentioned by Mr. Sawhney, I have doubts that he really knows about this or not).
Namesake is the story of persons finding out their roots. People migrate to a different country for better living and slowly get accustomed to the new culture.Their children start forgetting thier own culture. But in spite of that, traces of roots remain in their blood which they start feeling slowly. By this process, one day they find their roots.
This is the main thing about namesake. Another important point of the film is the superb acting by Irfan khan and Tabu (forgiving the Bengali pronunciation).
As a result, film "Namesake" though could not reach the height of classics made by Ray or Ghatak, but marked a prominence, keeping much ahead of the contemporary all Bollywood style hindi movies."
animesh banerjee 17th July
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