The Namesake

The film, The Namesake, is an adaptation from the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri.  The screenplay writer is Sooni Taraporevela, while the director/producer of the film is Mira Nair.  

Gogol Ganguli (Karl Penn) is first generation son to Indian immigrant parents (Tabu and Irrfan Khan).  Throughout the film, Gogol is constantly struggling with his identity of being Indian or American or somehow both through his name.  He named after Nikolai Gogol by his parents as a pet name or nickname until his good name or real name was decided.  At the age of four years old Gogol decides to keep his pet name, Gogol, instead of changing to his good name (which happens to be Nikolai).  When he graduates high school, he questions his parents about changing his name to Nikolai.  His mother, Ashima, tells him that he is now Gogol and that he made the decision to be so as a child.  His father, Ashoke, tells him that he can do whatever he wishes with an almost ambivalent tone.  Nikolai embraces his new identity in college, separating himself from his family and Indian culture.  He develops, becoming more American, dating the stereotypical all-American girl, Maxine (Jacinda Barrett).  In this new life, he is seemingly happy, still respecting, yet distancing himself from his former life.  A curve is thrown into the plot, when Nikolai’s father dies quite suddenly from a heart attack.  This tragedy changes Nikolai into reconsidering his more American identity and re-embracing his Indian identity.  This point is made very clear when the viewer sees him shaving off his head in mourning (an Indian tradition).  Riddled with guilt, he breaks up with Maxine, falls in love with a Bengali woman, and eventually marries her in an Indian ceremony.  In this segment of his life, he is still called Nikolai by his wife and her friends, but Gogol by his family.  His wife has an affair, which leads them to separate.  And in the final scenes, Gogol/Nikolai is seen reading passages from Nikolai Gogol’s book seemingly signifying his acceptance of his namesake and his identity.

             I thought the film, was well put together.  The characters fit their parts very well.  The plot ran smoothly.  I anticipated the happy ending of Gogol’s acceptance of both his identities. Despite all of Gogol’s epiphanies and self-discovering, I felt that he was not the most touching and heart-warming character.  Ashima seemed to give more powerful, intuitive, intelligent, and emotional-triggered lines.  She gives a speech to her family/friends regarding her feelings for America because it is where she learned to grow and love her husband and through America and all of their friends, he husband will always dwell in her heart.  This is just one example of her, which lacks any real affect unless you view the scene.  However, I enjoyed watching the film. I do think the film ran quite smoothly and was mostly well acted.  I would recommend the film.

This film ties well with Bharati Mukherjee’s book Jasmine.  The main character, Jasmine, is constantly struggling with her identity.  To fit into each of her various parts in life, she acquires a new name whether a lover gives it to her or she embraces the name evoking its spirit.  Her names seem to change with the different people in her life.  When she is with her lover, Bud, she is Jane or Wife, Jase with her friend/lover Taylor, Jasmine with her husband.  These are just a few of her names that she lives in and then moves on from. Gogol only struggles with his two names and his identification with American or Indian culture.  While, Jasmine had approximately eight separate names that she clings to in different parts of her life, struggling for her identity.