Just saw the Namesake earlier. I liked it very much. At times, especially in the early part of the film showing the relationship between Ashok and Ashima reminded me of Apu and his wife in Apur Sansar. Actually Mira Nair said the film was inspired and dedicated to Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak.
Everyone seems to be talking about Irfan Khan's performance, which I agree was good but I think Tabu's performance was better probably better than if Konkona Sen Sharma had done the role. Kal Penn gave a good performace, in the first role where he really acts, as I've just seen him in nothing but comedies. This film looks like it would be doing very well at the box office as both showings were sold out. Since Mira Nair seems to bring out the best in her actors I will be looking forward to Mr Bachchan's performance in Shantaram.

I recommend The Namesake to all of you who haven't seen it.

or shobhna from south 1 she was superb in Mitr My friend!! I wish bollywood pundits should have sent that film for oscars!

I watched Name-SAKE today. I loved the movie. The story is something every Indian family could relate to. Tabu and Khan were excellent and the movie belongs to them. Kal gave good performance as well.

i wud love to watch this flick, but have a feeling i need to leave the yungins at home to go see it. can those who've seen it suggest whether it is a film suitable for a 3 yr old?
and does it require a lot of attention, or can i leave the cinema should my infant also act up. for the record, didn't mind doing that at several times during KANK!

Yes, you have to leave the young ones at home if you want to see it. I don't know what country you're based but in UK it is rated 12, even though with some scenes you wonder how it made the 12 certificate...more like a 15.
It's not suitable for a 3-year-old, if a 3-year-old knows what's going on. There is a sex and kissing scene between Irfan and Tabu and a nude scene with Zuleikha and Kal Penn. I bet Indian audiences didn't see that one coming... It's not a bollywood film.



It requires attention if you're going to get the most out of it. Most people seem to really like the film, so you won't be treating it like KANK.

Saw the film today..........and although it was generally well made, there was something missing. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed - I walked away thinking that the book was so much better than the film. I just felt that the book at more impact than the film, in vital scenes such as Ashoke telling Gogol the true meaning of his name. Overall, I thought it was a good film, but the book was better.

I saw it too!! very well made, more comprehensive story compared to monsoon wedding.

film on me kinda dragged at times!! The real essence made me

I personally thought same too, what should i take home?

Tabu/Irfan very natural..no melow drama stylistic stuff!!

I would be if abhishek and rani would do roles as planned
God saved Mira Baii with sense!

Film is not meant for kids though! In my theater it was all mature audience 98% whites, almost houseful, 3rd week?

If Bollywood can make 2% of films at this caliber and sensibility, I'll be pleased!

some how a lower scale production, MITR MY FRIEND gelled overall better with me and entire family liked it!

I didn't like The Namesake as much as I wanted to. It felt more didactic than anything else. I cringed at every instant when someone would say "but this is America". Clearly Nair or screenplay writer Sooni Taraporevala could have been less socially subversive. A fine performance from Irrfan Khan though.

I really have no clue how Abhishek could've played that role. He's an Indian-American and needs to reflect such. It's true that Ab Jr. could've learned the mannerisms and speech, but if you've ever heard him say "Dude" or other bits of English dialogue in movies, it just doesn't feel natural in that sense. Kal Penn was perfect and this was a movie that broke his Kumar image.

I agree, retrospect cast would dictate disaster imho.

Believe me!! I was in a mood to like it a lot, but somehow!! It is not a bad film though! A lot Better than all hindi films in same genre

You call The Namesake didactic and yet praise the obvious, dumbed-down, and hysterically-pitched politics of Rang de Basanti?

To each, his own.

Rang De Basanti, for me, is didactic in the very least. It's a rare achievement in hindi(or Indian) cinema that touches upon the notion of time and space, unambiguously giving it's viewer a chance to contribute to the film's subconscious framework.

Come on, Rang De Basanti was really not THAT good.

One part of The Namesake I really didn't like was when Gogol was getting his head shaved with this hip-hop tune playing over the soundtrack. The use of hip-hop was so out of place for that scene, what was Mira thinking!

I was watching CITY OF JOY and was thinking why the hell, even much overrated Mira Nair cant make a film like this??

If you think Mira Nair is overrated, I shudder to what you think of hacks like Gurinder Chadha or Deepa Mehta...

And City of Joy is a completely fabricated and imagined view of India; the standard white man "finding himself in a foreign land" discourse we find everwhere.