The Namesake

The Namesake

2006 · 122 min · EN · PG-13 · 6.8 (146 votes)
Dir. Mira Nair · Starring Kal Penn, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, Ruma Guha Thakurta · Music Nitin Sawhney

Two Worlds. One Journey.

Drama

After moving from Calcutta to New York, members of the Ganguli family maintain a delicate balancing act between honoring the traditions of their native India and blending into American culture. Although parents Ashoke and Ashima are proud of the sacrifices they make to give their children opportunities, their son Gogol strives to forge his own identity without forgetting his heritage.

VIBE

A poignant, quiet exploration of heritage and self-discovery. It feels like sifting through old photographs, a gentle ache of nostalgia for a life left behind and the quiet search for one's place in the world.

melancholicintrospectivenostalgicgentleslow-burncharacter-driven dramaslice-of-liferealisticidentitycultural assimilationfamily legacybelonging
new york citybased on novel or bookarranged marriageindiawoman directorimmigrant experiencetaj mahalindiakolkataindia