The Namesake: A Conversation Between Mira Nair and Jhumpa La

[RinaLam93]

What is the music that begins playing at 3:04?

[RinaLam93]

I love Jhumpa Lahiri's voice. She is so beautiful too. Her books are amazing. I'm a Bangladeshi-born Australian and I feel like she has lived my life and that I have lived hers and what she has expressed of life through her characters. Mira Nair's films are great. I love her style of imagery and how it connects with the reality of whatever the story is.

[mindtree2003]

you are the man, stream on Movie Watcherus really works!!!

[memetutuyesyes]

Beautiful, moving film...

[Youtubist007]

Film is very superficial compared to the book, does not depict the intricacies and insights, turmoils and sufferings of the characters especially the mother's. Could be done in a much better way.

[landcommander1981]

@Youtubist007 Definitely. The book is far far deeper than the film - granted the film is really well done, but it just skips and misses so many good points.

[lilze96]

I would give anything to have a father like gogol...smh he didn't know how good he had it.

[TheShirls36]

This movie is so awesome...I loved it...

[dantekimballh]

the movi3 is now watchable o @ MOOV ZON, COM Google the above link

[sankes]

a very well made film with a superb performance from tabu and irfan khan. didn't get the recognition it deserved but thats true of a lot well made films

[orlandoferrand1]

One of the best screen adaptations I've ever seen. There is happy marriage between the narrative of the novel and that one of the film. Well done!

[EB2195]

amazing book, and very relatable to . The message is thought-provoking and deep.

[brayan106]

i thought the movie was supposed to take place in Boston not in New York

[safwan4]

the new england area in general if you read the novel

[brayan106]

yeah

i hate it when books are in boston or movies are filmed in boston and then they make it liik like the movie took place in new york or new jersey

like mall cop

[ahuman2009]

God! Mira is inspiring

One of the very few directors in hollywood/bollywood who are genuinely unpretentious and serious about portraying life as it is and have the intelligence to not make such cinematographic attempts look ugly/clumsy

[unicoforever]

I saw the teenage me in Gogol when I watched the movie. And now Im reading the book and it still has the same effect on me. Its a very relatable story, and extremely beautiful and deep.

[safwan4]

yea same here

[redboneafricana86]

I love this film... I am not Benagali... or Indian for that matter... but am a first generation American and related so much to this entire film... there really is an understanding that all children of foreign parents have... we literally live in two worlds at the same time... and the older I get, I embrace my parents views or at least come to an understanding and genuine respect for the very same things that annoyed the hell out of me growing up...

[redboneafricana86]

Forgive the typo... I meant "Bengali"... lol

[thopy5]

i agree completly, i to am not indian but i am 1st generation american, and it can be difficult to embrace both world especially with an old fashined family but you begin to understand your parents once you get older and allow yourself to embrace the culture you were born into.

this movie was great

[ddtoots]

i ahve seen this film abotu 20 times so far. pretty sad on my part! but hey,the fatehr in that is exxactly like my father who died..so..well..its like watching my dad..and its a great film!!

[Zain844]

I'm Indian and Honestly, this movie was overrated. so was the book (I found it so boring I practically had to force myself to finish it) I guess I'm just not a huge fan of Mira Nair or Jhumpa Lahari

[MarquisRex]

Its difficult for me, but this film touched me. I'm bengali and have alot in common with Gogol, 2nd generation, and Ive now lost both of my parents, inc my mum who;s favourite film it was before she passed. I think it was an incredible film but for someone who's very western with very few links to Calcutta it helps me reconnect to my herritage-so my view is probably personally skewed

[DreamerGigi]

stop saying bad things, enjoy the movie feel it! dont look for negative things.

[piggiepink101]

this was definately a gorgeous movie, if havent read the book but the movie jst was... AH-MAZING! this movie made me laugh, cry and everything. My favorite part in the movie was the fact that they were a poor indian family and didnt have a shitload of money so they could but a mansion in the US, that's what made it likely, the fact where they werent extremely rich, but then ppl can realate easily.

[madhushreechakrabor]

I think the comment given by the lady so called `underwaterlady` is really a stupid one...she/he does not have any idea or knowledge abt the Indian movie. I think Namesake is one of the most sensible , realistic n descent movie ever made

[underwaterlady]

This was one of the worst films I have ever seen. I actually found it to be insulting to the book which was beyond beautiful. The choices they made, for certain things omitted or compressed to fit to cinema were atrocious. How can you have a rap song when Gogol is getting head head shaved? That was single handedly the worst decision ever. The casting was terrible, the directing was terrible- the story was reduced to a cliche ridden mess. I feel sorry for Jhumpa Lahiri.

[madhushreechakrabor]

I feel sorry for u that u dnt have any idea of indian movies...!!!!! so stop blaming the movie.

[skyirsayaj]

@ underwaterlady

Wow, I thought the opposite, sort of. I hated the book and it made me seriously doubt Lahiri's ability to write. While I loved the Interpretor of Maladies, the Namesake was labored (better @ short stories?). I could hardly empathize with Gogol, even as an Indian American. I just really hated him and his story.

The only reason I liked the movie better was Nair's portrayal of Ashima/Ashoke. That was beautiful. The casting was pretty bad, apart from Tabu and Irfan Kahn.

[DreamerGigi]

WHY are you saying that?the book is beautifull...is amaizing how directors can create part of our imagination, is beautiful. We all know that a book and a movie are not the same.Sometimes the story changes to fit in a movie, but the story, the things that you feel when you see it, when you remember what have you readed are unique.ENJOY, stop complain and critizice :)this is a great movie

[abbe2704]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! you have noooooo appreciation of literature. She can write very well - obviously....

[skyirsayaj]

No need to insult me. I do appreciate literature. To me, the Namesake book was labored and heavy. It was boring beyond belief. The present tense was unbelievably pretentious and it really made me question Jhumpa's natural ability as a writer. Like I said, IOM was loads better. It was natural and each story was short and sweet, very poignant. Not this labored snore fest of a "story" called the namesake.

[detroitbuffalo]

I can tell from these clips and the trailers that the movie is going to be good (going to buy it soon), but I really liked the book. I understand why you didn't like the book, although I don't agree with you. The book was probably 70 percent narration, very little dialogue. My only complaint about the book is the character Sonia was never fully developed. She was like a straw man. I still have no idea who she really was or what she was like.

[anniedear]

I agree with the Sonia thing, but I like how her writing consists of little dialogue. Most good books have very little.

[anniedear]

Interpreter of Maladies is better, but I liked the Namesake. I was good and well written. I love Lahiri's style of writing. Unaccustomed Earth is good, as well.

[ddtoots]

you should rent it and listen to the directors comments and it might not seem so bad as you think. But yeah, i cant help being disappointed a bit in the casting on Kal penn. he didnt have the quiet dignity that imagined gogol would have. but yeah, mira nair DOEsw expalin the rap music for that scene.

[slbanon]

Who was originally cast as Gogol?

[ddtoots]

sorry, i dont know. i didnt know that she had anyone specific.

[slbanon]

Oh okay. Ms. Nair mentioned in the DVD's special features that the role had already been cast when Kal lobbied for it.

[ntiego]

wonderful movie..thank you mira nair! thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DinaGhoulina]

I. Love. This. Movie.

[CeReAlKiLlErIsBaCk]

This film had a good story; but the direction was very bad. The producer should have chosen an American director.

[willida11]

She is. So is TABU!!! Bahut stunning!

[adisher]

jhumpa lahiri is really hot

[papputhegreat]

Meera nair is a genius...she has wonderfully directed the movie...it is so true and captivating..movie --truly reflects the condition of most of the Indians living outside their country.

[nilaydnmez]

To be honest, its a great movie. When i saw it on a film festival in Ankara, Turkey,i really liked it. Everyone should see the film or read the book !

[SeRiAlKiLLErIsback]

Jhumpa Lahiri is a nice American writer.

[nonamenorulez]

it is so beautiful that it bring tears to those who live away from the home that they grew and loved dearly....

[terencelopez]

cant wait to see this film. i love the book. this is me. i am gogol!

[JJFOU]

tabu!!!! haha smashin it lol

[akchicago]

Jhumpa is a great writer, i loved her both publications, actually read Namesake twice. Haven't checkout how the movie is yet, looking forward to it. Great going Jhumpa, waiting for your next writing!

[polizuelanmami]

This film is fantastic. I want to read the book soon.

[jerkosome]

i loved the line "culture is like oxygen to calcutta"

[co1985mn]

yeah, weird. when she said that, i looked down to write a comment. then i saw what you wrote jerko :)

[woaini9292]

awesome