The Namesake

2007 • 122 minutes

About this movie

Spanning two generations, two clashing cultures and two very different ways of life that crash into each other only to become lovingly intertwined, The Namesake is ultimately about the imminently relevant question: what does it mean to be an American family? Jumping between the equally colorful and vibrant cities of Calcutta and New York, The Namesake is a family drama, but it's about a very different kind of contemporary American family: the Gangulis, who come to the U.S. from India in order to experience a world of limitless opportunities, only to be confronted with the perils and confusion of trying to build a meaningful life in a baffling new society. On the heels of their arranged marriage, Ashoke (Irrfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu) jet off from sweltering Calcutta to a wintry New York where they begin their new life together...