Abstract:
With the beginning of English literature one finds the presence of men and their dominance for centuries. The remarkable dominated men of the English literature are Chaucer, Shakespeare, Donne, Keats, etc. of their age and the existence of female writers stands nowhere. Even the role of a female is played by male actors in disguise. Many voices rose against the irrational behavior towards women. Author like Mary Wollstonecraft reflected in her work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman retaliation against male dominated society. This anger was against the rights of education to women. Gradually, the protest against women turned into a movement called feminism during 19th and 20th century. The female writers specially led the movement and writers like Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and Bronte sisters and diaspora writer Jhumpa Lahiri contributed for fair treatment, education and equality of women.
The present paper is an attempt to highlight feminism in the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and its cinematic adaptation movie The Namesake by the director Mira Nair.
Key Words: Diaspora, Feminism, Adaptation, Existence, Society
Introduction:
The term feminism is the support of women by women in the male dominated society fighting against the exploitation and suppression of women in the society. The Webster Dictionary defines the term feminism is that, “Feminism belief in and advocacy of the political economic and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests” (“Feminism”). Even though England had Queens, women were not given equal rights with men. The gender discrimination after several years of struggle became intolerable for women, consequently feminism as a movement crept into English literature with the support of many female writers.
Moreover, feminism influenced in portrayal of female protagonists in a male dominant society and this ideology has helped improve literature and thinking of authors started to expand. George Eliot, Margaret Fuller, Elaine Showalter and many others have contributed to the development of feminist criticism and feminism in literature.
Novel the Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri is the daughter of Nilanjana Sudeshna Lahiri. She was born on 11 July 1967. She is an American author and a short story writer. Namesake is her first creation as a novel. It is a story about the Ganguli family. The Ganguli family belonging to India immigrated to the U.S. and extends the family with two children Gogol and Sonia. The family constantly finds the cultural and generational gaps. The story of the novel Namesake opted for a movie by director Mira Nair. The director produced the movie with the same title The Namesake. The movie released in March 2007. Nair directed films like Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, and Salaam Bombay.
The novel the Namesake is first published as novella in The New York and later extended to a full-length novel. The novel is set in Calcutta, New York, and Boston and describes the distinct cultural, social religious and ideological differences. The novel describes the struggle of a Bengali family.
The novel The Namesake opens with the heroine of the novel Ashima Ganguli who is preparing spicy Indian snacks from ingredients “rice krispies and planter’s peanuts and chopped red onion” (Lahiri 1; ch. 1). She is a Bengali housewife who married Ashok in Calcutta, India, and after marriage migrated to Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is in her first pregnancy and waiting for her delivery. She has been taken to the hospital where she is missing her family in a strange country. She is alone in the hospital. She is thinking that if the delivery would have been in India there will be a crowd in the hospital. The room might be filled with family members to take care of the family and her newborn baby. Ashok is in the waiting room and memorising the book of Russian author given by his grandfather. The book is close to Ashok as it once saved his life from an accident when he was travelling in a train from Calcutta to Jamshedpur. Ashima is a typical Bengali Indian housewife who never utters her husband's name. Jhumpa Lahiri in the novel the Namesake explains Bengali roots as: “A husband’s name is something intimate and therefore unspoken, cleverly patched over. And so, instead of saying Ashok’s name, she utters the interrogative that has come to replace it, which translates roughly as are you listening to me?” (2; ch. 1)
Ashima’s thought process broken with her extreme labour pain. She gave birth to a baby boy. According to Bengali culture, only grandparents or elders name the newborn baby. So, therefore, they were waiting for the letter with two names. But the letter did not arrive, and they must leave the hospital. In foreign countries, without birth certificate, they do not relieve the patient. Ashoke decided to give him a pet name Gogo. Ganguli family completes the family with a newborn baby and they bring him home. Ashok must leave to work at MIT and Ashima is busy with Gogola at home. But she maintains communication through letters with her family in Calcutta. One day a letter from India informs Ashima that her grandmother is no more.
Six months later, Ashok and Ashima Ganguli arranged a rice ceremony for Gogol. The family invited all the Bengali friends, and they joined the ceremony. In the ceremony, Ashima and Ashok offered Gogol some dirt, a dollar bill, and ball point pen. The Bengali belief is that whichever the item gets chosen became Gogol’s profession in the future. But Gogol did not touch any of them. Days passed, Ashima and Ashoke decided to visit India. They have planned everything but when Ashima’s brother Rana gave a call to inform that her father had a heart attack and they must leave earlier as decided before.
In 1971, after 2 years Ashok decided to buy a home from university funding. After five years of their successful married life Ashima became pregnant. The second pregnancy is critical. The doctor advised her to take complete bed rest.
Gogol began his schooling in September 1973 at “Kindergarten at the town’s public Elementary School” (Lahiri 55; ch. 3). Ashoke wanted Gogol to be formally announced as Nikhil but Gogol did not want to be called with a new name. In school when registration form got filled the principal Mrs. Lapidus asked Gogol his wish. He wanted to remain with his nickname Gogol but Ashok tried to convince the principal and failed. Gogol won his identity crisis initially which began with his first day at school.
In May 1974 Ashima gives birth to her second child a baby girl. Gogol is happy with his little sister Sonia. Ganguly family has many Bengali friends and they invite all their friends for Sonia’s rice ceremony. Gogol wants to go for a trip with his friends but Ashima compares cultural differences. Ashima tries to make familiar her children to Indian culture through living in America, but it becomes hard as the birth and brought up they have in a complete western world.
In 1982, Gogol turned to his teenage and celebrated his 14th birthday. They invited all their Bengali family along with Moushumi’s family. The family recently moved from England to Manchester. In the night, Ashoke came to Gogol’s room and gifted him, “The short stories of Nikolai Gogol” (Lahiri 74; ch. 4). Gogol paid no attention to the gift but his father wanted him to express his real-life experience, the accident, and the attachment to the book. He also wanted to make him familiar with how his life is related to the book?
The Ganguli family planned to visit Calcutta in India. In 1983 they made a trip of eight months. Gogol and Sonia amazed to see Indian architecture at the Taj Mahal and castle of Delhi. After eight months they turned back to Pemberton the birthplace of Gogol and Sonia. Gogol meets a girl, Kim in a party. She was the first girl to whom he kissed. Gogol introduced himself as Nikhil at Yale in the college. The Nikhil met Ruth, the fellow Yale student on the train. Both Gogol and Ruth fell in love. The couple started dating each other. In college, Nikhil (Gogol) realised that he was unable to read and write his father’s language. He felt embarrassed when one of his cousins Amit from India announced ABCD and he was unable to decode the term. Lahiri in the novel depicted the conflict of Gogol. He also struggles with name and identity throughout the novel. When he was five years old in the school, he remained firm for his name as Gogol but in college, he finds embarrassment dut to the name. He wishes to change it to Nikhil. He explains to his parents how he feels about his namesake: “How could you guys name me after someone so strange? No one takes me seriously? Gogol said” (Lahiri 99-100; ch. 5). Ashok and Ashima are responsible and lovable parents. One day when Gogol’s train is late his father is waiting for him. Ashok is worried and thinks of his train accident during his younger days. Gogol understands the history behind his name in the year 1994. He graduated at Columbia now; he lives away from his parents in New York and meets Maxine who invites Gogol for dinner. She introduces Gogol to her parents Lydia and Gerald Ratliff. Gogol grabbed himself completely in the grab of Maxine and her family. Gogol does not visit his parents and disconnects them. Gogol feels happy with his new life with Maxine’s family.
Ashima to sustain her loneliness joins a part-time job at the library. Ashoke her husband only visits once in a month from Ohio. One day while Ashima is busy designing Christmas cards, Ashok calls him and informs that he visits the hospital for regular checkup. He is suffering from severe stomachache. He says he will call her later when when reaches home. One day is over; Ashima waits for the call but received none. When Ashima calls to the hospital she got to know that Mr. Ashok Ganguly had a severe heart attack and he died at 5:00 PM.
Sonia Gogol’s sister calls at Maxine’s family to inform Gogol about their father’s death. Maxine tries to stop Gogol but refusing her he went to claim the body. Gogol on the way to Massachusetts reminds of his father’s bald shave when his grandfather died. The Ganguly family, Ashima, Sonia, and Gogol keep alive their Bengali culture and rituals. They arrange ten days of mourning. At condolence, many friends visit their home. Gogol remains with his mother and sister. Gogol understands responsibility towards his family. He remembers the time he spent with his father when he was alive. He remembers when he with his parents visits far out to the beach and his father tells him that “Remember that you and I made this journey, that we went together to a place where there was nowhere left to go” (Lahiri 187; ch. 7).
Gogol got back to his life in New York one year after his father’s death in 1996. He starts to live alone. He breaks up with Maxine. She engages with another man. Ashima wants his son to be settled so suggests him to catch up with Maxine but Gogol refuses. Ashima reminds Gogol about Moushumi one of their family friend’s daughters. Ashima compels Gogol to marry Moushumi. On his mother’s interest, he is ready to date Moushumi and there she discloses about her past life. She narrates that she had an affair with Graham. She turned to New York for her Ph.D. She is about to marry Graham but when she gets to know about his real character, she dropped the idea of engagement. Gogol and Moushumi got married according to the Hindu ceremony, in a year. The wedding is organised by their respective families. During, their wedding Mouhsumi decided to keep her last name instead of Ganguly.
Moushumi invites her friends Astrid and Donald as a celebration for the marriage. Meanwhile out of fun, she shares Gogol’s secret of his namesake to her friends. She also discloses her intimate relationship before her friends. Gogol feels irritated but she goes unnoticed to his discomfort. Gogol is unhappy with his wife’s behaviour. Two days later, Moushumi informs Nikhil (Gogol) that she receives a research grant in France for her dissertation. Moushumi finds the resume of one of her ex-boyfriend named Dimitri Desjardins. She reinstigates her relationship with the man.
Gogol recalls last weekend which they have celebrated with Ashima, Sonia, and her boyfriend Ben, Moushumi, and her family in York. Gogol also thinks about the Christmas party. He remembers last year’s celebration at Moushumi’s home, but this year plans to go to his home at Pemberton road with Ashima, Sonia and Ben. He is confused to buy a gift for Moushumi. He decides to get a ticket of “Italy or Venice” (Lahiri 272; ch. 11). Next year in 2000, On Christmas Eve, Ashima is preparing food for the party. She is cooking a variety of foods like “mincemeat croquettes” (Lahiri 274; ch. 12), While preparing party dinner she reminds her first party she and Ashoke throws when he was alive. This party is the last one. Ashima is firm with the plan for her future which was planned earlier when Ashok her husband was alive. She thinks as:
Ashima has decided to spend six months of her life in India for six months in the States. It is a solitary, somewhat premature version of the future she and her husband had planned when he was alive . . . In spring and summer, she will return to the Northeast, dividing her time among her son, her daughter, and her close Bengali friends. True to the meaning of her name, she will be without borders, without a home of her own, a resident everywhere and nowhere. (Lahiri 275-6; ch. 12)
Ashima alone bears the responsibility of two children. Gogol’s sister Sonia loves Ben and Ashima too satisfied with her daughters’ choice. She arranges the marriage in January at Calcutta. On the other hand, Ashima feels regretted on her son Gogol’s married life which is a complete failure. She thinks that she pushes her son for the wrong girl because she wants a Bengali daughter-in-law.
In the evening they have celebrated Christmas party without Ashoke. They all missed him. After the dinner, Gogol goes to his room upstairs and reads the book. Gogol starts reading the book gifted by Ashok, his father. Gogol never reads the book ever before, but he starts reading now The Overcoat.
Movie Namesake by Mira Nair
The film received a positive response from critics and won the top ten positions under the list of 2007 the best films. The film received many awards like the best film director awards goes to the director Mira Nair. Not only the film but the actor and actress also received awards as the best-supporting Male award goes to Irfan Khan Hero of the film. Cindy Tolan honoured with the Best Feature Film casting award of American society. Every inspiration is the product of ignition such as Mira Nair’s film Namesake. The film also portrays the personal life and experiences of her life. In an interview with CNN, the director Mira Nair depicts her own experiences as:
I read Namesake while in huge grief with the death of beloved person to me (Mira’s mother in law) it was at that state of mourning that I picked up this novel, and in it Jhumpa writes really acutely of a loss of a parent in foreign country, and I thought I had been understood by someone. It was also story that linked with the two cities in which I had grown up Calcutta and New York City and it was almost certainly the road that I had traveled. It just spoke to me and I felt compelled to do this film. (Nair)
The film Namesake began with Ashok’s (Irfan Khan) accident when he was travelling on a train to Calcutta. On the train, he met a fellow passenger Ghosh, who inspired him to follow his own heart and wishes. Ashoke loved to read literature. The book written by the Rusian author is very close to his life because the book saved his life. Ashok and Ashima got married in Calcutta in 1977 and migrated to pursue his Ph.D. Ashima gave birth to a boy and pet name him as Gogol after receiving grandmother's letter. Ashima sent Gogol’s photo along with a letter to her parents in Calcutta. Ashima (Tabbu) was scared of a strange world she lived in. But Ashoke told that his son would get ample of opportunity here. The family moved to New-York New Jersey. And we saw the rice ceremony of Sonia in place of Gogol.
Moushumi and her family visit to see Gogol. The character of Moushumi is the same as in the book. Ashoke gifts a book as a birthday present to Gogol. He tells him Nikolai Gogol is his favourite author. But he does not disclose the reason behind it thinking Google is immature to understand. He quotes leaving his room as, “We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat” (Namesake). The Ganguly family then visits India. Mira Nair presented the different lifestyles of America and India. Ganguly family also visits one of the Mughal architects and wonder of the world Taj Mahal.
Gogol (Kal Penn) takes photographs and goes jogging in the morning. The story shifts from western to eastern encounters. The family after their visit to India moves back to New York. Gogol officially changes his name from Gogol to Nikhil without his parent’s acknowledgment. Gogol keeps an affair with Maxine an aristocratic girl. When Gogol takes Maxine to introduce her with his parents, she kisses Ashoke which is awkward according to the Indian Bengali culture. Ashoke takes Gogol to ice-cream parlour and there he discloses about his train accident. How a fellow passenger encourages him to follow his heart and he flew abroad. His life is saved by fluttering pages of the book. Gogol asks the reason of his father’s closeness to the book. Ashoke, his father says, “Not at all has he reminded him of everything that followed” (Namesake).
Mira Nair portrays since the beginning of the film the Bengali family culture. She crafts visually the life of Ashok and Ashima and their plight. Ashima gets the news of her husband Ashok's death. Gogol shaves his head as a ritual once did by his father when his grandfather died. Gogol breaks upon his father’s mourning and Ashima tells him to meet with Moushumi Majumdar. She discloses her personal life before Graham but the reason for separation is not clear in the movie.
Ashima arranges the wedding of Moushumi and Gogol according to Bengali culture and memorise her wedding in Kolkata with Ashok. Nikhil felt embarrassed about his name as everyone in the party laughed when it is disclosed that his pet name is Gogol. Ashima joined the library to reduce her loneliness. Ashima thinks that she has fulfilled her duty on behalf of her husband Ashok. She had settled her children Gogol and Sonia and they are happy in their life. She decides to sell the house and shift to India. Mira Nair has used flashback techniques throughout the film. Gogol has divorced Moushumi his wife when it was revealed that she had an affair.
Ashima throws the last Christmas party at Pemberton home. She expresses her loneliness and says that she is missing India for the last 25 years. The film ends with a scene where Ashima is shown at her hometown, Calcutta in India, taking classical music classes. Nair has tried to portray the novel and its order in the best possible manner to remain true to the soul of the text.
Comparison of Novel The Namesake with movie The Namesake
Movie Namesake deviates from the book in the beginning as well as in the end. The book opens in 1968 where Ashima is preparing spicy Indian snacks from American ingredients, whereas the movie begins with a train accident of Ashoke. Similarly, we see in the end of the novel reading Gogol a book. But the film extended beyond the book. There are extended scenes in the film where we find Gogol reading the book in a train when he is reading the book, his father’s voice echoes in his mind. Ashima moved to Calcutta, India, and taking singing classes and is happy in her own country. Comparing both the novel and the film we find the disturbance in the order of the events that occurred in film and novel. The order of the novel deviates from the film in many scenes. The reason might be usages of cinematic medium and technique both. Frequently flashback techniques are used in the film rather than the novel.
When a novel is picked up for cinematic medium, it is a recreation of the same story in a visual medium with film maker’s point of view. It is a challenging task before adapter to make it fit for the cinematic medium in a workable form. So, a film director takes the liberty to extend as well as eliminate certain plot and subplot from the story in the novel. There are certain element from the subplot gets eliminated for example Ashok has taken Ashima to the hospital. They brought the baby boy home and visitors visits to see the boy. Change in rice ceremony from Gogol to Sonia. Losing of the gift from Ashima at the station and gets it back. Ganguly family purchased a house at 67, Pemberton Road in Boston, and the second pregnancy of Ashima where Ashok takes care of her as suggested by doctors. She delivers a baby girl. Moving from the existing places to New England where they got to know about the death of their respective parents. Gogol has been taken to school for his primary education where he is supposed to be called Nikhil officially by his father Ashok, but Gogol chooses to remain Gogol officially and Gogol’s 14th birthday celebration. At a party, he kisses a girl, Kim. Gogol when grown-up changes his name from Google to Nikhil Ganguly. Gogol after changing officially his name introduces at Yale University as Nikhil. He develops an interest in architecture. There is another girl named Ruth of a fellow college mate at the train. He develops an interest in her. They date each other and get apart after one year. Gogol’s (Nikhil) father discloses about his accident on the train and how it relates to his life till he dies. He also made him familiar with Russian author Nikolai Gogol and his book The Overcoat and its significance in his own life.
Gogol during his teenage and adultery has illicit relationships with variety of women but not a single relationship lasts for a longer time. Even his marriage does not extend more than two years. Gogol keeps an affair with a married woman, and he breaks the dating after self-realization. Then Gogol on his mother’s compelling meets with Moushumi the daughter of their family friend. Her root is Bengali, Indian which appeals to Ashima and Ashoke the most to push Gogol for marriage. Google and Moushumi spend time shopping together. Moushumi’s personal life and her character are portrayed in detail in the novel. Moushumi and Gogol were bound in the bond of marriage. In their new beginning of life, they attended a conference together in Paris and there meets with Moushumi’s friends Astrid and Donald. Thus, Gogol and Moushumi complete their one year of married life happily and celebrate their first anniversary in 1999, in a restaurant.
Moushumi is ambitious and starts a career as teaching at NYU. She finds details of Dimitri Desjardine her ex-boyfriend. The novel turns to flashback and their dating relationship is shown while living together in an apartment, they do not like each other’s company. Gogol thinks about his married life. There is something wrong in it but what, he is not yet decided. He moves to Italy at Christmas with Moushumi. These plots extend the length of a novel and not fit for the suitability of a film in a limited time frame. So, therefore has been eliminated. It is up to the directors to wish what he/ she wants to highlight and pay focus and what he wants to suppress. It depends on the creative craftsmanship of the filmmaker. Apart from elimination from subplot while making a movie it is also necessary to expand the subplot with a different point of view. Thus, we witness certain expanded scenes in the movie which are not present in the novel. This expansion in subplot might be a creative extend of filmmaker to make a movie from a different perspective.
In the film, we find Ashok is talking with a fellow passenger who encourages him to settle in abroad and see life there. Ashok is shown in bed with plaster in his leg and hoping to get well soon. Ashima loves singing and she was asked to sing when Ashok’s family came to home for her marriage. Ashima out of her home finds Ashok's shoes and step into it to find suitability with him throughout her life. The shoes are used symbolically. Ashok and Ashima married according to Bengali tradition. Soon after the marriage they migrated to America and begin their married life there. Ashima washes Ashok's sweater in the washing store and it gets shrink. He scolds Ashima first but when she starts crying in the washroom, he tries to console her. Crying is the best weapon used by a woman which can even melt a stone.
Ashok dreamed of his horrible train accident and wakes up. Ashima took his head in her lap like a newborn baby and consoles him. Ashima is not willing to raise her child in this strange country. Ashoke with Gogol visit to see seashore. He discusses the journey of his life and asks Gogol to remember it forever. Moushumi and her family visit to Ganguly family in their house. Ashima misses India and finally, Ashok got ready to go to India. They visit with Gogol and Sonia to India. Gogol decided his career as an architect on seeing the Taj Mahal. In the Taj Mahal, Ashoke asks Ashima to propose him with three words “I Love You” (Namesake) but she refuses to say as Indian girl cannot behave like a foreigner. They moved back to foreign where Ashima learns driving. Ashok left for his Ph.D. for six months and during this free time, she joins the library and shares her feeling with a coworker. Ashok reveals to his son Gogol about his train accident before leaving for Ohio and the importance of Nikolai Gogol. Gogol though raised in foreign land remains with Indian tradition and rituals for example he shaves his head after his father Ashok's death.
Gogol after his father’s death understands the responsibility towards his family and on his father’s condolence; he had a breakup with Maxine his girlfriend. To perform Indian ritual Ashima, Sonia and Gogol visit India to scatter his father's ashes in the river Ganga. Gogol married to Moushumi and when she shares his secret of the namesake, he got angry. Ashima shares her feeling to the library coworker that she wants to leave for India. Gogol suffers in love and when his wife cheated upon him having an extra-marital affair with Dimitri, he separated from her. Gogol discloses about his broken marriage with Moushumi before his mother Ashima to which she regretted and blames herself responsible for his son’s life in the hand of a wrong girl. We find no song in the movie. A song tune is played “Yeh Mera Diwanapan hai” (Namesake) for a minute at the wedding night of Gogol and Moushumi. These events in the film are created by the director Mira Nair with her craftsmanship. These subplots are completely absent in the novel. The reason for this expended subplot is to make the film commercial. For a novelist readership decides the success and failure of a novel, similarly viewership decides the hit and flop of a movie.
One major aspect of a film or a novel is its characters. The filmmaker portrays the character present in the novel with the same ease, but it is not necessary to remain the same as in the novel. Some additional characters may also be introduced which are absent in the novel. Mira Nair with her style tried her level best to design the character sketch present in the novel with the same ease.
Ashima of Lahiri and Ashima (Tabbu) of Nair with Feminist View Point
The theme of name and identity is the backbone of the novel and to some extent the film too. Ashima being a Bengali wife never utters her husband’s name as, “It’s not the type of thing Bengali wife do” (Lahiri 2; ch. 1). The theme of identity is also maintained by filmmaker Mira Nair. On Ashoke’s death, she does not utter his name. In the next chapter in the novel Bengali tradition of naming pet name and another is a good name. A pet name is for family members, friends, and society. A good name is for official purposes. This tradition is also maintained in the film where Ashok gives his son a name based on the author’s book. The same identity is also explained when Gogol goes to Kindergarten and his parents want to change his name from Gogol to Nikhil. But Gogol remains Gogol. This has been modified in the film where Gogol came home with a note from principal Mrs. Lapidus. As in America, children have the rights to decide so Ganguly parents are helpless and left no choice instead of accepting Gogol’s wishes.
There is another theme – the theme of namesake and quest for identity is prominent. During Ashima’s pregnancy, she is afraid of raising her child in an unknown country. She feels alienated and scarred of, “being foreigner” (Lahiri 49-50 ch. 3). In the film, she tells a coworker librarian that “her husband Ashok left her alone to teach her live the life without him” (Namesake). This is being reflected throughout the film.
The book is meant for soft audiences who can patiently read 251 pages of the novel and understand events and details about the characters in detail. The spectator wants to get the story to be completed in 100 minutes. They also look for dialogues, music, and screenplay. In the movie the filmmaker emphasizes one of the themes among several in the book. The director Mira Nair gives an interview in the Emaneul Levy 24/7 by film critic Emanuel Levy and emphasizes Namesake as her own story and comments:
I wanted to return to making a small- scale, intimate and mobile film, and one which is extraordinary close to my own reality as a South Asian person living in America today. Jhumpa Lahiri, the great Pulitzer – prize winning writer of interpreter of Maladies, has written precisely such a tale in her debut novel, The Namesake, which is this film. It encompasses, in a deep humane way, the tale of millions of us who have left one home for another, who have known what it is to combine the old ways with the new world, who have left the shadow of our parents to find ourselves for the first-time. I wish to see my own people through my camera that will move fluidly between New York and Calcutta. (Levy)
The setting of the text and the movie is India and America. The story of the novel opens in 1960s and ends in 2000 whereas the movie begins at 1970s ten years later as compared to the book. Therefor scenes of Gogol’s extend in contemporary America 2010s. Few of action in novel later takes place at Paris where Moushumia and Gogol spend time together. The novel does not give a clear narrative. There are a few conversations. The narrator is omniscient, and through him, reader gets to know about feelings and thoughts of the characters. The writing style is lucid. The novel is subtle slow and slightly humorous. The film is also dark and slow but the acting of Irfan Khan (Ashok) and Tabbu (Ashima) forces viewers on the screen to assume it as the story of the Ganguly family. Overall, the film is quite good.
Conclusion
Ashima Ganguly is the female protagonist of the novel and the movie both. Through Ashima (Tabbu) we can understand alienation, loneliness, homesickness, immigration, rootlessness in the novel as well as in the movie that many immigrants feel. Ashima’s root lies in Calcutta but she must migrate after her marriage with Ashok Ganguly. Lahiri and Nair portray a strong protagonist who left everything behind for her husband and raised her two children Gogol and Sonia after his death. Her character is well developed in the novel and the film.
Work Cited
- “Feminism”, Merriam – Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam – Webster, Accessed 10 Aug. 2021.
- Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. London: Harper Collins, 2012 ed. Print.
- Lavy, Emanuel. “Namesake: Interview with Director Mira Nair”, Interview by Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevyCinema24/ 7. 16. Feb2007 Web
- Nair, Mira. Interview: Film Director Mira Nair with CNN, Showbiz Entertainment, 10 July 2017. Web Accessed 10 March 2020
- Namesake.Dir. Mira Nair.Perf.Kal Penn, Irfan Khan and Tabbu. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2007. MP4Video.