Mira Nair’s The Namesake

Yesterday, a little past noon, I walked past Angelika and ran into the crowds for “The Namesake”. By early afternoon, all shows except the very late night ones were full. A little later I went by Paris @ 58^th Street and once again the crowds were overwhelming. This time I got inspired to buy the late night tickets. Why Paris and not Angelika ? you might ask, well the answer is simple, I am an uptown kind of a guy.

So yesterday, after I finished all my chores for the day, and after the wonderful dinner at Tang Pavilion @ 55^th Street, I headed back to Paris Theater and saw The Namesake (I have not read Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel). The movie started late, almost at 10:45 PM instead of 9:55 PM, nonetheless I enjoyed the movie. I think Mira Nair has succeeded in packing a somewhat epic story covering 30 years into a well balanced and well paced two hour movie. Everyone including Jacinda Barrette & Zuleikha Robinson was good. Irfan, Tabu & Kal were outstanding.

I liked the fact the Jacinda Barrette’s character Maxine was not made out to be a typical bitch. While it is true that she was somewhat self centered and a little disrespectful of Gogol’s traditions, but so too was Gogol (played by Kal Penn) self-centered and disrespectful of his traditions and culture in the Maxine phase of his life. On his father’s death, when Gogol becomes aware of his responsibilities, he distances himself from Maxine. One can say that he dumps Maxine because he evolves. Later in the movie he gets dumped because Zuleikha’s character, Moushumi, does not want to restrict herself to being a “Samosa frying Bengali wife” and wants to evolve in a direction, which unfortunately is away from Gogol.

Considering Gogol’s problems, it appears that the path taken by Irfan and Tabu’s characters is far better. I personally feel that for the first time someone has made a case for arranged marriage that makes sense. We see in The Namesake that settling down and finding a life partner can be uncomplicated. Two complete strangers can become fulfilling life partners with a little compassion, a little sensitivity, some sacrifices and a whole lot of trust. It is the journey that takes us to that fulfilling destination. Gogol perhaps wanted to reach his destination without taking that journey or moving an inch. Initially he gives two hoots for his tradition and the wishes of his parents, which he regrets later on. Next out of a knee jerk reaction, he picks a bride on a very superficial basis. Just like the people around him who evaluate him on the basis of his looks and his skin color, he likewise evaluates Moushumi in an equally superficial manner. The death of his marriage makes him aware that there is more to being Bengali than just the name or the appearance.

After seeing The Namesake, I am now convinced that the way to go is to embrace our roots and get settled in a traditional arranged marriage with a very traditional girl. Hence, I want to warn all the “Hijabi” girls out there. I want them to know that they can try and hide behind a “Burqa”, but from now onwards I am checking them out.

Shah Rukh Khan is a modern day Indian Michelangelo, a Monet, a Rembrandt.

Would you buy a Mercedes Benz that does not drive like a Mercedes ? Better still, imagine a Monet, but without the typical Monet characteristics. Or a Rembrandt that does not posses anything that will tie it to Rembrandt’s other works.

Do you think the above mentioned hypothetical paintings will fetch the same price as the other normal Monets or Rembrandts ? The answer is no, never. it has been said by people, even half as smart as me, that as much as a work of art is valued for its absolute art content, it is undoubtedly valued more so for the inherent signature propensities of its creator. Take for example, Michelangelo, who was a painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. Nonetheless there is a common thread that runs through all his work. We see a little of Michelangelo in all of his works and thus it is valued (and not just for its content).

From a perspective, the greatest Bollywood star actor, Shah Rukh Khan, can be described as a modern day Indian Michelangelo, a Monet, a Rembrandt. No actor in the history of Bollywood has been able to captivate our total attention the way Shah Rukh has. Dilip Kumar once said that when SRK is on the screen, one forgets that anyone else also exists in that frame. His presence is so captivating that even in roles where he has played a character with a sand paper like personality (i.e. KANK) he has managed to make the audience feel his pain and cry out for him. We all know by now that that regardless of what the wannabes or their paid media consultants think, the party, or the action is wherever SRK is. In his silence also, SRK manages to upstage great actors (e.g. Veer Zaara, at the police station while being confronted by Manoj Bajpai) just on the basis of his facial expressions. Nonetheless, as great as his acting ability is, SRK’s value lies in giving a little something of himself to his roles. Case in point is the manner in which he transformed a hemorrhaging TV show, KBC, into a highly watched show by adding a spoon full of his personality to it. Undoubtedly, it is SRK’s personal characteristics that have transformed a great actor into the best ever star-actor that Bollywood has ever seen. If God forbid, SRK totally disappeared into his role, he will win a small battle, but loose the larger war (the box office collection will disappear). No star actor, not even in Hollywood, has ever been able to do justice to his producers and his financial backers by totally disappearing in a role. Such attempts are akin to show boating, and considered counter productive to the financial health of a project. An over the hill, has been, like our very own, Mr. Irrelevant, i.e. Big B can afford the luxury of jerking off on the screen and calling it art. But, a star actor has to be the lead anchor. He has bigger responsibilities and cannot afford to be absent or show boating. The requirement is to be convincing, to be very good, and yet to be the star. Hence while SRK has played varied roles, romantic, negative, incompetent looser, etc and while in all his roles he has been very convincing, there is a little of SRK in all of them. He is a modern day Michael Angelo, a Monet, a Rembrandt.

Will "Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada" be postponed ?

After the poor performance of “Nisbadh” people are wondering if Big B’s next, “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada” will be postponed. As usual, we sent Raju Reporter over to Big B to inquire.

Raju Reporter:

Sir, a lot of movie halls have registered less than 10% audience attendance on the opening day of Nisabdh. Do you still not get it ? I mean, ….. Will you still release “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada” ?

Big B:

I understand why you are asking this question, hence let me tell you that there is very little similarity between “Nisabdh” and “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada”. In the movie with Tabu, i.e. in “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada”, it is I who wears a long white, over sized, under shirt and a micro mini, almost non existent, white underwear, and try to seduce Tabu. For some weird reason most people think that it is Tabu who wears the shorts and shows her legs off. Please let me tell you that those rumors are not true. Therefore given the difference, we feel that “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada” can stand on its own two square feet and should do well.

Raju Reporter:

So instead of seeing Tabu’s Sita & Gita the audience will be seeing your Ram & Shyam. Don’t you think you will be making a bigger fool of yourself then ?

Big B:

No, no, no, you see VVC did a poll which said that people were dying to see my long legs. I took great pains to get them waxed, we even got SRK’s special effects company to make my varicose veins disappear, the efforts will show, best actor’s award is guaranteed. Beside Ash, who is now my daughter-in-law, taught me the “Crazy Kiya Re” moves. I use it to seduce Tabu on screen, “Chaddi Kum Banyan Zyada” will rock. There is no reason to postpone it.

Difference between King Khan and Big B

The following differences are just very hard to ignore:

1. With the sun, moon and the stars aligned in his favor. With the attention of the entire country and the media focused on him. With a tailor made role in a relatively well made movie, Big B failed to save Ek Ajnabee from flopping at the box office. Whereas with the whole world and the media on behalf of Big B trying to sabotage him. With a major movie, J-E-M as a head on competition, SRK still managed to make Don a major hit.
2. Big B’s controversial love story, Nishabd floped so badly that it had less than 30% audience in the halls on its opening day (most halls had less than 10% audience). Whereas SRK’s controversial love story, KANK, broke opening week’s record. It is one of the highest grossing bollywood movies (worldwide gross, i.e. domestic + overseas).
3. After milking the novelty of a fool proof show, i.e. KBC, Big B cowardly abandoned it as soon as the ratings started to slip. On the other hand inspite of the rot that had set in thanks to Big B and the fact that the novelty had worn off, inspite of all the negative press, SRK embraced the challenge and resuscitated KBC.
4. Big B’s best friend (like a brother) is Amar Singh, a flop politician who a lot of Indians consider to be sleazy. Whereas SRK’s best friend (like a brother) is K Jo, a highly respected filmmaker who a lot of Indians consider to be near genius.
5. Big B exploited his leading ladies, Parveen Babi and Rekha. Whereas SRK made his leading ladies his family friends.

I can go on, but what is the point. The difference is very apparent in the quality of their achievements. There is a reason why SRK is on top of everyones goto list. There is a reason why all advertisers flock to him.