Namesake to hit theatres soon

NDTV: "Mira Nair maybe busy scouting for actors for her next big project but it's the release of Namesake which she is looking forward to. For Indian film lovers, the long wait will soon be over, Gogol Ganguly's cross-Atlantic story of love, loss and longing is going to hit the theatres on March 23. The film has already won critical acclaim at film festivals in Toronto and Rome.

The story revolves around the life of the Ganguly family, whose shift from Kolkata to America, reflects the lifelong balancing act of many Indians caught between two continents and different cultures. Irfan Khan and Tabu play the older Ganguly's and American Indian actors Kal Penn and Saira Nair fit into the roles of their children. And novelist Jhumpa Lahiri also makes a cameo as Jhumpa Massi.

"The movie is straight and simple and it's like a lot of people will be able to identify with it. That's why there aren't many complications in the character of Ashima," said Tabu. "To play a role, you need to have a good understanding of its emotional constructions. So, it took me a lot of time to adapt," said Irfan.

Relieved at the pre release buzz surrounding The Namesake, the filmmaker has already moved on to the pre production of her next big project Johnny Depp's Shantaram. The movie will premiere at New York's Ziegfield Theatre before it opens in India."