Whats in a name?

My sentiments after watching Mira Nair's adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's Pulitzer Winning Novel, The Namesake; Spell Bound... Speechless..Breathless.. Void..........

What can I say? Its been 24 hours since I came back from the theatre and even now as I stare outside my window looking at the mist covered buildings, Tabu's cries echo in my ears making me ponder about how much Namesake has affected me at a deep level.

The Story of an Immigrant Family from Kolkotta in the US and their journey of raising up kids in a perfect blend of Indo - American culture sounds cliched now. But the subtle handling of this topic by Jhumpa Lahiri in her novel and the even more emotional handling of this subject by Mira Nair is what makes this movie an inspiration.

Namesake is one movie which I believe that every one can associate with, and in different degrees it leaves a mark. For newly migrated families, seeing Tabu shiver in the Laundromat during winter would bring back memories of their first winters in US, for families living here for long, the Christmas parties and the get togethers' in the houses will bring back memories of those spring evenings, when all was left to be done was to meet up and sing old Raj Kapoor songs. And for youth like me, the whole Identity issue seems like taken from our life, especially when we all question,What is in a name? in particular, what is in OUR name ?

It was at that degree where the movie touched me the most. I have always had an identity issue, even when I was a 12 year old kid! I never really liked my last name (Mangu). I used to think it would be a point of ridicule for so many people. For the longest of time, I called myself Madhavi Rao in school because it would be easier to say, people couldn't make fun of it and it sounded *cooler*. In fact, I was so particular about not letting people know my last name that I was tempted to get it changed in my passport when it got renewed. I must have fought with my parents a 1000 times at least about why is my name like that ! For almost 7 years, I despised my name until a certain incident happened in my life.

They say that Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards. That is exactly what happened to me. In December 2005, my Grandfather passed away suddenly. When I was in India, in his room, all I could think off was at this sudden juncture of his death, what did he leave me? When I spoke with my dad about this, he said a legacy. At that point, I suddenly felt so attached to my last name. At that junction, I felt connected with him and it gave me a purpose, a mission to find my Identity.

That is what The Namesake is all about. Its about finding ones Identity, its about looking beyond the name and really looking into what the name symbolizes, what the name represents and how the name connects you and the people around you.

You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience. You must undergo it.

Obviously, a very smart person said that. Watching Namesake is an experience that every one must undergo.