The Namesake (2006)

What do I even say right now, that could encapsulate my grief? Maybe this- I was listening to the latest Raveesh Kumar episode while washing the dishes this morning, and at one point, Mihir Pandya (Raveesh's guest, and film critic) quoted Irrfan Khan's dialogue from Life of Pi (2012), and I broke down. I don't mean that I was just crying, my knees actually buckled and I had to hang on to the countertop to maintain my balance. Not that there seems to be much balance left anymore. 

I watched this movie last night, and if you haven't figured out already, I am yet to stop crying. I had somehow forgotten how perfect this movie was- every scene is a masterclass in the art of film-making. It's hard to believe that both Tabu and Irrfan are not ethnically Bengali- they don't just embody the accents, but also the expressions, the reactions, the movements. Kal Penn is funny, but also heart-ache inducing in his depiction of one of the best ABCD characters to ever hit the shelves, Nikhil "Gogol" Ganguly. Sahira Nair and Zuleikha Robinson are also favs.

The movie, more so than the book, belongs to Ashima. Maybe it's because of Tabu's incomparable mastery over her craft, or maybe it's something else, but the real protagonist was Ashima for me. The way she grows up, the way she evolves into herself- it's beautiful to watch. Also, the soundtrack is flawless. Geeta Dutt's Jhiri Jhiri Choyetali is truly evergreen, and Susheela Raman's cover of Ye Mera Deewanapan (originally from the 1958 movie Yahudi, sung by Mukesh) is one of the best songs I have ever heard.  

Irrfan Khan sir, it's been an absolute honour. Rest in peace. 

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