The Namesake is the title of the last movie I’ve seen. Back in August, when my summer vacation had just begun, I went to Barcelona for a few days. I have friends living there and I stopped by before going to La Pineda (the place where my family has a flat). It was nice to spend some time with Mertxe, Idoia, Mónica, Yon and Iván. Mertxe and I have known each other since I was in Primary School, we also went to the same High School and majored in Communication. We have remained friends all this time and even though among all these years there has been a lapse of time in which we didn’t know what each of us was doing, for the last couple of years we’ve become quite close.

Anyway, while I was visiting them in Barcelona, and after having dinner at an Italian restaurant, we saw this huge sign in the middle of the street announcing an upcoming Bollywood show in the city. When we got to her place at around 2.30am, and after considering the possibility of attending the show, she mentioned having seen a movie called El buen nombre (The namesake in Spanish). She told it was a really good film and she suggested that I saw it.

I’ve been a little busy these days, but I finally got to see the movie yesterday evening and what can I say, it was one the best films I’ve seen in the last couple of years.

The Namesake talks about the importance of chosing the right name to a newborn child and how a wrong choice may affect the child in the future. The movie is set in the late 70’s. After two families arrange a wedding for their son and daughter, the couple moves to New York to “live the American dream”.

Soon after getting married, Ashima gets pregnant and had a child. To be able to leave the hospital, she needs to have the kid named, but according to the Indian tradition he has to wait until his Grandma sends a letter with his good-name. In the mean time, his father decides to name the child Gogol to honor his favorite writer.

Gogol is the last name of a Russian writer that commited suicide and that facts affects the child’s teenage years.

Anyway, I don’t want to reveal any more details about the movie just in case you decide to see it. All I can say is a magnificent film, brought tears to my eyes and made me discover a new, talented and good looking actor. Now, I might reconsider what I said about Richard Gere on my previous post!

Gogol is played by a guy called Kalpen, though he’s changed his name to Kal Penn to fit better in the American society. I’ve been reading some about his biography and according to wikipedia and other sources, he’s the first American-Indian person to succeed in Hollywood. So, congrats to him! Truth is, I found his performance to be stellar and he’s definitely easy on the eye. I hope he gets far in the business, that would mean I’d get to see him in more movies.

And just as good as the cast is the soundtrack. The music plays such an important role all throughout the movie. One of these days, whenever I go to San Sebastian I’ll try to buy the cd.

And last but not least, after seeing the movie, I have this increasing desire of going to Agra to see the Taj-Mahal. It is shown in the movie, from different angles and inside of it and all I can say is no wonder why it has been chosen one of the 7 wonders of the world. And to think this a construction of love… Someday, hopefully, I’ll stand there.