The Namesake Blog

did you see the Namesake on DVD?

Hey all -

First of all, thank you so much for continuing to support "The Namesake". This week, we only had a slight boxoffice drop, and the film continues to do very well! Thank you so much for passing the word on to friends and family, and supporting it.

Second, a few folks have told me that they saw "The Namesake" on DVD! The actual DVD doesn't come out until later this year, and i'm trying to figure out who these folks are who are pirating the film. We (actors and directors) don't really see any of the box office or DVD money (that goes to the studio who financed the film), but piracy reduces box office profits, which in turn make it very difficult for films like "The Namesake" to be made in the future (because box office numbers aren't counted when the film is pirated).

I'd love a huge favor from any of you who may have seen the film on DVD...please email and let us know which stores are selling or renting the pirated DVDs!

You can send your reports to feedback@globalspeak.org

I'd really appreciate it, and it would benefit the independent film community (not to mention the South Asian American arts community) infinitely.

Thank you!

updated release and theater info

Here is some more specific information for this coming weekend:

OPENS THIS FRIDAY MARCH 16 at:

DC: AMC Georgetown 14; Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema

Boston: AMC Loews Harvard Square; Coolidge Corner Theater

Philadelphia: Ritz Five; Ritz 16 in Voorhees NJ

Chicago: Century Centre Cinema; Century Cine Arts in Evanston

So Cal: AMC Century City 15; Regal UTC in Irvine; Laemmle Playhouse in Pasadena; Pacific Galleria Stadium in Sherman Oaks

Bay Area: Century CineArts @ Santana Row in San Jose; Century CineArts @ Palo Alto; Regal Stonestown in SF; Landmark Albany Cinema; Century CineArts @ Pleasant Hill; Rafael Film Center in San Rafael; Rialto Cinemas Lakeside in Santa Rosa

Denver: Landmark Esquire

Seattle: AMC Uptown; Landmark Guild 45th

Vancouver: Park Theatre

NY: AMC Empire 25 in Manhattan; Kew Gardens Cinemas in Queens; BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn; Clearview Bronxville; Cinema Arts in Huntington; Malverne Cinemas; Avon Theatre in Stamford

Toronto: AMC Kennedy Commons in Scarborough; Empire Studio 10 in Mississauga

 

The film opens on Friday, March 23 in Dallas, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Montreal, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego, and St. Louis.

Theater Information

Hey all -

here is an update on new cities and theaters to be added...i'll include more as i learn of them.

Philly- 3/16- Ritz 5 Philly and Ritz Vorhees, NJ
3/30- Bala, Bala Cynwyd
AMC Neshaminy Ben Salem, PA
Princeton Twin
County Doylestown
Ambler, Ambler, PA

Chicago- 3/16- Cine Arts, Evanston
Century Centre
3/23- River East, Chicago
Barrington 30, Barrington, IL
Renaissance Place, Highland Park
3/30-Cantera, Warrenville, IL
City Park 20, Lincolnshire, Il
Yorktown, Lombard, IL

Boston-
3/16- Coolidge Corner, Brookline
Harvard Sq., Cambridge
3/23-Boston Commons
Embassy, Waltham, MA
3/30- Framingham 16, Framingham
Lexington Flicks, Lexington
Hollywood Hits, Danvers
Cape, Dennis
Community Twin, Dedham
Avon, Providence
Pleasant St, Northampton
Opera House, Newport RI
Showcase Worcester North

New Jersey-
3/16- Movies, Red Bank
3/23- Commerce Center, North Brunswick
Claridge, Montclair
Chatham Theatre, Chatham

San Diego- 3/23 La Jolla Village 4, La Jolla
Hillcrest, San Diego
3/30- Flower Hill cinema 4, Del Mar

Namesake Opens Today

After the casting and shooting process, postproduction, and the festival circuit, "The Namesake" opens today in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and San Francisco!

I wish i were in one of those cities so I could experience peoples' reactions to our work. To those of you who are checking out the film this weekend - hope you enjoy it...

The Namesake Premiere and Opening...

"The Namesake" opens this Friday in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and San Francisco. I'm pasting a list of theaters below; from my understanding, depending upon the box office success, it will be rolled out in additional cities as the weeks progress, so please tell your friends to see the film.

After a plethora of festivals and smaller regional screenings, the "The Namesake" will finally hold it's Premiere this Tuesday evening in New York. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend because i'm still in Louisiana working on the "Harold and Kumar" sequel (i'm not allowed to leave on weekdays since it conflicts with our work schedule).

Mira and I did a short interview for NPR's "Morning Edition" (one of the programs and stations i listen to quite a bit), so look out for that in the next few days. I'm not sure when it's going to air, but i assume prior to release.

March 9, 2007 Theaters:

TORONTO: Varsity Theatre
NEW YORK: Angelika Film Center & The Paris
LOS ANGELES: Monica & Pacific Arclight
SAN FRANCISCO: Embarcadero Center Cinema

text-based companion to the 2 videos

Hey all -

I didn't get a chance to do the text-based companion to the 2 videos: KKK video or the "the naam-uh-saa-kay" video. Both of those videos should be up now, so here is the "making of". I'll start with the KKK one.

The video was shot on the set of a film i'm currently working on (Harold and Kumar 2), during some downtime. When I see KKK guys in their outfits, they make me think of clowns. Cowards. People who hide their faces, knowing the shame (not to mention moral and legal remorse) they should feel for their actions. The reality of the KKK and it's part in the brutal suppression of non-white, non-heteronormative, non-Christian Americans is that the organization and its members murdered, tortured, and terrorized innocent people. One of the objectives of their actions was to violate the human rights of people of color.

So in deciding to shoot a short video with actors dressed as KKK members discussing a film featuring predominantly characters and performers of color, the entire existence of the Klan is being ridiculed and disempowered. This is done specifically without using any racial, ethnic, or gender-based indicators. It purposely subverts racism and violence rather than expanding upon or embracing it. For more on some of my personal heroes, I urge you to read essays by Gandhi, King, Assata, and Malcolm X on issues pertaining to structures of power, race, and violence. Of course, the basis of the MLK nonviolent civil rights movement is Gandhian in nature, and I think that ties in to the very universal themes of the film in many ways (not overtly, but with regard to the progressive Bengali political sphere).

As far as the "naam-uh-saa-kay" video - that's sort of a takeoff on some of the identity-based issues people bring up (mispronouncing names, misunderstanding contexts, etc). It's not unlike a couple of scenes from the film, but perhaps more generally is an embellishment of reactions to the things that people sometimes see (and comment on) through what they view as a "south asian american" lens rather than a strictly human one.

Special thanks to Jerry Johnson and Macc Niemann for the first video, and Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg for the second one.

The KKK Reviews "The Namesake"

The KKK Reviews "The Namesake"

Ed and Larry tell me what they thought of "The Namesake".

Click Here to View the Video

Back from the LA Press Day - some clarifications

The Los Angeles Press Day for "The Namesake" went well - it was nice to have the opportunity to talk about a film that has been close to me since the first time I read the book upon which it's based. Based upon the questions I got in LA, I realized a few things about what people expect from this movie, so i figured i'd discuss them a little bit.

First, there is a weird assumption that the character of Gogol undergoes some sort of ethnocentric identity struggle (he doesn't). I've had a few people tell me that (based upon the trailer), they thought the film is about an Indian kid who has to choose between his white girlfriend or his Indian one. I think it's sad that some people are viewing these characters in terms of race. While this is probably the fault of the trailer (which though beautifully cut together, does tend to sort of overdo it when it comes to really explaining what the story is about), it's weird to have to explain this part of the character without giving away elements of the film.

So i'll do it briefly with the hopes that it clarifies the character. Within the story of the film, i play an American kid (yes, who happens to be of Indian descent though that hardly has much to do with the essence of who he is) named Gogol. Gogol is moderately bothered by his name growing up - NOT because of the color of his skin, rather because the author after whom he's named (Nikolai Gogol) was largely thought to be insane in his personal matters. Gogol (the character in the film) is actually quite comfortable with who he is, and doesn't really struggle with any sort of identity issues. It's other people around him who always take issue with his ethnicity or his job. (I don't want to cite lines and give away scenes from the film, so i'll leave it at that).

It was sort of unfortunate to be asked about ethnicity and identity when my character struggles with none of those issues. It is actually the character of Ashima (the mother) who undergoes the types of nationalistic and ethnic identity dilemma in this story.

"So Kal, you must have really related to Gogol since you're both Indian!" No. I related to Gogol because of who he is, and because of the depth of his essence, courtesy of Jhumpa's writing. His ethnicity had nothing to do with it...

Los Angeles Press Day

Hello all -

I'm in Los Angeles this weekend for what is called a "press junket" - essentially a daylong series of interviews with journalists, reporters, television, magazine, newspaper and media outlets who ask questions about the film just before release. I think they've all seen the film (i'd imagine at a separate private screening yesterday), so i'm very curious to see the response.

Yesterday afternoon, we screened the film for the film school at the University of Southern California, and participated in a Q&A afterward. More to follow towards the end of the day today, or perhaps tomorrow when i'm back in Louisiana...

In the meantime, check out our recent review of "The Namesake" in the new issue of "Premiere Magazine" - it made my mom proud. :)

Dubai Film Festival

"The Namesake" played twice at the Dubai International Film Festival last month, in the company of some fantastic films from all over the world. The Festival itself was a great opportunity to see films that aren't distributed as widely in North America, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear moving feedback from folks from Lebanon, Palestine, the UAE, Bahrain, and Iran. Irfan and I were introduced both screenings, and did a Q&A for each afterwards. My sincerest thanks to the Fesitval sponsors and organizers for such an incredible festival and turnout.

To clear up some confusion and answer a few questions: "The Namesake" opens in North America on March 9, 2007. The trailer is currently playing in select cities in front of some great films (among them, "Dream Girls" and "Pans Labrynth"). International release dates for "The Namesake" vary, but I believe the film opens in India on the 24th of March, 2007.

Thanks to those who came out to the SASA Conference in Miami a few weeks ago. It was great to have the chance to talk with people from all over the country, and hear what they thought of the film.

I'm currently in Louisiana shooting the "Untitled Harold and Kumar Sequel", but will upload some updated from here as I learn more about pre-release plans for "The Namesake". Stay tuned...