Wanting to give the summer sun stiff competition, Mira Nair is wearing a bright orange salwaar kameez, her trademark kohl-lined eyes and an affectionate smile.She jumps with joy when I tell her I’ve watched The Namesake.“Oh, you are the first mediaperson I’ve met today who’s watched my film!” she says excitedly.With that, I sit down for a chat with Mira about the journey of bringing Jhumpa Lahiri’s critically acclaimed book alive on celluloid and the art of extracting stellar performances from her cast.
You had a tough time getting your cast together. Was it hard to get Tabu?
Not at all. She had read the book even before I approached her for the role and was thrilled about playing Ashima. The same holds true for the other characters in the film. These were parts that actors would want to lap up.
The Namesake is shot in a different style when compared to your previous work. Was that a conscious decision?
It was a photograph that triggered off my need to make The Namesake. I have always been drawn to photography and its mechanisms. For The Namesake, I had to recreate the sights and sounds of Calcutta and New York. It was all about images and pictures that kept playing in my head from the time I was a child.
You lost someone close when you were living abroad. Was The Namesake a cathartic experience in that respect?
In a lot of ways, yes. When I read the book, I could relate to Gogol (the protagonist) in many ways. The alienation I felt in a foreign land was stark and very real.In many ways, I felt I was away from home, my people and the country I belong to. So I poured out all these emotions into the making of the movie
What’s the most amazing reaction you’ve received from the Indian film fraternity on The Namesake?
Karan (Johar) has watched it and was deeply moved. Mr Bachchan also watched the film, but it was difficult to fathom his reaction. He just came up to me and embraced me in a tight hug after the screening. It was overwhelming to get such feedback.
Any particular scene in the film that stands out personally?
There are a couple of scenes I’ve added which are not in the book. Even though I’ve lived in New York for a long time, Christmas is a festival I’ve never identified with.The whole process of getting home a tree and putting on the lights has been alien to me. So I used that friction in a scene where Ashima receives the news of her husband’s death and doesn’t know how to react. She’s wandering around in the house groping the darkness, not knowing what to do. Then she steps out of the house and lets out a scream. At that point, these bright Christmas lights light up the background. That is a feeling that’s been a part of me for so long that I gave those emotions to Ashima.
Both Tabu and Irrfan have given tremendous performances. How did you put them through the paces as Ashima and Ashok?
I always believe that you have to protect your actors. Only then will they give you their best. Tabu is a remarkable actor but I had to protect her and make sure she’s comfortable in the environment I was working in.So before the actual shoot, I called her and the rest of the cast and asked them to undo everything they had learnt, grasped and emoted in their lives till that point. I don’t think anyone has protected Tabu like me. With Irrfan, he had to play a very calm Ashok. Everything about his body language, eyes and the walk had to reflect that inner peace.
How is Shantaram progressing?
It’s in the initial stages, as we still have to finalise the script and the cast.Things should start falling into place by June. At the moment, I have only locked Johnny Depp and Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan to play pivotal characters in the film.
Is Johnny Depp thrilled to come to India?
He is completely excited. I remember him saying, ‘I think India is a country I’d never want to leave if I get there’. He is a hugely talented actor and crazier than Jack Sparrow! I’m looking forward to working with him
