“The Namesake” had its world debut on Saturday, at the Telluride film festival [Thanks Gautham]. We first blogged about the movie almost two years ago [We also blogged the casting call, but got no couch privileges]. The trailers [Quicktime, Real, WMP] for the movie look excellent, so I’ve been wriggling with anticipation just waiting for its release.

For those of you just tuning in, this is a film based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s first book novel, directed by Mira Nair, and starring Kal Penn, thus making it a desi-American trifecta. The tagline is for the movie is “Two worlds. One journey,” a phrase so wonderful that it is destined to replace “blend of East and West” in matrimonial ads. Since Kal Penn even gets a blond girlfriend, I’m sure that at least one of the mutineers will go watch the movie for that reason alone.

I have no doubt that this movie will do well with the artsy-fartsy non-brown American crowd. Mira Nair is skillful at pushing the line of prurient exoticism just far enough to maximize general interest in the movie, while never selling out.

However, this is a movie that will do well in the states but flop “back home” in India. India loves movies like Krrish, and despite annual announcements of a new Bollywood realism, I doubt that Indian audiences will take to The Namesake. “Why is the boy [Kal Penn] not dancing?”

We can get a glimpse of what the popular response to the film is likely to be from the reactions to it while a scene was being shot at the Taj Mahal. Even though the movie stars Tabu and Irfan Khan, one person stopped a journalist (confusing him with Mira Nair) to inquire:

“Are you the director Mira Nair? Why don’t you cast (Bollywood star) Shah Rukh Khan in your film?” [Link]

Another onlooker asked:

“Why is the boy [Kal Penn] not dancing?” [Link]

That’s right – a realistic portrayal of life in two countries, and people wonder why nobody is dancing. I think that pretty much sums up how Indian audiences will feel about the film. No song, no dance, no interest.