Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

Mira Nair’s The Namesake, a co-production by UTV Motion Pictures & Fox Searchlight, has just completed its run of 50 successful days at the box office in India. It sets a new record in an era where producers count on opening week revenues and box office hits are those movies that manage to run for three to four weeks.

The Namesake has set a benchmark for Indian crossover & Hollywood blockbusters films at the box office. The film had generated a cumulative gross average per print of Rs. 11,17,000 within 7 weeks of its release hence leaving other critically and commercially acclaimed Hollywood biggies like Casino Royale, Godzilla, Terminator-3, Spiderman-2 along with Indian crossover films like Water, Monsoon Wedding, Bend It Like Beckham, Bollywood Hollywood and The Guru on the parameter of cumulative per print average.

Moreover, it heralds the dawn of the commercial acceptance of a new kind of English cinema in India.

The Namesake boasts of superb performances from Irrfan Khan, Tabu and Kal Penn. It is an intimate family saga that spans continents and generations yet stays close to the heart; the film, though humble, apparently has garnered acclaim across section of societies across the world.

After being mega successful at the box office, and having earned high acclaim from critics and audiences across the spectrum, The Namesake will be screened at the closing of the Habitat Film Festival 2007 to held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on May 27 at 11.30 am.