Feb 26, 2026 12:13pm IST
Kal Penn on 20 Years Of Mira Nair’s ‘The Namesake’ (EXCLUSIVE)
American actor Kal Penn, was willing to give his all to secure an audition for Mira Nair’s “The Namesake”, the cinematic adaptation of the eponymous novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. That he finally landed the role of Gogol in that movie was, apart from his obvious acting skills, part chance, part luck and part how Mira’s then 14-year-old son, Zohran, thought of Kal Penn’s “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” film series. It’s been two decades since “The Namesake” was released, and Kal Penn takes us through how it all came about for him.
It’s been 20 years since your best-known work in these parts. How do you look back at the “The Namesake” experience?
I look back on ‘The Namesake’ experience with such gratitude. It remains my favorite film I’ve had the privilege of working on: incredible directing and writing, of course, Mira, Sooni, Jhumpa and the entire production team – Lydia Pilcher, Fred Elmes, so many more. To have worked intimately with and gotten to know Irrfan and Tabu. So many incredible memories for which I’m grateful.
What was your reaction when Mira Nair first came to you with “The Namesake?” You do know, of course, that your role was originally offered to Abhishek Bachchan.
I had never met Mira, but she has been a role model of mine since I saw "Mississippi Masala" as a kid, and it was one of the catalysts that motivated me to become an actor and filmmaker. I was also a big fan of the intimacy in Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel. John Cho and I explored getting the film rights to "The Namesake" novel and learned that Mira had them. I immediately asked my agent and manager to get me an audition. For some reason, I just couldn’t get an audition – neither the casting director nor Mira’s office had been returning their calls. So, I wrote her a letter by hand – telling her how much "Mississippi Masala" had meant to me, how deeply I felt connected to ‘The Namesake’ novel, and basically saying, ‘You have to let me audition for the lead in "The Namesake." A project like this is the reason I’m an actor.’ I put a physical stamp on the letter, mailed it out, and about a week later, the casting director called my manager to set up an audition. I remember taking money out of my savings account to buy a flight to New York.
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And then?
Walking into the Mirabai Films office in Union Square felt empowering. Mira’s assistant, Ami, offered me some chai as I waited for my appointment while I gave the two audition scenes a final read in the waiting room. Mira was gracious and told me that she got my letter. “There are two things you should know,” she said. “First, my fourteen-year-old son Zohran is a huge fan of your film "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle." For the last couple of months, he and his best friend, Sam, have been lobbying hard, trying to get me to audition you for the part of Gogol. They showed me clips from the film, and I thought, ‘What is this puerile stuff? This guy is the wrong choice. But your letter was beautifully written, and you said I had to let you audition – so I am. The second thing is that the role of Gogol has already been cast. I have an offer out to another actor, but he has not accepted the part yet because he isn’t sure if he’s comfortable with some of the more intimate scenes. Would that be a concern of yours also?’ I didn’t know who the other actor was, but I told her that I knew her work well and that it would not be a concern of mine. I read the two audition scenes, and Mira handed me another. Then another. Then another. Things were going well. After the audition, I stuck around for a little while to say hello to her son. Although it was a bummer to hear that the role may not be available, I was glad I had put myself out there, written her a letter, prepared hard for the audition, and did my best! The rest would be out of my hands.
What was it like sharing screen space with Irrfan and Tabu?
They’re both icons. I learned so much from each of them. They’re such talented and giving actors and being in scenes with them felt so natural. Tabu’s tremendous range and Irrfan’s ability to fully communicate using silence are two things that will always stay with me.
Do you recall any memorable incidents from the shoot?
Yes! One thing about Irrfan, he was very funny. There’s a difficult scene in which Gogol goes to the morgue to identify his father Ashoke’s body, and my scripted line (which I think was ultimately cut) was, “Where are his glasses?” So, I’m in the zone, emotionally raw, Ashoke is wheeled out, and I say the line, “Where are his glasses?” And in the creepiest voice ever, Irrfan – who is supposed to be very dead as Ashoke – mumbles, “They are in my pockettttttt!”
If you had to do "The Namesake” again, would you do it differently?
No. There aren't too many films on the diasporic experience as memorable as "The Namesake."
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently in the new season of the HBO drama "Industry," which has just started airing. I recently finished up two films, a chess thriller called "Contra" and an independent dramedy called "Trust Me, I’m A Doctor," which you’ll see later this year. I’m developing a couple of film and TV projects in the States and in India, so lots more to come!
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