My character Ashoke Ganguly in the film has a Bengali accent while he speaks English. To get that right, Mira took me to meet Jhumpa and her family. We met her husband, parents and her kid. Observing and having conversations with them gave me an insight into my role.

Jhumpa is a very attractive woman. Meeting the woman whose work I have enjoyed reading was a good experience. Her language is simple; her perspective to life is evident through her writing. Her words carry so much meaning, feeling and energy that one wonders where the inspiration comes from. She is very sensitive to the story, and full of emotions. There is an undercurrent of emotion in every character in her books.

And what is your character Ashoke Ganguly like?

Ashoke Ganguly, in search of a life with finesse and exuberance, goes abroad. He comes back to marry an Indian girl, and they then settle abroad. Namesake is the story of his life and family. Ashoke had a traumatic accident in India while he was a student, and years later is still trying to deal with that trauma -- looking for redemption by raising his kid and coming to terms with life.

It was challenging to play a character who isn't too obtrusive, whose presence is not even felt. Ashoke is a person who'd just be standing with three-four people around him and one would not notice him. The look spans forty years starting from his college days till he is 56.

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