Filmmaker Mira Nair has begun a two week shoot in India of TheNamesake, an adaptation of Pulitzer-prize winning Jhumpa Lahiri's debutnovel of the same name.

'It's nice to be back in India and I am looking forwardto the shoot in Kolkata, a city that has mesmerised me since mychildhood,' Nair told reporters at a press conference for the film.

Mirasaid she hoped to start editing in September and complete the film by February2006 so that it can travel next May to the Cannes film festival.

The film, which is being shot in English and Bengali, isbeing produced by Indian studio UTV Motion Pictures together with US studiodivision Fox Searchlight and Japanese producer Entertainment Farm.

Fox has overseas rights while UTV Motion Pictures willhandle Indian distribution.

Topics