"All human destinies that we have never experienced are just stories to us. This is not just the story of Najeeb, but the grief of thousands of p
“All human destinies that we have never experienced are just stories to us. This is not just the story of Najeeb, but the grief of thousands of people who lost their lives in the desert, who left their country and their homes in order to survive.”
These were the words of director Blessy describing the reason behind his presentation of the film Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life.
Director Blessy has been following the novel Aadujeevitham by Benjamin for a long time and was inspired by its powerful and thought-provoking story. He was drawn to the visuals that came up while reading the book, and he wanted to make a big-budget film about Najeeb, a citizen who disappeared in Saudi Arabia and ended up as a slave to a desert plantation owner. Blessy had been thinking about adapting a literary work for cinema ever since he had a conversation with journalist and writer V. K. Ravi Varma Thampuran about the declining tradition of adapting literary works, which was prevalent in Malayalam cinema during the 1970s and 1980s.
Filming was supposed to begin in August 2010, in the deserts of Dubai and Rajasthan, but that never happened. Benjamin said the film was still in the discussion stage and was shelved when it became apparent that the cost of production was not feasible for a Malayalam film, so little progress was made. Blessy spent years searching for a producer, and finally found one in 2015, bringing the project back to life. Jimmy Jean-Louis and Stephen Adams joined Blessy as co-producers.
The script was ready by 2016, with Director Blessy wanting an “event film” similar to Life of Pi, where the story moves from one event to another. However, the principal and final photography of the film took place in stages between March 2018 and July 2022 across six schedules in the deserts of Wadi Rum in Jordan and the Algerian Sahara Desert in the Sahara, as well as some scenes shot in Kerala in India.
The crew was stranded in Jordan for 70 days from March to May 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, until they were eventually brought back to India through the Indian government’s evacuation programme, the Vande Bharat Mission, and filming wrapped on 14 July 2022.
Prithviraj Sukumaran played the role of Najeeb, a Malayali migrant worker who was kidnapped and forced into slavery as a goat herder in a desert farm. The film has received extensive praise for its technical brilliance and emotionally charged storytelling. Speaking about the film, Blessy said, “The audience will be able to relate with it, and it will have them go through an emotional rollercoaster”. The film was released worldwide on 28 March 2024 and has grossed over ₹160 crore (US$19 million) to date.
Conclusion:
“The Goat Life” is a testament to the power of storytelling and the impact it can have on audiences. With its gripping narrative and emotive performances, the film is an exemplary example of how cinema can be used as a medium to convey powerful messages. As Blessed said, “The film is a cathartic experience for the audience, where they will be able to relive a story that has touched us all”.
FAQs:
Q: What is the story of “Aadu Jeevitham”?
A: The story is about Najeeb, a Malayali migrant worker who was kidnapped and forced into slavery as a goat herder in a desert farm in Saudi Arabia.
Q: How many years did the production of the film take?
A: The production of the film started in 2010 and finally wrapped up on July 14, 2022.
Q: Was the film affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: Yes, the production of the film was affected by the pandemic when the crew was stranded in Jordan for 70 days from March to May 2020 before being brought back to India.
Q: What is the gross box office collections of the film?
A: “The Goat Life” has grossed over ₹160 crore (US$19 million) to date.
Q: Does the film have subtitles in various languages?
A: The film doesn’t have subtitles for parts where Arab is spoken, to provide an experience similar to Najeeb’s – the audience is able to get a sense of what Najeeb was going through.
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