Director Blessy's dedication to the project is reflected in the heart-wrenching drama that unfolds on the silver screen.
Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life)' is a survival drama. (X)
Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), the most anticipated survival thriller starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and helmed by Blessy, is finally out.
The movie is based on the best-selling novel “Aadujeevitam” written by Benyamin.
The story is familiar to all and the film is an honest adaptation of the novel.
Director Blessy, best known for portraying intense relationships in his movies, continues his signature style in Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), too.
The flick is not an exact documentation of the events written in the novel. However, it gives an account of the life of Najeeb in his hometown in Kerala and the deserts of Saudi Arabia.
Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and Hakeem (KR Gokul), two youngsters from Kerala, visit Saudi Arabia with a work visa.
But they are kidnapped by an Arab man who puts them in two different Mazras (cattle farms) owned by private people.
Najeeb tries to make the Arab man understand that he came on a work visa but in vain. He realises there is no way to escape as the Mazras, where he is detained, lies in a desert. Eventually, he starts working as a migrant labourer without any official records.
A newly married man, Najeeb only thinks about his wife Sainu (Amala Paul) and mother.
AR Rahman composed the music for ‘Aadujeevitham’. (X)
Blessy adopts the non-linear format to introduce his wife and mother. He showcases the intense bonding Najeeb shares with the duo.
As the story progresses, the director incorporates several human emotions — love, lust, romance, and hope — through the protagonist.
The film’s first-hour depicts Najeeb’s relentless efforts to escape from the clutches of his Arbab landlord, a cruel person who tortures him. Eventually, he compromises with the circumstances.
However, Najeeb finds a ray of hope in Hakeem, who is also leading a similar life in another place in the same desert.
With the help of an African migrant labourer named Qadri, they plan to escape. But as they escape, Hakeem loses his life and Qadri vanishes in the middle of nowhere.
Najeeb finally reaches home with the help of a Malayali person, after over two years of suffering, and this is what the film is about.
How the filmmaker captures and narrates this survival drama is the major highlight.
Blessy gave 16 years of his life to writing and making Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) and his dedication is reflected in the heart-wrenching drama that unfolds on the silver screen.
As mentioned, the movie has a non-linear format. The cinematic brilliance of the filmmaker is revealed in the opening scene, where Najeeb drinks water from the same vessel along with the goats he rears.
In this particular shot, taken at night, Najeeb’s eyes twinkle in golden colour like goats, implying that he is leading a life similar to the herd of goats.
Shooting in the desert is a Herculean task. But Blessy and his team, especially cinematographer Sathish KS, treat us to some breathtaking visuals — both in Kerala and the desert in Jordan.
The night shots, the sandstorm, and the scene where Najeeb bids goodbye to his workplace have been captured brilliantly.
Some other excellent shots include the reaction of a camel when Najeeb talks to it and the vultures attacking him.
The Kerala sequences, where Najeeb works as an employee in a sand mining company, have also come out well.
Blessy’s interpretation of love between Najeeb and Sainu has not been explored in the novel. The intimate scenes between Sainu and Najeeb are truly overwhelming.
Prithviraj in a still from Blessy’s directorial ‘Aadujeevitham’. (X)
AR Rahman’s soulful music is a huge asset to Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) as Najeeb’s faith in God receives a musical portrayal in the movie.
The background music captures the pain suffered by Najeeb who loses hope, having been lost in the desert.
The Sufi tune in the “Periyone” song gives a divine feeling to the audience.
Also, the “Omane“ melody song shows the intense relationship between Najeeb and Sainu. Apart from the audiography by Resul Pookutty is another major highlight.
The sounds of sandstorms, vultures, goats, camels, and other properties give a cinematic experience to the audience.
The editing by Sreekar Prasad is to the point and another major highlight of the movie.
Since the film is about the protagonist, Prithviraj Sukumaran gets more screen space and delivers his career-best performance as Najeeb.
His transformation from an innocent man to a hopeless slave in the desert is terrific. Prithviraj sheds 31 kilos to fit into the role. And his dedication helps him get under the skin of the character.
His voice modulation when pain and despair loom over him, his body language, and the scenes where he runs madly to escape from the Mazra are heartrending.
In another scene, the actor bathes nude before venturing on his journey to freedom from the desert.
Amala Paul, as Najeeb’s wife Sainu, is impressive. She appears in the first half and leaves a mark.
KR Gokul, as Hakeem, is another major character in the film. His appearance in the second half makes the audience understand the cruelty he faces. The young actor does justice to his part.
Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) is a masterpiece crafted by Blessy that has the potential for screening at international film festivals. The magnificent performance by Prithviraj and the delightful music by AR Rahman elevate it further.
In a nutshell, it is a must-watch!
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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