Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life
Introduction
This may possibly go down as one of my greatest theatrical experiences ever! The year 2024 has been a GOAT year for the Malayalam film industry who has been on an absolute roll late. With films like Aattam, Bramayugam, Premalu and Manjummel Boys to name a few(there are more actually), the quality of the films have been immaculate. And there are a couple of things that I have noticed as well in an industry that has to fight every Friday to stay in contention despite it delivering quality films. One, I have always seen the entire industry coming together and promoting even the lesser known content. And two, there doesn’t seem to be a competition of one-upmanship in the industry(from the onset) that definitely augers well for the industry. On being quizzed recently, Prithviraj Sukumaran was candid enough to say that how the success of the previous films with atleast generate a buzz for the other films to follow. This for me was such a matured statement of thinking of the industry as a whole as opposed to just focusing on his then upcoming film Aadujeevitham.
Aadujeevitham has been in the news for the time that it has taken to eventually be made. Having been written 16 years ago and eventually having Prithviraj onboard in 2015 to eventually kick-starting its shooting in 2020 only to be stalled and stranded in the desert of Jordan due to COVID-19 restrictions, to ultimately resuming shoot and having to undergo the longest post-production since 2022, the film has already had its share of challenges. But when I finally got myself to watch Aadujeevitham on the big screen, little did I know that this will go down as one of the greatest theatrical experiences of my lives(and trust me, I visit the cinemas every week and you can count all the great films over time). And here are my two cents on Aadujeevitham.
Story & Screenplay
Based on an incredible true story and on the novel by the same name, Aadujeevitham is a survival drama following the story of Najeeb who visits the Gulf for greener pastures only to be enslaved by a cruel Arab while having to tend to camels and goats. The story here is absolutely phenomenal and probably one of the greatest survival dramas that I have ever witnessed. I will even stick my neck out and say that the writing here probably matched the International standards of filmmaking wherein you can feel the angst and anxiety of the protagonist with a sense of surrender. And with the landscape that plays such an important character of suppression with no hope, the screenplay standing at close to three hours make for a painstakingly brilliant watch of the highest order wherein you are fully invested in the journey of the protagonist while being empathetic towards him right throughout the narrative.
The drama opens with the beautiful image of the night sky being host to the milky way before cutting to its reflection in the water wherein you are introduced to a haggard looking protagonist trying to splash water on his face. The drama cuts to a timeline from the past wherein you are introduced to the protagonist and his friend who are at an airport in the Gulf while seeking for their pickup from a ‘company’ that has promised them employment. The language is a clear barrier for both of them even as they are unwittingly picked up by a ‘Kafeel’ wherein you can predict that something is amiss. This is the genius of the writing that doesn’t reveal any details of the world that the protagonist comes from or what brought him to the Arab nation. The writers do keep some cards close to their chest while only revealing them in flashes along the way(that includes a sweet little love story without distracting you from the main plot point). This, while you slowly come to terms with the protagonist been trapped in a foreign land in the form of a slave with literally nowhere to go!
The proceedings are supremely engaging wherein you are always invested in the journey of the protagonist. This includes his initial struggle to come to terms with his situation while bitterly missing home to a certain sense of acceptance of his new life which is filled with atrocities which include restrictions on the use of water in a desert even for drinking purposes. The desert itself is a character that poses a challenge in every possible way while providing no respite with its extreme landscape. All he has is an elderly man for company(who soon disappears mysteriously) and goats and camels while having no one to talk to and also having a language barrier to deal with his ‘kafeels’. The atrocities are real and almost heartbreaking to a point that do not provide him with any hope or respite.
I did feel that the immediate sequence post the interval was slightly rushed and convenient even as he meets his old friend after an eternity with whom he hatches a plan to escape. And even the bond that the protagonist shares with the animals wasn’t completely established. But these flaws soon evaporate in probably one of the best second halves of a film that I may have ever witnessed onscreen in terms of its scale and the atrocities that it brings with it. I was extremely critical of the film Dunki which I believe did not quite do justice to the atrocities that the characters faced then. And for all those who need a perspective, should watch Aadujeevitham for exactly that. You will understand the hardships of the landscape that the characters are subjected to, even as you feel every ounce of their pain along the journey where survival has a completely different meaning. Right from being water deprived to having no energy but continuing to walk despite their feet swollen and filled with blisters was such a painstaking watch. Yet, I was in awe of the writing that did everything to keep you engaged throughout the journey.
The writing never really dwells in the politics of the land while solely focusing on the journey of the protagonist as he walks for months across the desert. This itself was a herculean feat that was beyond my wildest imagination even as I have been guilty of loosely using the word ‘slavery’ in my daily life. The word slavery here had a whole different meaning that was accentuated even in the final scene where there was only a streak of politics that was introduced and promptly concluded. By the end of it, I was left numb and broke while actually being grateful for the life that I am living, even as I continue to ponder on some lives walking past a desert while I am typing this review. I liked how there weren’t sentiments lacing the narrative at the end while presenting raw emotions to imbibe, in a screenplay that made for a memorable theatrical experience for me.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The beauty of the drama is that this is not a language heavy film. And so this will definitely have a universal appeal. The lines often spread across languages from Arabic to Hindi, and English to Malayalam add authenticity to the drama. The music by AR Rahman is gutwrenching and goes perfectly in sync with the mood of the drama. The BGM is rousing, almost making you a bystander along with the protagonist in the challenging landscape of the desert. The cinematography is exceptional while capturing some breathtaking wide angle shots that depict the challenge that lies ahead, something that goes beyond your wildest imagination. The editing is absolutely pitch perfect and makes some beautiful transitions. In an instance, you see the protagonist lying in the desert with a little water flowing around him that slowly transitions into the lush green landscapes of Kerala which is his home, only to later return to his reality in what was a seamless mode of transition. Director Blessy does a magnificent job in willing to go an extra mile in telling this story. The challenges endured during its filmming was a testimony of his undying spirit that would settle for nothing less than perfection. His world building and characterization was pitch perfect and the atrocities that he is able to showcase on a never-ending journey of the protagonist was absolutely brilliant to watch. The direction was excellent here.
Performances
The performances are outstanding by the entire cast. Amala Paul as Sainu has a sweet presence onscreen and she does a wonderful job here despite a limited screentime. Talib who plays the cruel Arab will make your blood boil with his cruel actions which meant a job done wonderfully well. Jimmy Jean-Louis as Ibrahim is sincere and endearing having a pleasant personality onscreen and he does a swell job too. K R Gokul as Hakkim plays perfect foil to the protagonist wherein you can feel the amount of pain that he has endured even as you are sympathetic towards him. He was excellent here in every sense of the word.
This brings me to Prithviraj Sukumaran in the performance of a lifetime as Najeeb. It was so heartening to witness an actor completely surrendering to the vision of the filmmaker while never missing a single beat in his character. In every scene, you could feel his pain so much so that he was able to hide a few stray writing flaws simply by his acting. His eyes are so expressive that you are always sympathetic towards him, be it when he was bidding his animal family a goodbye for the last time or in the middle of the desert when hope was no where to be seen. You can also notice his physical transformation from being a little healthy to begin with, to totally being reduced to bones in a riveting scene wherein he takes off his clothes to bathe for the first time(and kudos to the censor board for passing ‘that’ scene too in a U/A certificate). The amount of sweat and blood gone in his performance does show here and this has to be a performance that can be termed as GOAT in every sense of the word. I hope he wins a National Award for this character.
Conclusion
Aadujeevitham will go down as one of the greatest survival stories ever told with some GOAT performances in a drama that comes with my highest recommendation. This was probably one of the greatest theatrical experiences that I have ever had and the film may be an early contender for India’s Official Submission to the Academy Awards next year. Yes, it was that good so much so that it left me speechless by the end of it! Do not miss this experience on the biggest screen possible! Available in a theatre near you and Highly Highly Recommended!