Director: Blessy
Writer: Blessy
Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amala Paul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Shobha Mohan, K.R. Gokul, Talib Al Balushi, Rik Aby, Nazer Karutheni, Robin Das, Baburaj Thiruvalla, Aji George
Duration: 2h 52m
Rating: 4/5

A project that has taken 16 years to come to fruition speaks volumes about capturing the essence of this journey of survival, persistence, and divinity.

It’s a journey that began when lead actor Prithviraj Sukumaran had not gone through the various chapters of his life portrayed in this much-awaited film, Aadujeevitham.

Part of this film’s journey is hidden within the transformation of our lead actor himself. But more on that, after we journey through the sands of time, spirituality, and the sheer will to survive.

If there is one director who can extract the stardom away from an actor and present to the audience the bare-bones of a raw character, it has to be credited to director Blessy, who brings out wonders through the portrayal of human emotions and suffering.

Kaazhcha and Thanmathra are exemplary works from him that prove stardom doesn’t always sell movies; it’s the flaw of being human and the moulding of truth through art that sells stories.

When Najeeb Muhammed (played by Prithviraj Sukumaran) dreams of a better life, he decides to move to Saudi Arabia, leaving his family behind in Kerala. As an immigrant worker looking for greener pastures, Najeeb too hopes to sustain his family and hope for a better future for his wife Sainu (played by Amala Paul) and his to-be-born child.

As he travels to Mumbai to then fly to Saudi Arabia, he encounters a fellow passenger named Hakeem (played by K.R Gokul) from his community, who is also hoping for a better life in the Middle East; he is automatically vested with the responsibility of this young soul.

Little did they know, their Arbab (Sponsor/Local Resident who sponsors a visa) had yet to show up to pick them up. As time ticks by, they grow impatient and wonder if this is what is in store for them. Finally, an Arab shows up to claim them, but their excitement quickly dwindles as they journey towards the unknown, towards a future of suffering.

As the writer Benyamin conveyed in his book, ‘Goat Life’, written through the lens of the man whom this story is based on, Najeeb Muhammed, once you embrace the story, it is as though you become a goat too, and you realise the nuances of comparing humanity with that of being a part of a masara.

It was obvious to compare a masterpiece from Benyamin and how it would materialise with flesh, bones and sand by Blessy in Aadujeevitham. However, the movie becomes an escape, an out-of-body experience for looking inward and figuring out what’s keeping you captive? Are you truly free, or is this an illusion? The book laid the foundation of a riveting tale that was never heard before, and seeing it captured on the big screen helped the audience accept that tale and make it their own.

As the harrowing truth sets in, Najeeb is left alone in the middle of the desert with nothing but goats, sheep, camels, and another broken soul like him. Najeeb’s Arbab thrashes him to make him obey the rules of the Masara and be one with the animals he is tasked to look after.

Although many emotions and more in-depth details add heft to the rendition of the story in the book, the movie still does well to materialise the heat, the desperate need for basic resources, and the dire desire for survival.

As the unforgiving desert encapsulates Najeeb, his loneliness grows. Under the scorching heat, he wishes for Sainu’s warm embrace and his mother’s love.

The technical team pulled off great shots to show the abundance of both terrains, switching between the vast sandy escape and the lush green embrace of Najeeb’s hometown in Kerala.

With real interactions captured between Najeeb and the animals he is tending after, you are drawn into the story with every touch and brush with these creatures.

As you journey through Najeeb’s struggles, the pain and sorrow materialise with AR Rahman’s music and Resul Pookutty’s second design. The far opposite of rain, love, and simple blessings amount to precious moments, too, as the musical score takes you on an unforgettable ride.

This is Prithviraj Sukumaran’s career-best performance, and there is no doubt about it. With every shot, you see an actor who has fine-tuned his skill, and as I mentioned before, the 16 years worth of wait added time and experience to really get into the skin of this character and be one with it. Every wrinkle, whimper, and bit of stammer will touch you and render you down to root for Najeeb. The physical challenges to pull out a transformation of this calibre and to convey that so effortlessly are worth every penny you would give to watch this performance masterclass.

Amala Paul graciously portrayed the warmth of Sainu in Najeeb’s life with her screen time and talking about the Arab actors, especially Dr Talib Al Balushi, an Omani actor who delivered a rivetting performance with his role as the Khafeel; the casting felt just right with everyone who played a part in bringing these characters to life.

When all hope is lost, Najeeb meets his dear friend Hakim, who was separated from him and sent to another masara. Withered and shapeless, Hakim embraces Najeeb with love and hope to escape this wretched place with the help of a fellow shepherd named Ibrahim Khadiri (played by Jimmy Jean-Louis), whom Hakeem finds in his masara. They plan an escape together. This is where two fine actors portray their true calibre.

K.R. Gokul and Jimmy Jean-Louis exemplify exceptional skill in playing their role as Najeeb’s compatriots, his only two pillars of support in this vast sandy ocean. Riddled with madness and desperation as the three venture out into the desert, K.R. Gokul shows the true transformation of a young boy with dreams now with nothing but desperation in his eyes. Considered the Prophet Moses by Hakeem, Jimmy Jean-Louis’s character brings a sense of calm and purpose to the lives of two lost souls.

While observing the frames of Aadujeevitham, you think about the toil of bringing this project to fruition and how it affected the lives of those who transformed words into lives you can see and almost touch.

In an interview, Prithviraj mentioned the many social exercises that the team went through to stay sane till the project was complete. Being away from family and enduring physical and mental exhaustion resembled the many lives of expats around the globe, especially in the Middle East.

If you ponder it, the movie is filled with little details that hold a deeper meaning. When Najeeb holds up the broken shirt button and looks through it, although it is a hint to a core memory of his. However, it also reminds you of the infamous parable in the Bible, where the talk of faith comes into the picture, where trust and the soul’s value destined to enter the Kingdom of God are presented. The verse reads, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25

As the glass bottle rolls over from the sand to the gravel road, you, too, feel a sense of relief as you gasp one final time with Najeeb to survive the endless desert. Like the Good Samaritan stopping by to heal the wounded, a generous Arab stops his car to usher Najeeb and lead him to the city.

While knowing more about the story, you may be bewildered by the thought, “Is this what happened to everyone who aspires to make it big in the Middle East?” Millions arrive on the sandy shores of “The Gulf” with dreams, but not all go through what Najeeb did. If you ponder the story of Nadeeb, you will realise that it’s a far deeper battle of emotions and choices that wage within us, and the emblems and lives outside are a mere reflection of that.

There have been many Najeebs out there, but there have also been others who changed their lives. It’s cruel not to sympathise with a soul that endured this, but often, it’s hard to empathise with a story of this calibre that ends up looking like a mirage in the desert.

As Najeeb recuperates in Kunjikka’s abode, he and Hamid (played by Aji George), a fellow survivor just like him, seek the help of the authorities and register themselves to be sent back to their hometown as they lack the documents to continue their stay. Although the book creates a massive sense of urgency through Najeeb’s life in prison, the artistic choices and other limitations of extending the run time make you want more from the movie.

When you reach the film’s end, you can’t help but ponder the essence of Najeeb’s journey. The first shot was of him dragging his body to the spot where the goats drank water, and as the bright night sky with all the universe and cosmos shining reflects onto the water, he gulps it down. If you know the story of Krishna, you will know that when Yashoda gazed inside his mouth, she saw the universe with all its existence, and she realised that all living and non-living objects in the world were a part of him. This too could be what we can take from this tale of sheer will to survive, knowing that the only way forward is to accept and be one with everything, just like Najeeb did at the masara.

With nothing but his life left to give back to his child and his family, who are waiting for him back in his hometown, Najeeb walks towards the aircraft after being chosen to be sent back with the efforts of the Indian Embassy. The final frame shows Najeeb turning back one last time to look into the land he thought would give him material blessings. What he gained was far greater: the value of life. As he looks back, it’s a subtle nod to all those who survived and are still surviving and those who have the thirst to exist.