The Goat Life

Aadujeevitham The Goat Life is a 2024 Malayalam-language survival drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Blessy. The film is an international co-production involving companies in India and the United States. It is an adaptation of the 2008 best-selling Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham by Benyamin, which is based on the real-life story of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant laborer, one among thousands of Indians who were forced into slavery in Saudi Arabia as goatherds on secluded farms in the deserts by the native Arabs. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Jimmy Jean-Louis and K. R. Gokul in lead roles, with Talib Al Balushi, Rik Aby, Amala Paul and Shobha Mohan in supporting roles.
Blessy had wanted to adapt Aadujeevitham ever since he read the novel in 2008 and has cast Prithviraj as the lead. The following year, he bought the rights from Benyamin and began writing the screenplay. However, due to budget constraints which prevented substantial progress, the film went into development hell. Blessy spent years searching for a producer, finally finding one in 2015, allowing the project to gain momentum. Jimmy Jean-Louis and Steven Adams joined Blessy as co-producers. A. R. Rahman composed the film's original score and songs.
Principal photography took place in phases between March 2018 and July 2022 through six schedules in the deserts of Wadi Rum, Jordan and the Algerian desert in the Sahara with some scenes shot in Kerala, India. The crew was stranded in Jordan for 70 days from March to May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic's restrictions. They were eventually repatriated to India via the Indian government's evacuation programme, Vande Bharat Mission. Filming concluded on 14 July 2022.
The film was released worldwide on 28 March 2024 and grossed over till date. The Goat Life is currently the 3rd highest grossing Malayalam film of all time, the 2nd highest grossing Malayalam film of 2024, the 4th highest grossing South Indian film of the year as well as one of the highest grossing Indian films of 2024.
== Plot ==
In Saudi Arabia, Najeeb Muhammed and Hakim, two Malayali immigrants, arrive seeking a better life with visas arranged by their acquaintance Sreekumar. Stranded at the airport without knowing their employer, they are approached by a local Arab who mistakenly assumes he is their boss. Following a long journey, they are separated, with Najeeb left to work in a remote desert herding goats.
Enduring harsh conditions and isolation, Najeeb witnesses the demise of a fellow goatherd, realising the peril of his own situation. After years of suffering, he is reunited with Hakim, who introduces him to Ibrahim Khadiri, a Somalian goatherd with knowledge of escape routes. They seize an opportunity during Khafeel's daughter's wedding, fleeing into the desert.
Their journey turns perilous as they struggle to find sustenance and direction, resulting in Hakim's death and Najeeb's near demise. Eventually, Khadiri also disappears. Alone in the desert, Najeeb eventually reaches civilisation with the help of a passing Arab, and finds a local Malayali restaurant owned by Kunjikka, who nurses him back to health.
However, Najeeb's troubles are far from over. He faces imprisonment due to his own documentation issues and he meets the Khafeel, who leaves him as he is not his official sponsor and cannot take him back. Despite this setback, Najeeb eventually returns home.
== Cast ==
== Music ==
The original score and songs for the film were composed by A. R. Rahman in his third film in Malayalam after Yoddha (1992) and Malayankunju (2022). The soundtrack featured four songs and an instrumental track with lyrics by Rafeeq Ahamed, and Singers-: Vijay Yesudas, Chinmayi Sripaada, Rakshita Suresh,Jithin Raj, Sana Moussa, Raja Hasan, Murtuza and Faiz Mustafa were the singers. A grand audio launch function of the film was held on 10 March 2024 at the Adlux International Convention Centre in Angamaly, with the film's cast and crew members along with prominent celebrities in attendance. However, except for the promotional video song "Hope" which released on social media platforms on the same day, the soundtrack was released a week later.
== Marketing ==
In April 2023, Deadline Hollywood released an unexpected trailer for the film. Blessy expressed dissatisfaction, clarifying that the trailer was intended for agents for screening at film festivals and business purposes, not for public release. He emphasised that the post-production work on the clips, including colour grading and music, was incomplete, with the music only composed on a keyboard. Blessy disowned it as the official theatrical release trailer. Despite this, the production team officially released the same trailer shortly afterward. In late-November 2023, the official social media handles for the film were revealed. In late-December, the team asked fans to design posters for their participation at a special event with Prithviraj and Blessy.
On 10 January 2024, the first look of the film was revealed by Prabhas through his social media handles, which featured Prithviraj in a bearded and gloomy appearance as Najeeb Muhammed. Blessy and Benyamin attended the seventh edition of the Kerala Literature Festival held on 13 January, to share their insights on the adaptation from novel to film. Two more posters were revealed on 17 and 31 January, one featuring Prithviraj's gloomy look and the other that featured the actor in a younger look, reminiscing the character earlier days. On 11 February, the team shared a video subtitled Corona Days, revealing on the turbulent production where the team stranded in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An official website for the film was launched by Blessy and Rahman in late-February 2024. The film's theatrical trailer was unveiled on 9 March 2024. The trailer was overwhelmingly well received, with media outlets such as Film Companion describing the visuals as "spellbinding", and The Indian Express-based critic compared Prithviraj's performance to that of Leonardo DiCaprio's in The Revenant (2015).
== Release ==
===Theatrical===
During the promotion of Kaapa (2022) in December 2022, Prithviraj revealed that The Goat Life would premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival if post-production work completes on time. In such a scenario, the film's worldwide theatrical release would be in the latter half of 2023. However, if the film is not able to make it to Cannes, it will premiere at the next major film festival. In May 2023, following the absence from Cannes, Blessy disclosed a strategy to debut the film at the Venice Film Festival, with a subsequent theatrical release in October 2023 contingent upon completing the remaining post-production works by mid-June.
In late-November 2023, it was announced that the film would be released theatrically on 10 April 2024, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr and Vishu weekend. However, in February, the film was advanced to 28 March 2024.
The film will be distributed by Prithviraj Productions in Kerala, Hombale Films in Karnataka, Mythri Movie Makers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Red Giant Movies in Tamil Nadu and AA Films in North India.
===Home media===
The film was premiered on Netflix from 19 July 2024.
== Reception ==
===Box office===
On the opening day of its release, the film collected approximately ₹16.7 crores, with ₹5.63 crores coming from Kerala.
===Critical response===
Aadujeevitham received positive reviews from critics, who praised Prithviraj's performance and the editing. 
Arjun Menon of Rediff.com rated 4/5 stars and noted, "Aadujeevitham marks a new direction for Malayalam cinema, where ambition meets resources and the right people, all in favour of stories that deserve to be told on the biggest stage of them all." Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 4/5 stars and wrote "While Blessy meticulously selected only the necessary moments for the film adaptation of The Goat Life, his script fell short throughout in building sufficient tension." Janani K of India Today gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Aadujeevitham is an immersive film that banks on Prithviraj’s performance and its technical brilliance."
== External links ==
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== References ==
Category:2024 films
Category:Indian drama films
Category:Films based on Indian novels
Category:Films directed by Blessy
Category:Films about slavery
Category:Indian prison films
Category:Films about immigration
Category:Films set in Saudi Arabia
Category:Films set in deserts
Category:Films scored by A. R. Rahman
Category:Films shot in Jordan
Category:Films shot in Algeria
Category:Films shot in Palakkad
Category:Drama films based on actual events
Category:Indian films based on actual events
Category:Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Category:Films shot in Pathanamthitta
Category:Censored films
Category:2020s Arabic-language films
Category:Indian survival films
Category:Films about water scarcity
Category:Films about farmers
Category:Cultural depictions of Saudi Arabian people