Name: Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life (2024)
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Released: 2024-03-28
Rating: 7.6
Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amala Paul

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The real-life incident of Najeeb Muhammad, an Indian migrant worker who goes to Saudi Arabia to earn money but finds himself living a slave-like existence, herding goats in the middle of the desert.

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life (2024)

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Najeeb leaves for the Gulf to provide a better life for his family in Kerala, but in caught in the cruel realities of work here. You don’t see Prithviraj the superstar in Aadujeevitham. Thanks to the real Najeeb’s presence during the movie promotions, you can see that the actor has brought alive on screen the character on whose life the story is based.

Based on the book by Benyamin, Blessy’s directorial is almost a dystopian take on migrant life in the Middle East. Najeeb mortgages his property to get a visa for the Gulf. In the layered story, we see Najeeb leave behind a verdant Kerala in the hope of providing better opportunities for his family. But he and a friend, Hakim, are unwittingly picked up by the wrong Arab sponsor when they land in Saudi Arabia and are taken to separate desert camps to herd goats.

The first half superbly juxtaposes life in Kerala and the harsh and cruel realities of the desert, where Najeeb lives a torturous existence with barely any food or water to meet his basic needs. And it would seem that the animals are kinder than the masters. Your heart goes out to the character and the trauma that his life has ironically become, in the hope of better pursuits.

As one horrible day grows into another, Najeeb suddenly meets Hakim again and there is a slight hope of the chance to escape with the help of an African labourer, Ibrahim Qadri, who is, apparently, familiar with the area. Will they be able to come out safe forms the rest of the story. But the second half falls slightly short, for one, with the story stretching on, and also with the director’s propensity for gimmicks, which takes away from the overall gem of a story.

What to say about Prithviraj, except that he lives the character and is superb as Najeeb, who is completely lost and at wit’s end in this unfamiliar region. Quite apart from the stunning body transformation, he brings the right mix of innocence and vulnerability to the role.

The cinematography by Sunil KS and KU Mohanan give the film the feel of a masterpiece. The desert is stark under their gaze and adds to the emotions of the storytelling. AR Rahman’s soulful music is already a hit on social media.

Having said all this, there is a slight lack of emotional resonance that was found in movies like Manjummel Boys and Premalu, the recent big Malayalam hits. But for a realistically told story of a man’s resilience and for Prithviraj’s acting, Aadujeevitham is bound to move audiences.

Upon realising his boss was beckoning him for food, Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) hurries into the tent. He hesitantly accepts the large, thick roti offered by one of the Arabs, learning it’s called “Khubus”. Unlike the ones we get in shops, it’s not fancy or soft and requires effort to tear. Ramming it down his throat, with much effort, tears stream down his cheeks. Until then, maybe, he had a ray of hope that the Arabs would let him go. But with food and water finally quenching his prolonged thirst and hunger, Najeeb faces the harsh truth: he’s become a slave at a masara (a farm where sheep and goats are raised) in the middle of a Saudi Arabian desert.

Despite being one of the riskiest modern films, especially since it’s an adaptation of a beloved and best-selling novel, not many had concerns about how well Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) would turn out, and the main reason behind this was that Blessy was at the helm. An expert in exploring human emotions on-screen, it was certain that the director would do justice to the survival drama, and he did.

Unlike the novel, which begins after Najeeb escapes from the desert, Blessy’s film opens with a stunning visual of a sandstorm, followed by a shot of the tranquil desert. The camera gradually pans upward from the dunes to the sky, focusing on a constellation. In a seamless transition, the sky transforms into its reflection in the water, into which Najeeb dips his face and slowly drinks, giving the impression of consuming something divine. As the camera zooms out, it becomes clear that Najeeb is in the masara, surrounded by a herd of goats, living his Goat Life.

Prithviraj delivers one of his career-best performances, elevating Aadujeevitham above these shortcomings. Despite a somewhat shaky start, he admirably rises to the challenge, portraying Najeeb with authenticity. His subtle facial expressions and speech patterns in the final acts, transformed into those resembling a goat’s after prolonged isolation, were exceptional. For an actor who has often faced criticism for struggling to convey intense emotions, Aadujeevitham marks a significant milestone. Amala Paul shined as Sainu, despite her limited screen time. Although Gokul’s performance initially appeared amateurish, he excelled in the later escape sequences, and Jimmy’s casting as Khadiri was spot-on.

Resul Pookutty’s sound design, particularly in the desert sequences, stood out prominently, while Ranjith Ambady’s makeup and Stephy Xavier’s costume design warrant notable praise. Prasanth Madhav’s production design also merits applause. However, the most significant letdown in the film was AR Rahman’s music, particularly in the scenes in Kerala. Often, Rahman’s music felt discordant with the emotions portrayed and aside from “Periyone”, the songs too failed to evoke any feelings or enhance the rich visual storytelling.

Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) is undoubtedly one of the most successful experiments in Prithviraj's journey as an actor. What would you do if you found yourself stranded in an unknown place with no access to food, water or people?

Imagine the place you are stranded in is an Arab land, miles away from the comfort of your home and the only way to survive is well, to find ways and reasons to stay alive.

National Award-winning director Blessy brings to life the story of Najeeb Muhammad in Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), borrowing its title from the author Benyamin, who wrote the book.

Najeeb Muhammed is a daily wage labourer, who emigrates to the Gulf hoping to find a better job to support his family in Kerala. The day he lands in the Gulf, he is kidnapped by an Arab who eventually separates him from his co-traveller and forces him to work as a goat herd in an illegal shelter somewhere in the middle of a desert.

After days of failed negotiation and resistance, Najeeb realises that he is trapped and that there is no going back. Thus begins an arduous, harrowing journey of loneliness and survival through various moments of torture, slavery and gradual loss of identity and dignity. Najeeb has no one to talk to or share his story with, so we journey through Najeeb's humble past and his purpose of travel during episodes of absolute desperation and exasperation in his new workplace.

Najeeb yearns to reunite with his pregnant wife Sainu while reminiscing moments of their last days together.

The contrast of the two lands -- of Najeeb's modest but colourful world in Kerala and his present barren, hopeless state -- are masterfully blended in imagery, jolting us back to the pain and suffering of the protagonist, whose life and fate are not so different from the goats he rears. They not only share ruthless masters but both are now aware that 'you live so long as you serve a purpose.' As years pass by, there is nothing much left of Najeeb that feels like him anymore.

His aching, limping body has long given up the fight and whatever is left of his soul and spirit is slowly catching up. The first time he glimpses his dishevelled look in the rearview mirror of his owner's vehicle, the realisation is shattering.

The limitless sights of his barren workplace are a stark reminder of his endless woes. Yet, each broken recollection of home ignites the rare hope and human strength to fight and escape the present.

As an actor, Prithviraj has given his heart, soul and body to become the Najeeb you empathise with and also secretly admire. To simply imagine that this is someone's real-life experience makes it even more difficult to watch.

So whether he is simply begging for some water to drink, fighting off the vultures or enduring the whips of his relentless master, you feel every emotion and anguish with the same intensity of a helpless, bonded labourer who is denied his basic rights. A R Rahman's poignant score is unsettling and lingers on filling in spaces of silence and solitude of the characters.

For an alert audience who knows how to distinguish real life from reel, K U Mohanan's skillful cinematography is another incentive. Otherwise, how long can audiences endure the vast, beautiful sands for hours at a stretch?
To capture three unstylish men walking through monotone dunes hoping to find the end of a road is no mean task but Mohanan intersperses it with his aptitude offering plenty of remarkable scenes.

Aadujeevitham may not necessarily be the mass entertainer that Prithviraj has been capable of delivering so far.

Yet, it is undoubtedly one of his best and most successful experiments in his journey as an actor.


Aadujeevitham is based on a book by the same name, written by Benyamin in 2008. The book in itself is the retelling of real-life incidents that took place in the former half of the 1990s. The film follows the tale of a laborer from Kerala, named Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran), who leaves his eight-month pregnant wife, Sainu (Amala Paul), and travels to Saudi Arabia in search of jobs, to ensure a better life for his family. However, when he reaches the country, he is taken to the middle of the desert by his sponsor, Khafeel, who forces him into slavery as a goat herder. 

Over time, Najeeb’s life falls into a routine, where even the slightest mistake is met with lashes and stomps. The living conditions are meager, with kuboos being the only food that he received, with nothing but water to wash it down. Slowly, the line between Najeeb’s life and the life of the goats he herds blurs, with the protagonist being a part of the herd himself. Najeeb’s poignant life in the desert, how he escapes the clutches of his Arab enslaver and finds his way back home forms the crux of the story.

Aadujeevitham hits it out of the ballpark with the technical aspects of the film. Starting with the cinematography, done by Sunil KS, each frame is nothing short of a painting and conveys the poignancy and the painstaking journey of Najeeb. The vibrant colors used in the film, with one particular color dominating, depending on the character’s mood, add to the overall visual spectacle of Aadujeevitham.

The editing by A Sreekar Prasad deserves a special mention as well with each cut, and each transition helping to draw a parallel between what Najeeb’s life is now, and what it used to be; how he went from someone who practically resides in water in Kerala, to someone who is beaten up for touching water. The editing to a large extent helps communicate the painstaking journey of the protagonist. 

Next in line would be the music by AR Rahman and the sound design by Resul Pookutty. The two complement each other, with neither the sound nor the score overshadowing the other. The music imbibes the melancholy in Najeeb’s life to the audience, while at the same time, carrying an aura of divinity, something that helped the protagonist carry on through circumstances that were nothing short of hell. The sound design, as mentioned, complements this, bringing the character closer to the audience’s hearts. 

The art design by Ayoub Al Nahhas and Sethu Sivanandan, the VFX by Vishal Tom Phillip, the make-up department, and every other department deserve a special mention as well, with every single back-end worker ensuring that the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted. 

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the direction by Blessy. The filmmaker is known for his interest in human nature, and psychological aspects in films, and has nailed it yet again with Aadujeevitham. The conviction and the belief that the filmmaker had in the film and his vision are clearly visible in every single frame of the film.

Aadujeevitham is a technically sound film with each aspect blending in with the other seamlessly. The exceptional cinematography, and sound quality, as well as the performances by Prithviraj, Amala Paul, and KR Gokul, demand and deserve a theater watch. As mentioned, the film turns a new leaf and sets a new high to the survival thriller genre, and possibly Malayalam cinema as a whole.

The film starts with Najeeb (Prithviraj) a Malayali immigrant labourer landing in the Gulf nation along with Hakim (KR Gokul). Both of them are searching for a person for the firm, which gave them the job of helpers. After waiting for some time, they see a cunning and aggressive local fellow, who they think is their boss. He takes Najeeb and Hakim deep inside the desert, where there is no connectivity and separates them by handing the latter to another person.

Najeeb struggles to understand the Arabic language by his Kafeel (boss) and soon realizes that he has been forced into slavery as a goatherd on a secluded farm. He receives treatment worse than an animal with minimal food. He tries to escape from the farm multiple times but fails. Giving up on the situation, he also attempts to end his life but even doesn’t succeed in that. Slowly and steadily he started accepting this miserable life and over a period of time, Najeeb becomes unrecognizable as a person.

In the flashback sequences, there is Najeeb along with wife Sainu (Amala Paul), who is pregnant. He decides to go to the Gulf to earn good money for his child and build a new home in his village.

AR Rahman’s score amplifies the emotional quotient and makes the audience more compassionate and empathetic towards the character of Najeeb.

Talking about the performances, Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers one of career best acts as Najeeb in The Goat Life. Right from his impeccable transformation to his innocent eyes, the actor steals the show in every frame. The sequence, where he removes all his clothes, takes a bath for the first time and shouts out loud, will make you feel for him. Amala Paul as Sainu is breezy and her chemistry with Prithviraj is simply amazing. Jimmy Jean-Louis, K.R. Gokul deserve brownie points for their act. Talib as Kafeel is menacing and will make you hate him with his villainous portrayal.

On the whole, The Goat Life is an adventurous survival drama, which needs to be seen on the big screen.

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life | 10th April 2024 | Prithviraj Sukumaran | Blessy | A R Rahman

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life Official Trailer A R Rahman, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amala Paul, Blessy

Prithviraj Sukumaran is an actor, singer and filmmaker who majorly stars in Malayalam language movies. Also associated with Bollywood, Tamil films and Telugu cinema, Sukumaran made his acting debut in the year 2002 with the romantic-drama film Nandanam. He is widely appreciated for his work in films like Indian Rupee, Celluloid, Kaaviya Thalaivan and Anwar & has won prestigious awards like the Filmfare, SIIMA, IIFA Utsavam and the National Film Award.

Prithviraj Sukumaran

Amala Paul is an Indian actress who mainly appears in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She made her Kannada debut in the film Hebbuli, opposite Sudeep.

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life (2024)

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life (2024)(2024)

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