The Goat Life (in Malayalam, Aadujeevitham) directed by Blessy, 2024, 2 Hrs 50 Mnts

“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” – Nietzsche.

The above-mentioned line by Nietzsche stands no more relevant than to Blessy’s Malayalam masterpiece The Goat Life (2024), based on true events. With stunning visuals of the Arabian deserts and gripping narrative, the film is sure to touch the cords of the viewers’ hearts. Adapted from the eponymous Malayalam novel by Benyamin, the film is an epic tale of survival of Najeeb (played to perfection by Prithviraj Sukumaran).

With effective flashback methods, rich imageries, and objective co-relatives, the film fascinates the audience. The powerful plot, strong acting, realistic settings, wonderful cinematography by Sunil K. S., and sensible score by A. R. Rahman—take the audience on an emotional roller coaster ride.

Working as a daily labourer in Kerala, Najeeb, after selling gold and other belongings, goes to Saudi Arabia along with another acquaintance named Hakim to change their fortune. It is Najeeb’s version of “American Dream” by which he can achieve economic prosperity through hard work and determination. Facing harsh climatic conditions and meager diet, and unhygienic conditions, Najeeb is left to work in a remote desert in the Middle East, shepherding goats. When Kafeel (master) tears up his passport, it is assumed that his journey back home is not going to be a cake walk. The visual transitions from an Arabian Desert to the lush greenery and ample water bodies are splendidly portrayed. In one of the heart-wrenching scenes, Najeeb utters the word “God”, but immediately after that he takes an atheistic stance: “Why should I pray to God? If there were a God…my fate wouldn’t be like this”. He is stuck in the desert from where finding/reaching the main road which acts as a symbol of civilization, is an utter impossibility

In his deranged state, he watches some vultures hovering over the dead body of a shepherd from a cliff. Vultures are also used by the director as the objective co-relative of his impending death as they soon scratch his head and neck. This scene reminds me of a frightening scene from a movie named The Birds (1963), directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In the film, we find in a seacoast town birds begin a fatal attack on human beings.

In the movie, Najeeb appears like a mad Moses with his herd of sheep. Interestingly there is also a reference to Moses in the movie. But the difference is: unlike the prophet Moses, Najeeb does not know his own fate. Najeeb wins our sympathy with his eyes and body language in his disheveled state. In a scene, Najeeb looks into the mirror of a car, he cannot believe that it’s his face as his face is full of untidy and disheveled bears. The scene of the cracked mirror of the car is symptomatic of Najeeb’s cracked self.

The grit that Najeeb shows to escape from the intolerable life in the desert can be compared to the hardships faced by Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) in Cast Away (2000). We can also relate this film to Revenant (2045) where Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo diCaprio) survives in an incredible way. In all these cases, each day for the protagonist looms like an eternity where God is deemed dead.

In the film, the director in a meticulous way fleshes out the character for Sukumaran and he performs his job with élan. The character’s strained ways of looking at some far-away object speak volumes about the pangs in his heart and soul. Here we find Nature to be exploitative as well along with the masters. The stout physique of Najeeb on his arrival at the airport is strongly juxtaposed with his emaciated body. On the much sought-after road, Najeeb is finally picked up by a good Samaritan in his car. But there is a twist after that; at this juncture, I am reminded of a line by Samuel Beckett, “Go on failing. Go on./Only next time, try to fail better”.

The director masterfully brewed overwhelming emotions of ‘pity and fear’ for the viewers as they look into Najeeb’s mindscape, dried against a bleak landscape. It’s a must-watch film for everyone to check whether it heals your broken emotions or not.