Aadujeevitham, also credited internationally as 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 in the Gulf.[6] 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. The film was initially banned in the GCC countries other than UAE, subsequently the ban was lifted in all the countries except in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.[7][8][9] The novel was also previously banned in the same countries.
| The Goat Life | |
|---|---|
 First look poster | |
| Directed by | Blessy |
| Screenplay by | Blessy |
| Based on | Aadujeevitham by Benyamin |
| Produced by | Visual Romance |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sunil K. S. |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Prithviraj Productions |
Release date |
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Running time | 173 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language |
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| Budget | ₹82 crore[2] |
| Box office | est. ₹139–160 crore |
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.