Aadujeevitham, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, directed by Blessy, debuted its first trailer yesterday. The same-titled version of the highly acclaimed book by Benyamin is made into a film. The movie, which examines the subject of modern slavery, is reported to be based on a true tale.
The three-minute teaser introduces viewers to Najeeb, a Keralite migrant labourer who left his family and village in search of work. It has magnificent vistas. But ultimately, he is forced to herd goats in the Saudi Arabian desert in order to survive. Ibrahim, a character in Jean-Louis, joins him on his search for freedom. The trailer’s most notable feature is Prithviraj’s astounding metamorphosis into Najeeb. The actor reduced his weight by over 24 kg to match the part in the survival drama.
Filming for Aadujeevitham took place in Algeria, Jordan, and India. Prithviraj uploaded a few pictures from the movie’s sets after the film’s shoot was finished and said, “14 years, a thousand obstacles, a million challenges, three waves of a pandemic—one spectacular vision!”
The outbreak of COVID-19 forced an interruption to the making of Aadujeevitham. The globe fell into lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus, leaving the cast and crew of the movie stuck in a remote area of Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert. For almost three months, the film team lacked the transportation to get back to India. Prithviraj and the other crew members took a return trip from Amman to India in May 2020, which was arranged by the Indian government.
In response to a question about the movie, director Blessy told Deadline, “I constantly have to pinch myself to recall that it is not simply a film, but the genuine narrative of someone’s life. This is the tale of a straightforward fantasy derailed by reality. It is tragic how frequently the defenceless are exploited. But the reason this film has taken me nine years to complete is that, to me, this tragedy does not tell the tale. I was able to see the human spirit’s resilience in overcoming all obstacles and returning to the values Najeeb upheld despite his painful and confused state of mind.”
Amala Paul appears in Aadujeevitham as well. The music for the film was written by Academy Award winner AR Rahman, and sound design was by Resul Pookutty. Aadujeevitham’s release date has not yet been disclosed by its makers.
