[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life

Although it hits you deeply, because I had read the book, knowing what all happens and how it happens in fairly good detail, it may have prevented a fully emotional connect.

Thanks, what do you think this movie for a person (non Keralite) who had not read the book?

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Thanks, what do you think this movie for a person (non Keralite) who had not read the book?

Yet to watch, but experience tells me that most good Malayalam movies manage to resonate with the audience - irrespective of their origin, language and belief. Going by the reviews here and elsewhere, this seems to be Pruthviraj's magnum opus - a creation that he has been ideating on for sixteen years!

That the movie is available in multiple languages should make it easy for everyone to watch and ruminate over.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Thanks, what do you think this movie for a person (non Keralite) who had not read the book?

It is hard not to appreciate it. And only 25% of the movie has any dialogue out of which half is in Arabic. So language is not a barrier. It will be shocking for someone who has no background of the story.

Having said that it is the slow moving types. We Mallus are used to such pacing, but people not used to it may find it a little dragging.

The first day makers did not push sub titles as the dubbed versions were releasing. And they had taken a creative call not to have sub titles for arabic as they wanted the audience to see from Najeeb perspective. Based on feedback, they quickly realised that is not working and added all subtitles from day 2 for everything.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

[b]I felt if this character was played by perhaps Jayasuriya, it would have been elevated to a different level altogether.

Probably yes, but it wouldn't have been a crowd puller, which Prithviraj can easily do. Also the makers also look for market value and especially if intended for a pan-India release. Also would be hard to find a heroine to match

[dailydriver]

Koli Esru is a Kannada venture that leaves the audience teary eyed at the end.

Based on a famous short story and brought on screen by Champa Shetty, it depicts the story of a poor mother struggling to fulfill her daughter's desire to have a serving of chicken curry. Though the plot, characterisation and narrative techniques might appear a little distant for many, they will certainly appeal to folks who have experienced the cruel blows of poverty in childhood.

A good watch, wherever available.

I saw it in a film festival.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

however I felt if this character was played by perhaps Jayasuriya, it would have been elevated to a different level altogether.

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Probably yes, but it wouldn't have been a crowd puller, which Prithviraj can easily do. Also the makers also look for market value and especially if intended for a pan-India release. Also would be hard to find a heroine to match

And initially, he had planned to do this in Tamil with Vikram or Suriya and approached them. But decided to do this in Malayalam since the story related to a Malayali. No idea what the back story is but glad that it happened in Malayalam.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

And initially, he had planned to do this in Tamil with Vikram or Suriya and approached them. But decided to do this in Malayalam since the story related to a Malayali. No idea what the back story is but glad that it happened in Malayalam.

Apparently when Blessy discussed with Prithvi in 2009, Prithvi suggested to do in Tamil with a Tamil star as at that point there was no way Malayalam could manage the budget which would be needed to meet Blessy's vision and recovering and becoming profitable also was not possible. Vikram was interested but apparently backed out since he also felt it should be done in Malayalam. So Prithvi decided to go ahead and by the time they were ready to start shoot, Malayalam cinema landscape had changed. Prithvi also by then had got into a position of stardom and then with his pan Indian connects ensured proper publicity and a massive release.

So all worked out well I guess.

[Asish_VK]

Aadujeevitham/the goat life - 4/5

Watched in a packed theater at Hyderabad. Enjoyed the entire movie and I think it's one of the best survival dramas in Indian cinema.

You don't need to read the story to understand the movie. The movie is not completely inline to the book, but focuses more on the survival part. Where in the book, it was more focused towards the emotional connect of the hero, his memories of his wife, the goats etc.

Major positives
- Direction - movie was 3 hrs long, never felt that long at all. Also glad that the director didn't concentrate much on the melodrama which may elevate the emotional connect but at the same time it could've made the movie bit of a lag. Good decision as per me.

- Cinematography - excellent visuals which depicts the enormous, beautiful and at same time terrifying dessert landscape

- BGM - ARR did a fabulous job here - helped the audience to immerse into the movie.

- Acting - Prithviraj was top notch! Though his regular mannerisms and sound modulations peeped here and there, he did a fabulous job overall. His best till date. Special appreciation for his body transformation.
The actor played the young guy also did well, so was the African dude.


Some negatives I felt

- They could've given a bit more stress on the emotional attachment which the hero had with the Goats (It was an integral part of the book) , may be through a small song or so
- I felt, Amala Paul's character was not utilised well enough.
- Little bit of inconsistencies in Prithviraj's physical appearance, especially towards the end of movie. May be because of the delays in shooting.

Overall highly recommended movie.

[naveen.raju]

Aadujeevitham



This is what happens when you have a lot of expectations, hear reviews suggesting that the movie should be an Oscar winner etc - I was disappointed.

The movie is definitely good but it was slow and kind of forgets to connect various elements like Asish had pointed out (I havent read the book but felt there should have been more emotional elements in the movie). They rush through the first 15-20 mins and ends the movie suddenly. Also couple of unwanted songs in between. Looked like they wanted to utilize A R Rahman's which was decent and not extraordinary.

Cinematography was really good and Prithviraj's acting was brilliant. There's definitely National Award written all over. But Oscars? - Definitely not. But felt some of scenes with no/less clothes were slightly enhanced (VFX)? Yes, he lost a good amount of weight, but some scenes were pretty intense. anyways, let's see if they release some weight transformation video like they did for Dangal but highly doubt since Prithviraj opposed that idea as the real Najeeb had gone this ordeal. Amala Paul was wasted. Too bad no one talks about the young kid. He was equally brilliant and went through the weight transformation. The African and Arab shared their brilliance as well.

Very less dialogues and anybody can easily understand it. It had English subtitles.

Rating - 3/5 (Definite recommendation. OTT will be fine as well.)

[rijo_tj]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Aadujeevitham

Attachment 2588706

This is what happens when you have a lot of expectations, hear reviews suggesting that the movie should be an Oscar winner etc - I was disappointed.

The movie is definitely good but it was slow and kind of forgets to connect various elements like Asish had pointed out (I havent read the book but felt there should have been more emotional elements in the movie). They rush through the first 15-20 mins and ends the movie suddenly. Also couple of unwanted songs in between. Looked like they wanted to utilize A R Rahman's which was decent and not extraordinary.

Cinematography was really good and Prithviraj's acting was brilliant. There's definitely National Award written all over. But Oscars? - Definitely not. But felt some of scenes with no/less clothes were slightly enhanced (VFX)? Yes, he lost a good amount of weight, but some scenes were pretty intense. anyways, let's see if they release some weight transformation video like they did for Dangal but highly doubt since Prithviraj opposed that idea as the real Najeeb had gone this ordeal. Amala Paul was wasted. Too bad no one talks about the young kid. He was equally brilliant and went through the weight transformation. The African and Arab shared their brilliance as well.

Very less dialogues and anybody can easily understand it. It had English subtitles.

Rating - 3/5 (Definite recommendation. OTT will be fine as well.)

I read umpteen reviews of the movie since its release and not even once (even in the negative reviews) have anybody doubted his body transformation. Infact I saw an interview with the chief cinematographer where he mentioned that before shooting the nude scene, prithvi went on a 3 day water fast and complete water cutting in the last 24 hours. In addition to that he drank 30 ml of vodka so that all the remaining water from his body would be drained out. To call that kind of effort as VFX is a bit too much IMHO.

Also on the contrary everybody is raving about the young kids performance. It's just that it was only after the movie released and not before that since the makers kept his role details as a surprise element. He also did superb.

This movie is definitely a theatre watch and not an OTT one since the making itself should be watched in theatre. Doubt you would even get atleast 30% of the excitement in OTT as opposed to theatre watch.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

I havent read the book but felt there should have been more emotional elements in the movie

I read the book after I watched the movie, to find out how much of the emotional connect in the book is missing in the movie. My honest opinion is that the book (or the writing) in itself is not very powerful either. The book is basically a series of incidents, which works for the book, as the readers can fill in the blanks based on their own imagination. I guess depending on how much the reader is prepared to invest emotionally, the book will also give the reader very different experiences. However, this nature of the book will not translate well to the movie format. But, I do agree that some more emotional elements from the book could have been added to the movie. There is certainly a bit of missed opportunity there.

There are of course a couple of "shocking" passages in the book, which would not have made it past the censor board's scissors.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

But felt some of scenes with no/less clothes were slightly enhanced (VFX)?

I guess there is some elements of make-up involved (shading), but I heard in an interview with the makeup artist that his body (chest and stomach) that you see in the movie is what he really looked like.

[libranof1987]

Amaltash (Marathi)

https://youtu.be/bDPX2VSVM2w?si=7aJB_p5W5pA_pwsg

Had the opportunity to watch this movie at a special screening recently. A lovely film, on a not-too-unique topic but presented in a very charming way. Rahul Deshpande, a renowned classical singer, is the lead actor; all the cast has done lovely work in the film. It's one of those movies that are so effortless and natural, that you feel a part of the story.

[SithDefender]

Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) - 4/5

Attachment 2589088

The desert can be a hard, unflinching place even to those who have learnt to live in it for generations. There can be little to no respite from the blinding sun, nor the biting cold that sets in at night. A man can live without food for some time, but not drinking water will kill him / her faster. Hallucinations set in, which are only compounded by that cruel phenomena called mirage, which tempts the unwary traveler and then laughs in the bewildered face. Sidewinder snakes have adapted to the blistering heat by reducing the surface area of their skin to the sand, while vultures patrol relentlessly looking for the next hapless victim. Often, sheer necessity forces them to take on their prey while still half-alive. Scorpions can be deadly, and walking without adequate footwear can cause blisters and swelling on feet, and God forbid if you are already infected by disease or injury.

Into this forbidding landscape, a young man is cheated and tossed like a forgotten piece of waste. He then becomes an expendable slave, who is then forgotten as a human being. There is a scene where his predecessor tells a goat that the day it becomes useless (when it stops lactating) will be the end of it. This pretty much applies to the young man who is forced to shepherd goats and camels till his end, while denied water, clothes or a roof over his head.

This abject degradation forces him to slowly lose his cheerful self, wasting away his mind as much as his body. Yet, his will remains strong and he never loses hope that one day he will return home, or die trying. He also loses some of his faith, but just when all hope seems lost, a glimmer of hope appears on the bleak horizon. The resilience of the human spirit is set against the relentlessness of Nature, and ultimately a resolution is gained at great cost to human life.

Aadujeevitham is a tragic, poignant and moving tale. The making of this movie itself was an epic challenge, but the results are at their cinematic best. The sheer dedication of the director and his crew deserve applause. There is no question that this one is going to gather some awards, and is surely deserving of accolades.

Now for the unpopular part. I felt that the movie could have showcased a little more on the connection between the unwitting shepherd and his flock. There are moments in the book which show a tender care between them, which are his only consolation in the crushing loneliness. He eats like them (he chews by rotating his jaws), drinks of the same water and smells just like them. The life of a shepherd often involves assisting in difficult birthing, castrating, or killing infeasible stock, and these are all skipped in favor of a long and protracted sequence with his wife. While I appreciate how much this helps to jolt the viewer into the harsh comparison between his homeland blessed with water and his desert prison cursed with drought, I feel the director (who is also the scriptwriter) could have focused a little more on the animals with whom he shares his entire life.

Nevertheless, this is a spectacular movie that, at the risk of sounding repetitive, truly deserves to be seen on the big screen. Don't miss this one !

[jomyboy]

Captain Miller (2024)

Based in the pre-independence period, we have got Machine Gun Dhanush wearing Sabyasachi glasses and donning designer vests and what not. Not my cup of tea, thanks.

[jessie007]

Anyone in the group catches Film Festivals in Delhi?Recently attended HIFF (Habitat International Film Festival)