Reel Meets Real: Prithviraj Sukumaran in a Raw and Candid Conversation with Najeeb, the Man Who He Portrayed in The Goat Life

The Goat Life has become a solidified hit at the box office with immense love and appreciation from audiences and critics alike. From being touted as a true ‘cinematic masterpiece’ and a ‘must-watch in the theatres’, to surpassing various box office records, Blessy’s film has taken the nation by storm. Prithviraj Sukumaran’s authentic portrayal of the real life Najeeb, is said to be his career best performance that will move you to the core. In a candid, introspective and telling conversation with the real life Najeeb, Prithviraj Sukumaran learns the similarities, the differences and the thoughts of the character who he so eloquently portrayed on the big screen.

Speaking about his experience of embodying the character of Najeeb, Prithviraj said, “In 2008 when Blessy first told me about doing this movie, my first thought was, how do I approach this character? Do I come down and talk to you about who you really are, or do I try understanding the character Najeeb that Mr. Benyamin wrote, or the Najeeb that Mr.Blessy has in his mind, do I try to understand him. This was the confusion I had. Finally Mr.Blessy and I decided that, from the novel Aadujeevitham, and the Najeeb that Mr.Blessy visualised, the Najeeb that I visualise in my mind should be the one I play in the movie, so you’ll see that Najeeb in the movie. There is a big difference between you and the Najeeb I played. But, you and the Najeeb I played, thought alike.”

 

Sharing his unending pain and torment of being trapped in the desert, Najeeb shared, “I always thought that I'll never escape. There were no more Gods left for me to pray to. I prayed to every single God. Better than life there was death. Many times I used to just lie down on the sand so that some creatures would bite me and I would die. But then, when I woke up, all I thought about was my family. My wife was already 8 months pregnant when I landed there. Did she deliver a baby or not was the only thing I had in my mind.”

Produced by Visual Romance, The Goat Life also features Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Indian actors like Amala Paul and K.R. Gokul, along with renowned Arab actors such as Talib al Balushi and Rik Aby in pivotal roles. The film’s music direction and sound design are helmed by Academy Award winners A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookutty, respectively. The stunning visuals of the film have been shot by Sunil KS, and they have been edited by A. Sreekar Prasad. Being shot in multiple countries around the world, the film marks the biggest-ever venture in the Malayalam film industry, setting new benchmarks in production standards, storytelling, and acting prowess. With exemplary performances and a soul-stirring background score, the film makes for a larger-than-life theatrical experience.