Prithviraj Sukumaran on Aadujeevitham's 16-year delay: 'I am finally happy...'
Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran reflected on his long journey with Aadujeevitham and the struggles that the cast and crew endured to make Blessy's vision a reality.
Mar 17, 2024
Prithviraj Sukumaran in a still from Aadujeevitham
Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran is full of gratitude as his long-delayed film Aadujeevitham , also known as The Goat Life, is finally set to make its theatrical debut soon. The film, which faced almost 16 years of delay before becoming a reality, has been a part of Prithviraj's journey since its inception.
Reflecting on the extensive journey with the movie, Prithviraj expresses no complaints, as the final output perfectly aligns with director Blessy's vision. This achievement became possible due to the paradigm shift witnessed by the Indian film industry in recent years.
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The long journey of Aadujeevitham
"In a way, I am finally happy that it took 10 years for us to start filming because back in 2008 and 2009, it was impossible to imagine a film of this size and scale in Malayalam. And Blessy has always envisioned the film in this manner. It was not that in 2008 it was a smaller film. The vision was still grand," Prithviraj told Film Companion.
While the filmmakers approached numerous producers, including some international production companies, the business aspect didn't align with the reach of Malayalam cinema for any investors at the time. However, over the last decade, Malayalam cinema has undergone significant evolution, making pan-Indian releases almost a norm for medium and big-budget films.
Additionally, audiences are now more open to experiencing movies from other Indian languages in cinemas, making it a perfect time for a project like Aadujeevitham to materialize, with securing substantial investments now seeming more feasible.
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"I am glad that we started it off in 2018 when we had a bit more clarity on how to go about it," he remarked.
Aadujeevitham finally set to hit theatres
However, Prithviraj also recalled the challenging moments during the shooting of Aadujeevitham, particularly during the pandemic. When the world came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cast and crew found themselves in Wadi Rum, Jordan. The shoot was abruptly cancelled, forcing them to return to India, further adding to the film's challenges and its already significant budget.
"We ended up spending more than what we had initially planned to, and unfortunately, you are not even going to see that money on the screen. And I had to undergo a physical transformation twice, which was really tough for me," he recalled.
Prithviraj underwent a drastic weight loss of more than 30 kg to portray Najeeb, who endured starvation, injury, and harsh desert conditions to return to his homeland. However, when the production of Aadujeevitham was halted, he gained weight during the break, only to lose it all over again when production resumed almost two years later.
Aadujeevitham is due in cinemas on March 28.
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