Make no mistake this is a huge work. A magnum opus on human suffering. The choice of translating the novel into a film, more so in languages outside Malayalam was probably in itself a conscious walk into a desert Masara. The saga of the survival which is largely linear requires a short script or a sharp filmmaker. For all the efforts, Blessy suffers on the twin counts. There are multiple challenges when a film maker from Kerala rushes to making a film for the larger South Indian audience. When suffering becomes a monotony, as it does hear, the purpose of projecting the sufferer as the hero misses the target ring. This emphatically is not to rob Blessy for the humongous effort. To the uninitiated, the film was conceptualized as early in 2009 and has moved in bits and pieces. It is also a covid survivor. It is said that desert schedules over Wadi Rum, Jordan, Algerian desert, in the Sahara, were hugely challenging. Kudos to the Blessy-Prithvi combo that they are emotionally and intellectually honest to the suffering of the protagonist. The film is about huge canvas of deserts, sand, hail storms, camels, and goats as much as it is about the human spirit. It certainly visits certain presumptive takes of life when they become challenges. Survival is a glass filled kaleidoscopic arrangement of glass pieces spread on a path one has to compulsorily tread. The canvas reflects huge, brushed signs of human suffering sometimes dipped in tears, sometimes too dry even for tears. You do not realize when the orange turn brown and then dark grey. This crimson effort warrants a salute for its rich cinema and often for the cinematic cause too. It all starts when Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and Hakeem (K. R Gokul) set out in search of the Middle East pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In all fairness, the twosome do not have glitter stars in their eyes. Simple dreams. While Najeeb hopes to give his wife expectant mom Sainu (Amala Paul) a small home in Kerala for his wife and mom Ummah (Shobha Mohan). Hakeem has no great dreams either. Their multifold challenges begin when they have language barriers at the port of landing and are almost lost till Khafeel (Talib Al Balushi) dumps them in an animal trolly and quickly separates them, tares their immigration documentation. The unending trauma of Najeeb who is unwittingly thrown into a masara, a goat farm, with not even food and water starts and he is clueless of the endless desert. The suffering begins in the context when so much of normal life is taken as a given. We all assuredly, each one watching Goat Life in a multiplex is privileged, definitely and distinctly. Moved from the scenario of challenge, we take human companionship, communication, water, food, dignity – nay very existence for granted. When these presumptive givens are challenged, the definition of life changes to one of survival. Lost in the Desert is a man whose colours of life are moments of recall of the breezy river waters back home in Kerala and his romance with his wife. Sometimes montage moments soothe, sometimes they hurt, they pierce the human fabric and leave scars. Najeeb only has Hindiwala (Robbin Das) who he cannot understand and camels and sheep for company. He decides on the great escape. He is assisted by Ibrahim Khadri (Jimmy John Louis) after he accidently meets up with his lost friend Hakeem and finally makes it to India. Goat Life is no Dunki. There are no sweet moments. There isn’t any humour. If there is compassion it comes from animals. This is more Blessy’s Schindler’s List. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The likes of Naseer would do anything to play the protagonist. It is a singular privilege that it is handed over Prithvi. One cannot but conjure images of a Balraj Sahani, a Dilip Kumar, a Irfan Khan doing Najeeb. The challenge and brilliance of Prithvi is in living up to a role where his eyes and his face have to make up for lack of dialogues. With the heavy beard and just a part of chin and eyes visible the challenge is more acute. This too, he overcomes. This is arguably a National Award winning performance. In case the powers that be overlook him for recognition as the best actor it is their credibility that is in question not his performance. In fact, this is Oscar material. The film lasting almost three hours documents the human spirt in the face of huge adversity. How one swims up the abyss hopelessness and misery and torture is thematic song of Goat Life. Prithvi is GOAT. The film is not for the weak hearted.
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