Prithviraj’s Aadujeevitham was snubbed at the 71st National Film Awards despite international acclaim, with jury citing lack of authenticity and missing English translations for song lyrics. The film was in contention for multiple categories but failed to make the final cut
Still from Aadujeevitham
The 71st National Film Awards were announced on Friday, August 1. The awards were declared by the jury for all the films that received censor certification in the year 2023. There was considerable discussion around several films that were completely snubbed by the National Awards jury, and among them was the Malayalam film Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life. Although it was released in theatres in March 2024, the film was certified on December 31, 2023, thereby making it eligible for the awards.
Aadujeevitham gets no National Award
Aadujeevitham did not win a single award, despite the buzz surrounding it during its release. Directed by veteran filmmaker Blessy and starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, with music by AR Rahman, the film did not receive any mention at the National Film Awards. This did not sit well with fans of Malayalam cinema, many of whom felt that the team, especially actor Prithviraj, was robbed of the prestigious honour.
Jury member Pradeep Nair revealed that Aadujeevitham was in contention but missed out during the final round of discussions.
Speaking to Onmanorama, Nair said the decision came down to Jury Chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker’s opinion of the film. He explained, “Jury Chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker had seen the movie at a previous film festival in Goa and had serious concerns about the film’s adaptation and execution. Gowariker and others also felt the adaptation lacked naturality and the performances didn’t feel authentic.”
Pradeep further stated that the film was considered for categories such as Best Male Playback Singer and Best Lyrics (for Rafeeq Ahammed’s Periyone Rahmane). However, the song did not advance for a win as the producers failed to submit a proper English translation of the lyrics.
Meanwhile, actor KR Gokul, who played the role of Hakim in the film, earned praise for his performance but missed out on an award due to the overall quality of the film.
About Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life
The film was in the making for nearly 18 years and is a biographical survival drama based on the life of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant labourer in Saudi Arabia. It received critical acclaim and earned Rs 158 crore at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
For the film, AR Rahman won Best Score – Foreign Language at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2024. The song Periyone was nominated for "Song – Feature Film" at the HMMA Awards. The film was also considered for Best Singer and Best Lyrics. Resul Pookutty won an award at the prestigious MPSE Golden Reel Awards for sound editing. Aadujeevitham was in the initial round of consideration for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards, an exceptional feat for an Indian film. At the Kerala State Awards, the film won for Best Director and Best Actor.
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