Aadujeevitham streams on Netflix to rave reviews, Prithviraj's transformation praised

The latest Malayalam hit, Aadujeevitham, became available for streaming on Netflix
on Friday and is garnering glowing reviews from audiences on social media. Starring Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead role, Aadujeevitham was written and helmed by seasoned Malayalam filmmaker Blessy.

Netizens seem to be mightily impressed with Prithviraj's dedication to his character, which required him to undergo an extreme physical transformation. The hauntingly skeletal portrayal of Prithviraj is celebrated as one of "the peak moments" of Indian cinema following its release on the streaming platform.

In a pivotal scene, Prithviraj's Najeeb Muhammed bares it all, revealing his gaunt physique. Weather-beaten and weakened but driven by an insurmountable will to survive and escape slavery, Prithviraj seamlessly embodies Najeeb's physical and mental space in the movie. The extreme weight loss for the character was a sure sign of the actor's faith in the movie and director Blessy.

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Streaming audiences are also praising Prithviraj's performance arc, which travels through a whole spectrum, from hope to hopelessness to finding a home again under the sweltering heat of the desert sun. The film's visual style is also drawing a lot of praise, in addition to the special effects, especially the sandstorm sequence.

For the uninitiated, Blessy announced Aadujeevitham about 16 years ago, soon after writer Benyamin's novel of the same name became an instant hit. The novel fictionalizes the struggles and sufferings of Malayali immigrant labourers held in captivity in Saudi Arabia. The film follows Najeeb Muhammed, who lives a humble but happy life back in his hometown in Kerala. Driven by ambition, he takes a job in Saudi Arabia, hoping to return to his native land as a rich man after a few hard years in the desert country. However, he falls into the hands of the wrong men and ends up being a slave goat shepherd.

Aadujeevitham also stars Amala Paul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Shobha Mohan, and Talib Al Balushi, among others. Aadujeevitham is also available in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, besides its original version in Malayalam.

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