After sparking controversy with “derogatory” remarks against Malayalam cinema and Malayalees in general, citing the recent blockbuster film Manjummel Boys as an example, writer and literary critic B Jeyamohan has made another notable statement, this time regarding a different Malayalam film.
Recently, Jeyamohan had taken to his official blog to slam director Chidambaram’s survival thriller, which currently stands as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time and also enjoyed a good run at the Tamil Nadu box office. In his essay titled “Manjummel Boys: A Frenzy of Alcoholic Rowdies”, he lambasted the film for glorifying rowdyism, alcoholism and a philistine attitude among Kerala’s youth. Despite facing backlash, including criticism from Tamil industry insiders like actor-director K Bhagyaraj, Jeyamohan stood by his critique.
Now, the author has once again captured attention with his commentary on a new Malayalam film, director Blessy’s survival drama Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), starring Prithviraj Sukumaran. However, this time, he has chosen to praise Malayalam cinema, citing Aadujeevitham as an exemplary illustration of the industry’s potential.
In his write-up titled “Aadujeevitham: Original Malayalam Cinema,” Jeyamohan expressed deep emotional resonance with the movie. He acknowledged the rich history of Malayalam cinema, attributing its greatness to legendary filmmakers such as P Bhaskaran, KS Sethumadhavan, A Vincent, PN Menon, MT Vasudevan Nair, Bharathan, Padmarajan, AK Lokitadas, Mohan, IV Sasi and Sibi Malayil, noting their shared focus on portraying the lives of ordinary people. “Aadujeevitham will be regarded as one of the classics of Malayalam cinema for generations to come,” the Ponniyin Selvan co-writer stated.
Watch Aadujeevitham trailer here:
“No industry in Indian cinema today, except Malayalam, can capture the kind of artistic perfection that this film shows. Bengali films used to have this. Today that Bengali tradition has been destroyed by Hindi dominance,” he claimed.
“Adujeevitham can never be taken like this (like how it currently looks) in Tamil or Telugu or any other Indian languages. A Tamil fan will immediately say that the film is boring, monotonous, the story does not move excitingly, nothing new happens in the second half or that only the desert is shown,” he noted.
“This film portrays the inexhaustible inner potential of man. It shows how the deer overcomes any situation with its own energy. It depicts great human moments formed through friendship and struggle. Malayalam masterpieces have featured many such great human moments before,” Jeyamohan further mentioned, adding “Aadujeevitham has a climax without artificial final excitement and over-emotional expression. A moment of silence in which humanity emerges, that’s all it has.”
“This is a true Malayalam film. Malayalees have a personality of their own. We can call them great explorers and survivors. Aadujeevitham is a great Malayalam movie because it shows that state of mind,” he concluded.
In his write-up on Manjummel Boys, the author said that the gang reflects the mentality that prevails across ‘Malayali porrukis (Malayali loafers)’ who tour South Tamil Nadu. He criticised the rampant alcoholism in the state and the lack of societal responsibility among the people.
“These guys travel even deep into the forest. Drink. Drink. Drink. That’s it. Puke. Create ruckus. Pass out on the roads. Cross limits. They have no interest in anything else. They lack common sense and basic public etiquette. As shown in the films, these people break and throw away the bottles,” he claimed.
Jeyamohan’s recent screenwriting projects include Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022), Viduthalai Part 1 (2023), Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023) and the upcoming Indian 2 (2024). Additionally, he has contributed as a writer in Malayalam cinema, with works such as Ozhimuri (2012), Kaanchi (2013), 1 By Two (2014) and Naku Penda Naku Taka (2014).
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