From comparing ‘Aadujeevitham’ to ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ to snubbing it at National Awards: Blessy questions jury chief’s U-turn

Thiruvananthapuram: Director Blessy has expressed disappointment over the National Awards jury’s criticism of the technical aspects of his film ‘Aadujeevitham’ (The Goat Life), especially after receiving personal praise from Jury Chairperson Ashutosh Gowariker. Speaking to Onmanorama on the sidelines of the Kerala government’s Film Policy Conclave on Sunday, Blessy said he was surprised by the change in stance.

“I heard the jury chairperson mention that the film was denied awards due to technical shortcomings. But I remember him appreciating the film deeply during our conversations,” Blessy said. Recalling an earlier interaction, he noted, “When we held a premiere in Mumbai as part of our Oscar campaign, I had reached out to him. We spoke at length, and he praised the film highly.”

Blessy recounted that Gowariker had compared Aadujeevitham to ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962), saying he hadn’t seen the desert portrayed so beautifully since then. “That comment felt like an award in itself. He even invited me to lunch the next day to discuss the film further, though I couldn’t attend as I had to travel that night,” the director added.

Questioning the criticism now being levelled against the film, Blessy said, “If someone appreciated the film in such detail before, how can they now dismiss it on technical grounds? This seems like double standards.”

The film, which was widely expected to win honours at the 71st National Film Awards announced on Saturday, did not bag any.

Earlier, filmmaker and jury member Pradeep Nair explained the jury’s decision to Onmanorama, noting that Aadujeevitham was considered for multiple categories but failed to make the final cut.

“Ashutosh Gowariker had seen the film earlier and expressed serious concerns about its adaptation and execution. He, along with others, felt the storytelling lacked authenticity and the performances didn’t come across as natural,” Nair said.

He also noted that actor K R Gokul’s performance was appreciated by the jury for its freshness and impact, but did not secure an award as the overall quality of the film was also factored into individual category decisions.

“In contrast, Christo Tomy’s Ullozhukku, which won Best Malayalam Film, was praised for its consistency across all departments — from writing to direction and technical execution,” Nair added.