The Goat Life Director Blessy Credits Mammootty For Encouraging Him To Become A Screenwriter

Blessy is currently gearing up for the release of Aadujeevitham, or The Goat Life. The Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer tells the real life story of Najeeb, a Malyali migrant worker who was forced to work as a goatherd in Saudi Arabia in debilitating conditions. The filmmaker recently shared an anecdote detailing the start of his career as a screenwriter.

It was Mammootty who encouraged Blessy to write his own scripts

Blessy recently marked his presence at the Survivors Meet, organised by Manoramaonline, held in Kochi. There, the director revealed it was Mammootty who pushed him towards writing the script for his own films. The life-changing discussion between the two had taken place when Blessy had approached the actor for film Kazhcha. 

He said, "Mammootty asked me who would be writing the script of my film when I approached him for Kazhcha. When I told him I had plans to approach a few scriptwriters, he asked me why I couldn't write the script myself. I shared my limitations with him, but he was insistent that I try writing the script myself. Thankfully, all the screenwriters whom I approached were unable to commit to my project, following which, I was compelled to write my own story." Incidentally, Blessy has not only directed, but also penned the script for Aadujeevitham. The film will release in theatres on March 28. 

What is Kazhcha about?

Kazhcha, following Mammootty's insistence, ended up becoming Blessy's first project as a screenwriter, a legacy the filmmaker has nurtured since then. The 2004 release featured Mammootty as a villager by the name of Madhavan who chances across a boy, Paavan, who has lost his family during the Gujarat earthquake. He proceeds to take the boy in with the rest of the film tracing their delicate yet growing bond.

The film also features Padmapriya Janakiraman in the role of Lakshmi. It is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.