Netflix Faces Backlashes From Gulf States For Streaming Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life

Audiences from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are calling for the boycott of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life from Netflix. The streaming giant is accused of damaging the nations’ image.

Aadujeevitham, the nearly three-hour film portrays the hardships of a Malayali Indian migrant worker who was coerced into working without pay as an isolated goat herder in Saudi Arabia. The plot created considerable backlash from many in the kingdom who accuse it of misrepresenting the country.

The film is based on a novel of same name written by Benyamin. It is said to be inspired by the true story of a Malayali expatriate named Najeeb Muhammed, and follows the man’s years-long struggle.

Also Read: Arabic X Divided As Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) Trends

The film has created controversy across the Gulf, where the controversial kafala system runs, with calls to boycott both the film and the streaming platform Netflix for “misrepresenting” the labour system and damaging the image of Riyadh.

Netizens comment that the film is a conspiracy against Saudi Arabia, and accused producers of “fabricating” claims and targeting “the land of the Two Holy Mosques”.

Some of the users blamed Algeria and Jordan, where the film was primarily shot, for “colluding” with India in the process of making the film. Some even questioned Netflix’s motives in streaming the film.

Aadujeevitham shows the struggles the workers face in the infamous kafala system, which is dubbed as the “modern-day slavery”. It is alleged to be prevalent in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, granting employers significant control over migrant labourers, often leading to exploitation and abuse.

Also Read: Aadujeevitham: What Is Kafeel?

Keeping aside the criticism for streaming the film on Netflix, Arab film critics concluded that, “Despite the controversy stirred by the film, from an artistic perspective and regardless of other considerations, it is a rich piece of cinema that meets all the criteria of great artistic works, which can be recommended whether the viewers are interested in humanitarian issues or simply a fan of Indian cinema”, as quoted by The New Arab.

Aadujeevitham is currently streaming on Netflix and was recently in news as the movie bagged many awards in the 54th Kerala State Film Awards including best actor and best director.