Omani actor says not barred from Saudi for role in 'Aadujeevitham' film

After Blessy received accolades for capturing the true story of Najeeb Muhammad, an Indian migrant in Saudi Arabia who is forced into a near-slave existence, herding goats in the desert, while many in the Gulf region also slammed the film for showing Saudi citizens in a bad light.

Merciful and generous

The Saudi sponsor’s character (Talib Al Balushi) who mistreats Najeeb (played by Malayalam actor Prithviraj) is shown as being a man who has no shred of compassion, and treats his camels and goats far better than his worker. He denies Najeeb even basic human rights.

The criticism against the movie’s anti-Saudi stand was first flagged by a social media user Sultan Al Nefaei, who felt the movie distorted the image of Saudi Arabia. "The film doesn't match the truth, the Saudi and the Bedouin are the most generous, merciful and bravest people," said his post. This post sparked off a heated debate on social media about the living conditions of Indians in Saudi, and the actor Balushi who played the role came under attack.

There were news reports claiming that the Saudi Arabian government had reportedly banned Balushi from entering their country,

No ban, says Balushi

Meanwhile, Balushi who is currently in India, denied the claims pointing that he had not received any letter from either the Saudi or Omani governments barring him from entering Saudi Arabia. “People should remember, this is just a film, not real life. My character was just that – a role I portrayed,” he said, according to news reports.

Also, he said that audiences had appreciated his role, and he had received a lot of praise for his performance. In his view, it is essential for viewers to differentiate between cinema and reality. “Let us focus on the film’s artistic value rather than misunderstanding it,” he added.

Arabs' empathy

Director Blessy, who claimed that he knew nothing about the actor's ban, took to Facebook to write a post about how the movie carefully tried to portray the compassion and empathy of the Arab people. He does it through the character of the kind gentleman who without whom Najeeb would have died on the road. That man rescues Najeeb, taking him in his Rolls Royce, offering him water and encouraging him to sleep, and taking him to a place where Najeeb could get help.

Further, he added that the restaurant staff, the people at the detention centre, and the Arbab out-pass check post are all portrayed as epitomes of kindness, compassion, and empathy.