Entertainment

Prithviraj Sukumaran on his role in ‘The Goat Life’

Published

3 years ago

April 10, 2024

Staff Reporter

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Mumbai (Maharashtra), April 9 (ANI): Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life)’ did well at the box office. The actor is currently occupied with a hit film in theatres, another due this week and several more in the works, reported Variety.

‘Aadujeevitham’ (‘The Goat Life’), directed by Blessy, is based on Benyamin’s bestseller 2008 novel of the same name and portrays the actual tale of Najeeb, an immigrant labourer from Kerala who is forced into slavery on a distant goat farm in a Middle Eastern nation.

Sukumaran plays Najeeb. The film was released over the Easter weekend and has grossed USD 14 million to date. This makes it the sixth highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time.

Production began in 2018 and principal photography took place over several schedules across Kerala, Jordan and Algeria.

“I knew as an actor that this was a prerequisite, that to portray the entire character arc, I’d have to go through this drastic physical transformation of losing a lot of weight and looking very emaciated,” Sukumaran told Variety. The actor increased his weight to 98 kilos for the Kerala part of the shoot and for the scenes where he first arrives in the Middle East. The production then paused for seven months while Sukumaran shed 31 kilos. “I surprised myself and everyone in the film crew, because when I landed up the next time in Jordan, I was almost unrecognisable,” Sukumaran said.

The actor did not anticipate COVID-19, which halted the filming immediately after a scene where his emaciated body was revealed, leaving the team stuck in locked-down Jordan for months. They ultimately returned after a year and a half, during which Sukumaran had to acquire weight to remain healthy.

“But then I had to redo the whole thing. I didn’t count on having to do the whole weight loss transformation process two times, which I ended up having to do – because it’s a trap. Once you get to that level and you do a portion of the film, then it almost becomes like a thought process in your head. ‘No, I can’t let it go.’ I put in so much effort. I can’t let all that go to waste,” Sukumaran said, as per Variety.

“I know a lot of the [media] focus is on the physical transformation, but that is only a small part of the portrayal. At the very beginning, I had thought of the entire arc. And I had told Blessy-sir that it was going to be impossible for me as an actor to look at it as one long, singular character,” Sukumaran said.

As per Variety, the actor and director divided the character’s journey into a timeline of three weeks, three months and three years. “Once we had the idea and the timeline in mind, then it was up to me as an actor to interpret what the mental, emotional journey would be. Which is where we landed on this idea of helplessness, anger, and then coming to terms with the existence,” Sukumaran said. The plan is now for “The Goat Life” to take a shot at the Oscars.

Sukumaran is currently wrapping Vipin Das’ Malayalam-language comedy ‘Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil’, produced by his own Prithviraj Productions. The Kerala-based Malayalam-language film industry, where Sukumaran hails from, is known for its efficient budgets and focus on story over spectacle and is consequently the toast of India.

Three Malayalam films, ‘Manjummel Boys’, ‘Premalu’, and ‘The Goat Life’ (which debuted sixth in the United Kingdom), are among the top ten highest-grossing Indian films of 2024.

Sukumaran attributes the industry’s success to a plethora of new-age filmmakers, writers, actors, and producers who are daring in their approach to cinema and an audience that responds to those aesthetics, as well as the establishment of a distribution network that takes films beyond Kerala to the rest of the world.

“I hope we don’t lose sight of the fact that what originally made us so good is that we stuck to our strengths of saying original, real stories and within our own aesthetics, even when you look at mainstream commercial cinema of Malayalam,” Sukumaran said.

“I hope this newfound success across territories does not put filmmakers in a zone of thinking, ‘now we have to make cinema that will also cater to them,’ because the films that started catering to them in the first place are still Malayalam cinema. So, I hope we stick to what we know best and not let money affect our thinking,” reported Variety. (ANI)

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Staff Reporter

Entertainment

Dubai Miracle Garden returns as UAE’s cooler season begins

Published

2 weeks ago

October 9, 2026

Staff Reporter

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Dubai’s Miracle Garden has reopened for its 15th season as temperatures begin to fall across the UAE. The popular attraction in Al Barsha South welcomed visitors on Thursday, 8 October, with the new season being launched under the theme “Fifteen Years, Blooming Together”.

Sheikh Theyab bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, chairman of Miracle Group, inaugurated the new season. The garden will remain open until 31 May 2027, with a programme of weekly themes and events planned around the UAE’s cultural and national calendar.

Visitors will see activities linked to occasions including Pink October, United Nations Day, UAE Flag Day and Diwali. The programme will also include live music, family entertainment and fitness activities held as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Events are also planned for Commemoration Day and Eid Al Etihad.

“For fifteen seasons, Dubai Miracle Garden has grown alongside Dubai and its people,” Sheikh Theyab said. “This season is dedicated to the community that made it possible, particularly the families and residents who return year after year.”

Mohammed Zaher Hammadih, group chief executive of Miracle Group, said the weekly programme was intended to encourage visitors to return throughout the season.

“As we mark our 15th season, Dubai Miracle Garden continues to bring people together through shared experiences,” he said. “Our weekly programme gives families a new reason to return, with cultural celebrations, live entertainment and activities to enjoy throughout the season.”

The garden features more than 150 varieties of flowers and is known for its large-scale floral displays, some of which have previously set Guinness World Records.

Since opening in 2013, it has attracted millions of visitors and become one of Dubai’s established family attractions.The garden is open daily from 9am to 9pm on weekdays and from 9am to 11pm at weekends.

Tickets start at Dh105 for adults and Dh84 for children. Children under three can enter free of charge.

Entertainment

Emirates Dubai 7s 2026: Tickets on sale as festival returns with bigger family zone

Published

2 months ago

August 31, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Emirates Dubai 7s is returning to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29, with tickets now on sale for the three-day sports and entertainment festival.

The 2026 edition will bring together international rugby, amateur sports, live music and family entertainment, with organisers promising a bigger programme than previous years.

The festival attracted more than 88,000 visitors in 2025 and will again take place during the final weekend of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Ticket prices

Ticket prices for General Admission and Hospitality have stayed the same for a third consecutive year.

Three-day General Admission tickets cost Dh595 per person, while the three-day Family Pass is Dh1,136 for two adults and two children.

Other ticket options

Group pass: Dh446 per person for four or more adults
Saturday or Sunday: Dh455
Friday: Dh75
Under 15s: Free
People of Determination + carer: Dh375

Tickets can be purchased through the Emirates Dubai 7s website and app.

Bigger family attractions

Family entertainment will get a major boost this year as the UAE celebrates the Year of the Family.

The festival will feature its biggest-ever Kids’ Zone, including the UAE’s largest inflatable kids’ zone, along with a Ferris wheel and zipline. More attractions are expected to be announced ahead of the event.

Six sports and top rugby action

Alongside elite rugby, visitors can watch or take part in competitions across six sports — rugby, netball, cricket, WODON3 fitness, Rebound padel and Gaelic Football.

Gaelic Football will join the festival for the first time in 2026.

The Sevens Stadium will also host the opening round of the HSBC SVNS Series 2027, bringing the world’s leading rugby sevens players to Dubai.

The WODON3 Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches, with competitors potentially performing in front of crowds of up to 20,000.

Music all weekend

Live entertainment will run throughout the festival, with local and international artists performing across three days.

Last year’s line-up included Tinie Tempah, Sean Paul and Fisher, while the 2026 headline acts will be announced later.

For a premium experience, The Sunroom returns with all-inclusive food and drinks, shaded seating, prime sporting views and dedicated access. Packages start from Dh1,925 per person.

With sport, music and family attractions packed into one weekend, Emirates Dubai 7s is gearing up for another big Dubai event.

Entertainment

Dubai launches ‘Dubai+’ family streaming platform to boost digital media and creative economy

Published

9 months ago

January 29, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, has approved the launch of Dubai+, a new family-oriented digital media platform, reinforcing Dubai’s ambition to become a global hub for digital media and the creative economy.

The approval came as Sheikh Ahmed chaired the Dubai Media Council’s first meeting of 2026 at Dubai Media, where members reviewed sector strategies and plans to strengthen content creation, innovation and local production capabilities.

What is Dubai+?

Dubai+ will offer a wide range of family-friendly content, bringing together:

Local and Emirati productions
Arab series and films
International entertainment

The platform reflects Dubai Media’s integrated digital ecosystem strategy, responding to shifting viewer habits and the growing demand for high-quality, on-demand digital content.

“We believe media is a strategic force that shapes awareness, supports development and builds trust,” Sheikh Ahmed said.

Boosting Local Film and Content Production

The Council also reviewed plans to:

Enhance local production capabilities
Support cinema as a cultural and creative industry
Invest in programmes that drive creative and economic growth

Samr Al Marzooqi, Director of Films and Production at the Dubai Media Council, outlined upcoming initiatives aimed at showcasing Emirati and international talent while strengthening Dubai’s film sector.

Next Phase of Growth

Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, said the next phase will focus on monitoring implementation and ensuring measurable outcomes across the sector.

Secretary General Nehal Badri added that priorities include encouraging private sector participation, accelerating content development, and investing in talent, advanced production technologies and future-ready capabilities.