After watching ‘Aadujeevitham’, many viewers might have wondered, “Where was Gokul, the actor who played Hakim, during the movie’s promotions?” Hakim, absent from the trailer and poster, was a hidden gem that Blessy kept away from the limelight until the movie’s release.

Gokul, a native of Kozhikode, secured the role through auditions. Blessy was confident that this innocent 18-year-old boy would do justice to the character of Hakim. Just as Prithviraj underwent a significant physical transformation to become Najeeb, Gokul too went through a similar transformation. He increased his body weight to 64 kgs and later reduced it to 44 kgs for the role, drawing inspiration from Christian Bale’s performance in ‘The Machinist’.

Gokul believes that ‘Aadujeevitham’ is not solely the story of Najeeb and Hakim but also a tribute to all those who tragically lost their lives in the desert. “My brother, who accompanied me for the audition, told me I would be playing Hakim. When we read ‘Aadujeevitham’, a certain thirst grips us; I wanted to infuse that into my character. Once I began reading, I couldn’t put the book down. My mother interrupted me while reading, leaving me restless about Najeeb and Hakim’s fate. Upon completing the book, I was overwhelmed with sadness and nervousness about portraying such a character,” Gokul shared.

Gokul revealed that ‘Aadujeevitham’ has been a significant part of his life since he was 18. Now 24, he feels he has matured greatly. “During the transition from boyhood to manhood, I had the opportunity to spend time with Blessy sir, Prithviraj, and Jimmy. I learned so much from them,” Gokul added.
(Excerpts from an interview written for Manorama Online by R B Sreelekha)