Akef Najem, a Jordanian actor who played a crucial role in the movie Aadujeevitham has apologized for acting in the film.
The actor made this move after he faced severe backlash for portraying a cruel Arab character, which put Saudi Arabia in a bad light in front of international audiences.
Akef Najem's character sparks controversy
The Jordanian actor revealed that he did not completely read the script before agreeing to do the role in Aadujeevitham.
The actor claimed that he initially believed Aadujeevitham would uphold the values of Saudi Arabia's society. However, after seeing the final product, he felt disappointed and understood that the movie contradicted these beliefs.
He also apologized to the Saudi community for the harm that happened to the country due to the movie.
The actor further noted that he should have been more diligent while reviewing the script of Aadujeevitham.
Antagonist happy to be part of Aadujeevitham
Meanwhile, Omani actor Talib Al Balushi, who played the role of the ruthless sponsor in the movie claimed that he did not receive any backlash for portraying the character in Aadujeevitham.
The actor who is currently in Kerala added that he did not face any ban from either Saudi Arabia or Oman for playing the role of the antagonist in the movie.
Al Balushi also noted that he is completely proud and happy to be a part of the survival drama movie which received so many accolades in the recently announced Kerala State Film Awards.
In the Kerala State Film Awards, Aadujeevitham won the award for best director (Blessy), and best actor (Prithviraj Sukumaran).
The film also won honors for best adapted screenplay, best sound mixing, best cinematography, and best makeup artist.
Made with a mammoth budget of Rs. 80 crores, Aadujeevitham, upon its release received positive responses from audiences and critics alike, and it emerged as a blockbuster at the box-office by collecting more than Rs. 160 crores worldwide.
