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Benyamin (Benny Daniel)

ベニヤミン（ベニー・ダニエル）

Benyamin (Benny Daniel)

Pen Names: Benyamin（Pen name used for his literary works）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1971-05-18 （Kulanada, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India）
Nationality
Indian
Languages
Malayalam
Residence History
Bahrain (1992–2013) → Australia (periods of residence) → Kerala, India (current residence)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Screenwriter
Active Years
2000-
Nominations
Man Asian Literary Prize — Longlist (Aadujeevitham / Goat Days), DSC Prize for South Asian Literature — Shortlist (Aadujeevitham / Goat Days)

Education

Manthuka Government U.P. School
Period: 初等教育（年不詳）
Country: India
Primary education institution
Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta
Degree: Pre-degree / Pre-university
Period: 前期課程（年不詳）
Country: India
Completed pre-degree
Nanjappa Institute of Technology, Coimbatore
Degree: ディプロマ
Period: 在籍期間不詳
Country: India
Earned a diploma in Coimbatore

Awards

Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (Novel)
2008
Work: Aadujeevitham (Goat Days)
Organization: Abu Dhabi Sakthi
Result: Winner
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel
2009
Work: Aadujeevitham (Goat Days)
Organization: Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Result: Winner
JCB Prize for Literature
2018
Work: Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal (Jasmine Days)
Organization: JCB Prize
Result: Winner
Crossword Book Award (Indian language translation)
2018
Work: Jasmine Days (English translation)
Organization: Crossword Book Awards
Result: Winner
Muttathu Varkey Award
2019
Organization: Muttathu Varkey Award committee
Result: Winner
Vayalar Award
2021
Work: Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal
Organization: Vayalar Award committee
Result: Winner
Padmaprabha Literary Award
2014
Organization: Padmaprabha Foundation
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Aadujeevitham (Goat Days)

2008 Novel (social, migrant labour narrative) 288 pages

Portrays the life of Najeeb, an Indian labourer who survives harsh labor and abuse in Saudi Arabia. Explores themes of migration, exploitation and survival.

migrationexploitationsurvival
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Goat Life / Blessy (2024)
Translations
  • Translated into English by Joseph Koyippally (Penguin Books, 2012)

Manja Veyil Maranangal (Yellow Lights of Death)

2011 Novel (mystery/experimental)

A mystery-like novel that follows a partly received story and blurs the lines between reality and fiction; leaves readers questioning what is real.

reality vs fictionmemorymystery
Translations
  • Translated into English by Sajeev Kumarapuram (Penguin Books, 2015)

Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal (Jasmine Days)

2014 Novel (political, set against Middle Eastern revolution)

Tells the story of Sameera Parvin, a young woman living in a Middle Eastern city who becomes embroiled in a revolution; examines social upheaval and personal fate.

revolutionidentityexpat perspective
Translations
  • Translated into English by Shahnaz Habib (Juggernaut Books, 2018)

Tharakans Grandhavari (Chronicles of Tharakan)

2022 Novel (experimental narrative)

An experimental novel published as 120 loose cards, allowing readers to permute the reading order; narrates the life of Mathu Tharakan through 120 incidents.

experimental formmemorypersonal history

Bibliography

  • Euthanasia (2000)
  • Irunda Vanasthalikal (Dark Forest Places) (2000)
  • Abeesagin (2006)
  • Penmarattam (2006)
  • Pravachakanmarude Randam Pustakam (2007)
  • Aadujeevitham (Goat Days) (2008)
  • Akkapporinte Irupathu Nasrani Varshangal (2008)
  • Manja Veyil Maranangal (Yellow Lights of Death) (2011)
  • Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal (Jasmine Days) (2014)
  • Tharakans Grandhavari (Chronicles of Tharakan) (2022)
  • Christy (Screenplay, 2023)

Adaptations

  • The Goat Life (dir. Blessy, 2024) — film adaptation of Aadujeevitham
  • Christy (2023) — co-writer of screenplay

Translations of Works

  • Aadujeevitham — translated into English by Joseph Koyippally (Penguin, 2012)
  • Manja Veyil Maranangal — translated into English by Sajeev Kumarapuram (Penguin, 2015)
  • Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal — translated into English by Shahnaz Habib (Juggernaut, 2018)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realist style addressing social issuesConcise, restrained narrationOccasional experimental narrative structures
Recurring Motifs
migration and exilelabor exploitationreligion and identitymemory and trauma

Legacy

Benyamin is one of the prominent contemporary Malayalam writers; Aadujeevitham brought him international attention. His works have been adopted in university curricula and reached wider audiences through film adaptations and English translations.

Academic Societies

  • Kerala Sahitya Akademi (associated)

In Popular Culture

  • The film adaptation of Aadujeevitham, The Goat Life (2024), significantly raised the profile of the work.

Quotes

  • When I write, I begin by paying attention to human suffering and the details of everyday life.
    Source: Interview (excerpt) (2018)

Trivia

  • Aadujeevitham is used as a textbook at several universities in Kerala.
  • Benyamin lived in Bahrain from 1992 to 2013.
  • Debuted as a screenwriter with the film Christy (2023).