The Indian film "The Goat Life" has caused a wide stir on social media due to its story, which has angered many, especially Saudis, for its portrayal of events they described as offensive because of the sponsorship system.
The sponsorship system in Saudi Arabia is known as bringing a worker to the country by an employer who becomes their sponsor and is responsible for them and their residency and all details.
Knowing that the film would spark controversy and possibly issues with Saudi authorities, the director included a note at the beginning of the film stating that it does not intend to offend any country, people, community, or ethnicity. Nevertheless, the Indian film has sparked a wide debate among critics and Gulf social media users, with some opposing the way the sponsorship system was presented in Saudi Arabia while others saw it as a creative work under the banner of artistic freedom that does not reflect reality.
The film tells the story of a character named Najeeb, a young Indian who traveled to Saudi Arabia in search of work, only to find himself face to face with a Saudi who claimed to be his sponsor and took him to the desert to tend sheep, where he lived there for years in the desert, forced and unable to escape.
The story of the film is a manifestation of a true story featuring an Indian citizen recounting the horrific tragedies he faced during his work journey in Saudi Arabia at the hands of what is known as the sponsor, a role played by the Omani artist Talib Al-Balushi.