Benny Daniel (born on 18 May 1971), better known by his pen name Benyamin, is an Indian writer in Malayalam from Kerala. He is the author of about thirty books in various genres – from short stories to novels and memoirs. For his novel Goat Days (Aadujeevitham), he won the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and JCB Prize, and was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize. The novel Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal won the Vayalar Award in 2021.
Apart from literature he ventured Malayalam film industry in 2023 as a co-writer of the Malayalam film Christy with the writer G.R. Indugopan, which marked his debut as a screenwriter. His magnum opus novel Aadujeevitham has been adapted by director Blessy into a film,The Goat Life, which was released on 28 March 2024.
Early life Benyamin was born on May 18, 1971, in the Njettoor area of Kulanada village, near Pandalam, in Pathanamthitta district in the southern part of Kerala.After living in Bahrain from 1992 to 2013, he returned to Kerala. He also spent some time in Australia. At present, he resides in his Mannil Puthenveedu home in Njettoor.
Personal life Benyamin married Asha Mathew on 2 January 2000 and they have two children Rohan Benny and Kezia Ann Benny. Family Tree
Education He had his primary education at Manthuka Government U.P. School. Later, he completed his pre-degree from Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, and earned a diploma from Nanjappa Institute of Technology in Coimbatore.
Writing Career In 2000, Euthanasia was the first short story collection in Malayalam literature. Goat Days (2008) Goat Days (Aadujeevitham), his most famous novel, portrays the life of Najeeb, an Indian labourer and how he survives the hardships and tortures in Saudi Arabia. It is used as a textbook at Kerala University, Calicut University, Bharathiar University, Pondicherry University and 10th standard for Kerala State syllabus. It was a magnum opus and a turning point work of Bennyamin in his writing career. The Goat Life is a film adaptation of this novel directed by Blessy.
Yellow Lights Of Death (2011) Yellow Lights Of Death (Manjaveyil Maranagal) describes that once the author unexpectedly receives half of a story by email from a young man named Christy Andraper. At a seaside cafe, two friends, Christy and Jesinta, witness a murder. Christy discovers that his classmate Senthil was shot. But the police say that no such crime has been committed so far. The hospital authorities say he had a heart attack. Christy begins to suspect a conspiracy and begins to investigate. It's a beautiful work that leaves the readers to be confused as to whether it was a real incident or a fictional event, keeping it a mystery from start to the end.
Jasmine Days (2014) Jasmine Days (Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal) tells the story of a young woman Sameera Parvin who moves to a middle eastern city and finds herself in the middle of a revolution. It revolves around the Jasmine Revolution that sprang up in December 2010 and was quelled by January 2011. The English translation of the novel won the inaugural JCB Prize for Literature, the richest literary award in the country. The jury chairperson Vivek Shanbag called the novel "brilliant and intense". Tharakans Grandhavari (2022) Tharakans Grandhavari (The Chronicles of Tharakan) is a unique experiment in narrative style as well as in production and publication. The plot revolves around the life of Mathu Tharakan and is narrated through 120 incidents. The book is published as 120 loose cards and the readers are given the choice to dictate the narrative. Each copy of the book is uniquely assembled such that each copy is a distinct permutation of the many possibilities in which the novel could be read."A Unique Book By DC Books". Allaboutbookpublishing.com. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023."ബെന്യാമിന്റെ "തരകന്സ് ഗ്രന്ഥവരി: അത്യപൂര്വ്വമായ ഒരു നോവല് പരീക്ഷണം". Madhyamam (in Malayalam). 4 May 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
Christy (2023) Beyond novel writing, In 2023, he made his debut as a screenwriter by co-writing the script of the film Christy with novelist G. R. Indugopan and he also played a small character in the film."തോമസായി ബെന്യാമിന്; ക്രിസ്റ്റിയിലെ ക്യാരക്ടര് പോസ്റ്റര് പുറത്ത്". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023. Also, the screenplay of this film is written by both of them has been published in book form by Manorama Books, which was launched during the audio launch of the film.
Film Career Benyamin took his first step into cinema through the early discussions about adapting 2008 published novel, Aadujeevitham into a film. Many renowned filmmakers, including Lal Jose and Adoor Gopalakrishnan, approached him to make the adaptation, but he eventually joined hands with acclaimed director Blessy.
Despite having a deep connection and love for literature and cinema, he did not write the screenplay for Aadujeevitham and instead completely entrusted that responsibility to director Blessy, whom he considered more accomplished in the language of cinema than himself. In 2018, the shooting of Aadujeevitham finally began, marking Benyamin’s true entry into the world of cinema. When the film released in 2024, it quickly achieved massive acceptance, just like the novel itself.
Yet, despite being one of the main creative spirits behind Aadujeevitham, he remained more like a shadow during the writing phase. Before the release of Aadujeevitham, Benyamin—who generally kept a distance from screenplay writing—stepped into the field through the film Christy, co-writing the script with another writer, G. R. Indugopan, while also appearing in a small role. The film began production in September 2022, wrapped up in December, and released in 2023, but turned out to be a complete failure.
Later in 2024, he next appears in cinema through a small cameo role in the film Abraham Ozler.
Awards and honours
2008 Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (Novel), Winner, Aadujeevitham"Benyamin". The Hindu. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2023. 2009 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel, Winner, Aadujeevitham 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize, Longlist, Goat Days 2013 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, Shortlist, Goat Days 2014 Padmaprabha Literary Award 2018 JCB Prize for Literature, Winner, Jasmine Days 2018 Crossword Book Award for Indian language translation, Winner, Jasmine Days 2019 Muttathu Varkey Award 2021 Vayalar Award, Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal
Bibliography Year Title Title in English Category Publisher 2000 Euthanasia Mercy Killing Collection of stories Calicut: Mulberry Publications 2000 Irunda Vanasthalikal Dark Forest Places Diary notes Aluva: Pen Books 2006 Abeesagin Abeesagin Novel Thrissur: Current Books 2006 Penmarattam Ladies Sex Collection of stories Calicut: Haritham Books 2007 Pravachakanmarude Randam Pustakam The Second Book of Prophets Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2008 Aadujeevitham Goat Days Novel Thrissur: Green Books 2008 Akkapporinte Irupathu Nasrani Varshangal Twenty Years of Christian Quarrels Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2010 E M Ssum Penkuttiyum EMS and the Girl Collection of stories Kottayam: DC Books 2011 Manja Veyil Maranangal Yellow Lights of Death Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2012 Anubhavam, Orma, Yathra Experience, Memories & Travel Memoirs Calicut: Olive Publications 2013 Kathakal Stories Selected stories Kottayam: DC Books 2013 Manushyan Enna Sahajeevi Human, a fellow being Collection of stories Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2014 Al Arabian Novel Factory Al Arabian Novel Factory Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2014 Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal Jasmine Days Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2014 Ottamarathanal Single tree shade Memoirs Thrissur: Green Books 2015 Irattamukhamulla Nagaram A double faced city Travelogue Thrissur: Green Books 2015 Green Zoninu Veliyil Ninnu Ezhuthumbol While writing outside from green zone Collection of essays Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2016 Kudiyettam: Pravasathinte Malayalivazhikal Migration: The malayali ways of exile Essays Kottayam: DC Books 2017 Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal 20 Communist years of Manthalir Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2017 Ente Priyapetta Kathakal My favourite stories Selected stories Kottayam: DC Books 2018 Shareera Shasthram Physiology Novel Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2018 Postman Postman Collection of stories Kottayam: DC Books 2020 Marquez Illatha Macondo Macondo Without Marquez Travelogue Kottayam: DC Books 2020 Nishabda Sancharangal The journey of silence Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2020 Akathe Christhu Purathe Christhu Christ within and Christ without Collection of speeches Thrissur: Green Books 2020 Ennu Swantham (editor) Your's Own Letters Kottayam: DC Books 2020 Puzhameenukale Kollunna Vidham (co-author) How to kill river fishes? Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2021 Ennathullikalum Upputharikalum Oil droplets and Salt flakes Collection of essays Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2022 Tharakans Grandhavari Chronicles of Tharakan Novel Kottayam: DC Books 2023 Ethoru Manushyanteyum Jeevitham Any human's life Jottings Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2023 Christy (co-authored with G. R. Indugopan) Christy Screenplay Kottayam: Manorama Books2024Montricher DiaryMontricher DiaryDiary notes Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books2025Aanoyude pirake, Gaamayude pirakeBehind Aano, behind GaamaTravelogue Calicut: Mathrubhumi Books 2025 Badal Vayanakal Alternative Readings Articles Thrissur: Green Books2025Mulberry, Ennod Ninte Sorbayekkurich ParayuMulberry, Tell Me About Your SorbaNovel Kottayam: DC Books
Translations in English
Filmography Year Film Director Contribution Notes2023 Christy Alvin Henry Screenplay, Acting (played the role of Thomas)Debut as a Scriptwriter2023 Abraham Ozler Midhun Manuel ThomasCameo appearance (played the role of Himself)Cameo Appearance2024 The Goat Life Blessy StoryAdaptation of novel Aadujeevitham
References
External links
Excerpts from the book Ethoru Manushyanteyum Jeevitham. Mathrubhumi Books (in Malayalam)