Writer-director Chidambaram deserves appreciation for weaving a heart-touching story from a real-life incident.
'Manjummel Boys' is based on a real-life incident. (Supplied)
Yet another survival thriller has been released in Malayalam — Manjummel Boys. It is helmed by Chidambaram, who earlier directed the superhit movie Jan.E.Man (2021).
Manjummel Boys is based on a real-life incident. In 2006, a group of 10 youngsters went to Kodaikanal for a picnic and got stuck in the restricted Guna Caves.
The film narrates their harrowing experience.
Last year, 2018: Everyone is a Hero reminded us of the resilience of Keralites during the 2018 floods. It was a blockbuster hit that entered the ₹100-crore club.
This apart, Malayalam cinema witnessed several survival thrillers, including Malootty (1990), Take Off (2017), Virus (2018), Helen (2019) and Malayankunju (2022). They all left a mark on the audience.
Now, let us see how Manjummel Boys fares:
‘Manjummel Boys’ is directed by Chidambaram. (Supplied)
Ten childhood friends from Manjummel in Kochi visit Kodaikanal. One of them gets trapped in the Guna Caves, which is a restricted location.
Guna Caves is a famous sightseeing place in Kodaikanal, especially for its three pillar-type rocks. Reports say that about 13 adults died while trying to enter the Guna Caves.
The caves are originally called Devil’s Kitchen. However, they became popular as Guna Caves after the Tamil movie Guna (1991), featuring Kamal Haasan, was shot at the location.
Many tourists started visiting these caves only after its name was changed to Guna Caves.
In Manjummel Boys, the youngsters decide to enter the caves. However, Kuttan (Soubin Shahir), a senior in the group, warns them against it. But the others pay no heed to his warning and enter the caves.
Meanwhile, Subhash (Sreenath Bhai) accidentally slips into a deep pit in the caves, following which the trip turns into a nightmare for the group of friends.
The police and locals initially refuse to help the youngsters but change their minds.
What happens to Subhash and his friends is the crux of the film.
Manjummel Boys is a tale of friendship. All the friends stay together to rescue Subhash, who gets trapped in the pit.
Writer-director Chidambaram deserves appreciation for weaving a heart-touching story from a real-life incident.
The director wisely connects Subhash’s peculiar character in his childhood with the present-day tragedy.
The childhood sequences make the audience nostalgic.
The rescue mission, which goes on for over 30 minutes at the end, gives a nail-biting experience to the audience.
The intense performances by Soubin Shahir and other actors complement the pre-climax portion.
‘Manjummel Boys’ is shot in Kodaikanal. (Supplied)
The art department plays an important role in the film.
Ajayan Chalissery, the project designer of the movie, has done a brilliant job at recreating the Guna Caves.
The scenes inside the caves and the duplicate tree in the scene where the friends take a picture are some of the highlights.
The rescue mission, the fire engine, the way ropes are tied, and the rain inside the cave are all too good to watch.
Sushin Syam’s music adds charm to the movie. In a few scenes, the background score makes us believe we are watching a horror film.
All the songs, especially by rapper Vedan, have come out well.
Shyju Khalid’s cinematography remains top-notch, with the Guna Caves and Kodaikanal getting equal importance.
The aerial shots featuring the journey in a Toyota Qualis are breathtakingly beautiful.
The frames in Kochi, Pazhani, and Madhura add a new dimension to the cinematic elements.
‘Manjummel Boys’ is a survival thriller. (Supplied)
Manjummel Boys pays a heartfelt tribute to Kamal Haasan’s Guna.
At the beginning, a cartoon representation of Kamal Haasan and Roshini is played along with the popular song “Kanmani Anbodu Kaathalan” in the background.
Subhash and Krishna Kumar (Ganapati) sing the song in the movie as they enter the caves.
Again, the original song is played in the background during the final act of the rescue mission.
Also, a few dialogues in the film pay tribute to Guna.
Manjummel Boys has scintillating performances by all the lead actors.
The bond between Kuttan and Subash is portrayed well, complemented by good performances by Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi.
Dickson (Balu Varghese) and Siju (Jean Paul) are good.
Chanthu, the son of actor Salim Kumar, is impressive in the character of Abhilash, an eccentric person.
Deepak Parambol, as Sudhees, plays a pivotal role.
Director Khalid Rahman’s Prasad is decent.
Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, and other actors do their part well.
Manjummel Boys is one of the best survival thrillers and friendship tales in Malayalam.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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