Manjummel Boys

The Malayalam movie industry is churning out some really interesting content, and this movie is no exception. Films like this showcase that big budgets, star casts, and exotic locations are not prerequisites for a good movie. Content and content alone are the primary things that matter.

This is a tale of beautiful friendship where a group of friends from Kerala goes on a trip to Guna Caves in Tamil Nadu. The caves have a restricted area for the public, but the boys, being boys, explore that area, and one of them falls into a 900 ft deep pit. It is called The Devil's Kitchen because nobody has ever been pulled out alive. How these friends stand together, going above and beyond to save him from the death trap, is what the story is all about.

Being inspired by a true story, it hits you differently. The screenplay is well-written and keeps you engaged with the narrative. The editing is crisp, keeping the pace of the movie quite fast with not a dull moment at all. A standout scene was when they use their tug-of-war skills to untie a knot. It was sheer brilliance in writing.

The song 'Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan' is a masterstroke used at a crucial moment in the film. It triggers your emotions to another level. The background music and score by Sushin Shyam are commendable too, as they build up the emotional quotient in the viewers. The cinematography is noteworthy as it makes you believe the setup is from the real location. Although the scenes inside the cave are a bit patchy, it can be forgiven as the budget was quite tight.

The movie features an ensemble cast with Soubin Shahir in the lead. However, I feel he is pretty mediocre, and here it is no different. But the makers couldn't do anything as he is the producer too. The other actors- Balu Varghese, Ganapathi, Lal Jr., Deepak Parambol, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, and others-have done their parts to perfection. Sreenath Bhasi, in a special appearance, has done a good job and made his presence felt.

This survival thriller must be watched to feel the thrill for yourself. There is no surprise why it created a stir at the box office, as the director Chidambram has made a brilliant movie with minor glitches. #pranureviews #ManjummalBoys #ManjummalBoysReview

P. S: My only concern is that the real boys (upon whom the movie is based) are suddenly being hailed as heroes, which is troublesome. They broke the rules and ended up in a bad situation, and there's nothing truly heroic about that. However, their pure friendship is certainly something to be admired.

Often times turning real life incidents to movies, personally for me doesn't really hit the right spots with its over exaggeration and dramatisation. But what Chidambaram has done is quite magnificent, considering this is his second movie after his directorial debut, Jan-e-man. In a month where multiple Malayalam movies has been going at each other in the box office, especially with Bramayugam being so critically acclaimed, this movie is made so well that it makes a movie like Bramayugam fall short.

Performances from the whole cast, especially Soubin and Bhasi are next level and Sushin's music, Shyju Khalid's cinematography, editing by Vivek Harsha and costumes by Mashar Hamsa are all noteworthy. This is a kind of movie that elevates the industry to levels it's never seen before and I'm glad that the Malayalam industry are turning out to be juggernauts in movie making, not just in India but globally.

Do watch the movie as it reels you in from the moment it starts and lets you go only when it finishes. Kudos to the whole team behind the movie and can't wait for the rest of the Malayalam movies to roll out for the year.

If a film can be evaluated even on one criteria, Manjummel Boys is one; and that criteria for me is the superb cinematography.

Based on a true story of a disaster that befalls a group of friends. They are mentioned as boys of the village named Manjummel though they look grown up men but act as immaturely as boys in their getting high at a marriage.

They decide to take a holiday trip to Goa but end up in Kodaikanal where they go to explore what is called Guna Cave the name having derived from the title of Kamal Hassan movie.

Here they meet a disaster.

From a boisterous rather loud childish- for-the age bunch, they grow up to the seriousness of the situation. One of the "boys" falls in a crevice and here the drama of survival and rescue and comradery begins. Really superb photography takes over and that is what makes the film immensely watchable.

Director Chidambaram deserves full praise for Manjummel Boys.

Wow!! Malayalam cinema delivers again. "Manjummel Boys" is a total emotional rollercoaster, especially if you're the kind of person who really feels with characters. Personally, I went through it all: happy, scared, mad, totally despairing, and even felt like I was choking right along with these guys, rooting for them to find some kind of redemption.

As to those who are familiar, this is based on a true story from 2006. It's about a crew of eleven friends who hit the road for Kodaikanal. The good times are rolling, laughter's echoing through the hills, until one wrong step leads to a chilling reality, the infamous Devil's Kitchen, a place known for swallowing anyone who falls. Fear takes over, despair creeps in, but their bond-that strong, unbreakable friendship-becomes this incredible beacon in the darkness, igniting a desperate rescue mission.

Funny thing, the poster initially made me think this was some kind of horror flick - I was picturing a zombie apocalypse or intense internal conflicts. The trailer cleared that up, but after watching it today, I realized it was so much more. I truly saw fear, despair, a real-life drama packed with injustice, and an incredible tale of friendship shining through absolute hopelessness.

On the acting front, almost everyone absolutely shines, with some moments hitting pure brilliance. Soubin Shahir delivers like always, but Sreenath Bhasi completely steals the show as the young atheist. Seriously, he deserves praises for perfectly conveying every single emotion of someone helpless but desperately clinging to the tiniest shred of hope.

Another huge win for this film is the cinematography by Shyju Khalid. It's stunning to watch how every shot takes on this macabre, chilling tone as things get intense, with every detail just popping on screen. And big props to the makeup team for transforming Bhasi so powerfully in the second half. The editing by Vivek Harshan deserves a massive shoutout for those incredible cuts, especially how he weaves Bhasi's cave scene with his childhood memories. He pulls off a similar magic trick with Soubin Shahir, creating one of the film's most powerful moments.

The soundtrack is just as amazing. Sushin Shyam's score plays with light and dark, hope and despair, perfectly mirroring the film's emotional ups and downs. That pre-interval scene with Soubin Shahir's reaction, accompanied by that stripped-down score, is pure genius. And then the climax hits you with Ilayaraaja's iconic "Kanmani Anbodu Kaadhal"-a total gut punch of emotion. This brilliant homage to the evergreen classic from Kamal Haasan's "Gunaa" truly leaves a lasting impact.

Final thoughts: Malayalam cinema just keeps on winning! After recent hits like "Attam," "Abraham Ozler," "Premalu," "Anweshippin Kandethum," and "Bramayugam ((and yes, you should check out my review for that one!)," "Manjummel Boys" absolutely joins that must-watch list. This is an honest, smart film packed with excellent performances and technical wizardry. While it's not absolutely flawless, after all the emotional turbulence you experience with these "Manjummel Boys," any minor missteps are easily forgiven. This film is a testament to Director Chidambaram's masterful execution; he truly crafted a rollercoaster of emotions and an unforgettable tale of friendship.

I don't know where to start. The movie is engaging right from the start to the end. Every actor has performed like there is no tomorrow. I don't want to give anything away but please DO NOT wait for this to come out on OTT. It is a definite theater experience and if you are a malayalee, you will come out walking full of pride because of the quality and depth of this movie's overall production. These are the movies that should be showcased in Cannes and what not.

Entire Manjummel Team - you guys have delivered a masterpiece and thank you giving us the perfect survival thriller. Hollywood - take note!