We all go on trips with friends. Those car rides. Those stops on the roadside to sip a cup of chai. That loud music and too much noise huddling between soothing classical tunes and the nuisance-induced drama. That adrenaline rush. Everything seems fabulous with friends. But much for the bravado of one or two, things could get adventurous—and sometimes, go wrong in the blink of an eye.
Manjummel Boys (2024), directed by Chidambaram, is a Malayalam survival thriller inspired by a real-life incident from 2006 in Guna Caves in Kodaikanal.
The film follows a group of eleven friends from Manjummel, Kerala, who embark on a trip to Kodaikanal. The trip soon takes a tragic turn when one of the friends, Subhash (Sreenath Bhasi), plunges into a hole in Guna Caves.
Guna Caves, monikered Devil’s Kitchen by a British official, B.S. Ward, sometime in 1821. The Caves backgrounded until Kamal Hasan, a South Indian actor, decided to film Gunaa movie in this location in 1991. And thus, the name: Guna. Since then, tourists have flocked around this location as ants flock around sugar crumbs. Several have gone missing in this location.
Many of the bodies have never been recovered. So, when you fall into this cave, there is very little scope for you to escape death. Therefore, when the group of friends from Manjummel goes to explore these caves, and a friend unexpectedly falls into the cave, a whole rollercoaster of emotions—and thrill transpires.
Soon after the friend falls off into the cave, all the friends begin to scramble—some run asking people for help, others run to get hold of the police and the forest guard, and several others try to hold off the area from the water falling into the cave just so their friend does not drown.
In between, the police beat them up, accuse them of killing their friend, and try to frame a case around them. We also get to see some exceptionally good people—locals, especially—who come to help these Manjummel Boys.
Inspired by the true events, Manjummel Boys beautifully portrays the essence of friendship, loyalty, bonding, and resilience. It deeply engages with the audience through and through, inviting them on a profound journey of friendship and the lasting impact of the choices they make. The characters are wonderfully written and portrayed with authenticity.
Soubin Shahir has been especially exceptional. Being the older member of the group, he takes it upon himself to deal with the challenges they begin to face in trying to rescue their friend. Others, too, have performed exceptionally. The cinematography has also been out of the ordinary. Especially the low-angle shots that entail the whole rescue process are particularly noteworthy.
Manjummel Boys is worth watching. Everyone should watch it as an ode to the celebration of friendships. In essence, Manjummel Boys is an emotional roller-coaster.