The film ‘Manjummel Boys’ is a 2024 Malayalam language survival thriller written and directed by Chidambaram. The film is based on the real ‘Guna Caves’ rescue in 2006, which tells the story of a group of friends who go to Kooda Kanal for a holiday through a small area called Manjummel. During the vacation, one of their friends gets trapped in the Guna cave due to their fun and then the drama of the fatal events that happen to him comes alive. The film stars prominent actors like Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambol, Balu Varghese in the lead roles. The story of this film is not just full of thrill and action, but also depicts deep emotions of friendship, courage and humanity. Technical excellence like cinematography, music, editing have made this film a great cinematic experience. Upon its release, the film has received rave reviews from critics as well as set new records at the box office, making its mark in the history of Malayalam cinema. Overall, ‘Manjummel Boys’ is an experience that touches the hearts of the audience and once again proves the power of stories based on truth.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Manjummel Boys |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Genre | Survival Thriller |
| Director | Chidambaram |
| Writer | Chidambaram |
| Producers | Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir, Shawn Antony |
| Production Company | Parava Films |
| Distributor | Sree Gokulam Movies |
| Release Date | 22 February 2024 |
| Running Time | 135 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Budget | ₹20 crore |
| Box Office | ₹242 crore |
| Cast | Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambol, Balu Varghese, Ganapathi S. Poduval, Lal Jr., Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, Khalid Rahman, Shebin Benson, and others |
| Cinematography | Shyju Khalid |
| Editor | Vivek Harshan |
| Music Composer | Sushin Shyam |
| Based on | Real-life 2006 Guna Caves rescue |
| Critical Reception | Critically acclaimed for technical aspects, performances, direction, and writing |
| Box Office Record | First Malayalam film to earn over ₹200 crore; highest grossing Malayalam film until surpassed by L2: Empuraan (2025) |
Manjummel Boys Story
The film ‘Manjummel Boys’ is a Malayalam language survival thriller released in 2024, directed and written by Chidambaram. The film is based on the real ‘Guna Caves’ rescue that took place in 2006. The story revolves around ten friends from a small locality called Manjummel who go on a holiday from Kochi to Koodakanal. There they explore the confined and dangerous areas of the Guna Caves where one of the friends, Subash, falls into a deep hole inside the cave.
Initially, everyone thinks it is a joke, but when Subhash does not respond, they approach the locals for help. The locals warn them that the cave is dangerous and that many people have fallen in the same place before and have not returned. When they seek help from the police, they are met with helplessness and abuse, and the police falsely accuse them.
The rains start flooding the cave, making the situation even worse. Eventually, a friend Siju David (Kuttan) dares to go into the cave himself to search for Subash. When the rope runs out and the police hesitate to go inside, Kuttan descends again with more rope. At a depth of 120 feet in the cave, he finds the injured Subash and manages to pull him out safely.
The film deeply depicts the emotions of friendship, courage and humanity. For Kuttan’s bravery, he is awarded the ‘Jeevan Raksha Padak’. The film is not only full of thriller and adventure, but also touches the hearts of the audience as it is based on true events. ‘Manjummel Boys’ set new records in Malayalam cinema and also received critical acclaim.
Movie Review
The film “Manjummel Boys” is a huge success for the Malayalam film industry, turning out to be a brilliant survival thriller. The film is a great example of the talent and technical prowess of M-Town. Chidambaram, who made his debut with the film JaneMan (2021), which turned out to be a surprise hit even during the Covid pandemic, has once again impressed everyone with his writing ability and direction. Just like JaneMan had multiple protagonists, this film also has many important characters. The film is an amalgamation of the rising stars of Malayalam cinema, where composer Sushin Shyam’s innovative music scoring, Shju Khalid’s excellent cinematography, Ajayan Chalisery’s captivating production design, and Chidambaram’s strong screenplay have combined to deliver a grand cinematic experience. Talking about the performances of the cast, the performances of Saubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, and Khalid Rahman are the soul of this film.
In my personal opinion, the song “Nebulakal” (also called the Travel Song) from the film perfectly showcases the talent of Sushin Shyam. The song is a treat for music lovers. Overall, the film is a must watch for every cinema lover.
A critic Udeep described it as “a beautiful tribute to friendship”. He said that the film is a stunning visual experience, with a great story, unique music and a heartwarming drama. The first 20 minutes of the film introduces the characters, their friendship and personal struggles. They go on a trip to Kodaikanal where the story takes a turn when their friend Subash (Sreenath Bhasi) falls into the 900 feet deep Guna Caves. Thereafter, the film takes on a spooky tone.
The film is mostly shot in natural light, but induced lighting is also used in the group introduction scene and some other portions. The cave scenes are extremely realistic; Most of the parts are in complete darkness, with only a light blue light, which gives a feeling of depth and fear of the cave. These scenes allow the audience to fully immerse themselves in the film, and the brilliant acting of the actors brings more life to the story.
The characters of the story are well written and the story is interesting. Sound design and music also play a very important role in the film. The reviewer believes that Sushin Shyam is one of the biggest upcoming composers of Malayalam cinema. He has used unconventional, experimental and scary music for this film. The Latin-like tone used in the cinema and the soothing chorus have given goosebumps to the audience.
The use of the famous song “Kanmani/Priyatama” from the film Guna in the climax of the film makes it memorable and unique. This climax has deeply settled in the heart of the reviewer. He is a big fan of Rajinikanth Sir and Kamal Haasan Sir, and it was a special experience for him to listen to this song while expressing gratitude at the end of the film. Overall, this film is one of the best thrillers of recent times and should not be missed.
“Manjummel Boys” is not only a technically and artistically top-notch film but also portrays friendship, courage and human emotions in a powerful way. This film has managed to make its place in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Movie Trailer
Conclusion
The film “Manjummel Boys” is a brilliant survival thriller that has set a new benchmark in Malayalam cinema. Chidambaram’s writing and direction have brought the story to life, while Sushin Shyam’s music and Shju Khalid’s cinematography have made it even more impressive. The performances of the cast are authentic and heartwarming, especially the performances of Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi. The film brilliantly portrays friendship, courage and the power of the human spirit. Overall, “Manjummel Boys” is a film that keeps the audience captivated till the end and is a must-watch.
