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.

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.

I have to say, I didn't expect "Manjummel Boys" to unfold the way it did! As my first film of 2025, it completely caught me off guard. At first, I thought it would be a straightforward buddy film, but it took some surprising turns that really kept me engaged. The story beautifully explores friendship in a way that feels both heartfelt and real.

The cinematic framing is absolutely stunning! Every shot is thoughtfully composed, and the locations are just gorgeous. They really add to the overall vibe of the film and make you feel like you're right there with the characters. It's a visual treat that complements the powerful storytelling.

If you're looking for a film that celebrates friendship while also delivering an impressive cinematic experience, Manjummel Boys is definitely one to watch!

From Janeman itself Chidambaram's grasp in direction was evident but here he proves it again. The tone shift from an easy-going feel to a gripping emotional ride is so natural and effective. I never thought I would be this invested in it since I already knew almost what to expect from it. The script itself might have been pretty simple and on the point, not minimizing the craft there, but the direction is what really makes this stand out. Every single choice of what shot is used, the music used and what is to be shown at what time all made it so much more effective than what I would have expected from such a story. All the actors did great even though there's not too much space for any one person to shine more with such a big cast. But from the initial moments, the one I really noticed was Lal Jr, who was perfect as that loud obnoxious ahole in the friend group that most people hate. Soubin, Bhasi, Deepak and even Khalid Rahman did great in their roles.

Watching this right after watching Gunaa felt like the right choice right from the opening credits. But I wanted to make sure, I see that song in Gunaa first and not this. It was the right choice because this would've been the definitive point of that song if I had seen this first. Beautiful use and homage to Gunaa even though both are very different films.

The rescue scenes, the emotional weight they carried and the following events that allow the viewers to fully let their emotions out all worked brilliantly, For now, my favourite movie of the year. Ironic since among the theatre watches this year, this was one that I was least interested in.

This movie showing the true bond of friendship ; this movie is all about the unbreakable strong love of friendship !

Outstanding making by Chidambaram and crew !

Exceptional background score by Sushin Shyam and beautiful cinematography by Shyju Khalid !

All actors did fine especially soubin shahir and sreenath bhasi is excellent and all other technical side is top notch !

Don't expect to come to theater for a comic trip ,its a Emotional Roller-coaster !

A well made survival drama experience in big screen !

This one is based on actual events and you will truly connect to them when you leave the theater !

Don't miss it!