Wow!! Malayalam cinema delivers again! I'll say right away that the "Manjummel Boys' will be a bundle of emotion and a tug-of-war kind of feeling for those who are able to empathize. Personally, I was happy, afraid, angry, sometimes despairing and even choking with the characters for their redemption.
As to those who are familiar with the plot, Manjummel Boys is based on true story of a squad of 11 friends who hits the road for Kodaikanal in 2006. Laughter echoes in the hills, until one fateful step leads to a chilling truth: the Devil's Kitchen claims all who fall. Fear grips them, despair threatens, but their bond, a beacon in the darkness, ignites a desperate rescue mission. This a story deeper, where raw emotions paint a portrait of friendship forged in the face of the abyss. This is the thread which the film rides and successfully manages to be a winner. Despite the isolation of space, the film is very dynamic, both beneath and beyond. For some reason, the poster pushed me to the fact that this picture will be in the horror style, I expected to see zombie apocalypse and some internal conflicts that main characters experiences. Nothing aligned with my thoughts after the trailer but after watching it today and i would rather say i saw something more. I truly saw fear, despair, I saw a life drama filled with injustice and the tale of friendship in the midst of hopelessness.
Now about the game of actors - nearly everyone shines, with some moments reaching pure brilliance. Soubin Shahir delivers as always, but Sreenath Bhasi steals the show as the young atheist. He deserves a standing ovation for acting transmitting the whole palette of feelings of a person who is helpless and clinging to the slightest opportunity to see hope. Another great aspect of the film is the is cinematography by Shyju Khalid. It is stunning to witness all the shots taking a tonal shift when it turns macabre with every detail shown on the screen. Plus, the makeup team did wonders transforming Bhasi in the second half. Let's not forget the editing, Vivek Harshan deserves a shoutout for those incredible cuts, especially the way he blends Bhasi's cave scene with his childhood memories. He does the same with Soubin Shahir, creating one of the powerful moment in the film
The soundtrack is no less commendable. Sushin Shyam's soundtrack plays with light and dark, hope and despair, perfectly mirroring the film's emotional roller coaster. The pre-interval scene with Soubin Shahir's reaction with its stripped-down score, is brilliant, while the climax uses Ilayaraaja's iconic "Kanmani Anbodu Kaadhal" to deliver a gut punch of emotion. This genius homage to the evergreen classic from Kamal Hassan starrer "Gunaa" which leaves a lasting impact.
Final thoughts, Malayalam cinema continues to shine! After recent hits like "Attam," "Abraham Ozler," "Premalu," "Anweshippin Kandethum," and "Bramayugam," "Manjummel Boys" joins the list of must-watch films. This honest, smart film boasts of excellent performances and technical prowess. While not flawless, after all the emotional upheavals that you experience with the "Manjummel Boys", this film can be forgiven a lot. I want to say this is a testament to the director Chidambaram's masterful execution and he expertly crafted it as a rollercoaster of emotions and a tale of friendship.
