Manjummel Boys is a Malayalam film directed by Chidambaram released on 22nd February 2024. This movie is Chidambaram second directional venture after ‘Jan-E-Man’ which turned out to be huge success. The film’s cast include Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, Ganapathy, Jean Paul Lal and many more promising actors. During this peaking era of Mollywood, Manjummel has undeniably contributed significantly towards it, embellishing it with a golden feather. The movie falls under survival thriller genre. The film has got positive responses all over and has collected more than 3.5 crores whole over India in the first day itself.
Manjummel Boys is inspired by a true event that occurred in the lives of a close-knit group of friends. The story revolves around 11 friends from a small village in Kochi, embarking on a trip to Kodaikanal, unaware of what awaits them there. While the storyline lacks novelty being based on real events, Chidambaram’s presentation of the theme is exceptionally captivating and commendable.
When it comes to acting, Soubin and Sreenath Bhasi delivers stellar perfomances. Initially, some characters may seem insignificant, yet each one displays outstanding performances. Khalid Rahman also makes a notable appearance in the film. Comparitively the second half is more engaging and thrilling than the first half, but the film as a whole is a pure visual treat.
As we mentioned earlier, its not the story but the quality making which makes the whole difference. Each and every technical aspect of the movie feels exceptionally flawless. The background score by Sushin Shyam has undoubtedly turned out to be perfect as usual. Also the incorporation of classic Tamil songs into specific scenes blended effortlessly with the overall atmosphere. Another standout contribution in Manjummel Boys is credited to Art Director Ajayan Chalissery. His exceptional work vividly portrayed the tangled interiors of Guna Caves in Kodaikanal, capturing even the smallest of details. Shjyu Khalid, the Director of Photography, has excellently captured the genuine charm of Kodaikanal, evident in every frame, portraying its beauty remarkably.
Even though the film’s main theme is survival, it depicts the remarkable bond among friends and the extents to which individuals are willing to go for the sake of friendship. Manjummel Boys is a true example of the popular saying “friends will be there for you, through every thick and thin”.
According to us, Manjummel Boys is an immaculate wonder in the survival thriller genre of Mollywood and has also set a new benchmark to this genre. It surely demands a theatre watch and has got several goosebumps scenes which sets the audience ablaze with excitement. As the ‘Manjummel Boys’ conveyed, friendship transcends mere words—it’s an emotion that’s not humane, but DIVINE!!
IMDb – 8.7/10
Times of India – 4.4/5
Our rating – 4.2/5