Manjummel Boys is a 2024 Malayalam-language survival thriller film written and directed by Chidambaram. The film is based on a true incident that happened to a group of friends when they went on a trip to Kodaikanal. Mythri Movie Makers are releasing the Telugu dubbed version with the same title. The film has Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, Ganapathi, Lal Jr., Deepak Parambol, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, Khalid Rahman, Vishnu Reghu, Chandu Salimkumar, Shebin Benson, George Maryan, Viji & others in important roles. The music is composed by Sushin Shyam and the film is produced by Babu Shahir, Soubin Shahir & Shawn Antony under Parava Films
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Story:

Set in 2006, a group of friends from Manjummel go on a vacation trip to Kodaikanal & get into a daring rescue mission to save one of their friends who has fallen into the Guna Caves, a perilously deep pit from where nobody has ever been brought back. Will they find their friend? How will the Manjummel Boys save their friend? Needs to be seen in the film.

What about on-screen performances?

Shoubin Shahir as Kuttan plays the toughest part and he does an excellent job with his performance. His efforts in the rescue mission are appreciable and the way he showcased his expression in the rescue part is commendable.

Sreenath Bhasi also gets an equally tough role and he delivers a superb act as Subhash, the guy who falls into the pit. His performance stands out, especially in the second half where the audience literally feels the pain through his expressions.

All the rest of the ensemble cast in the Friends gang and other supporting artists namely - Balu Varghese, Ganapathi, Lal Jr., Deepak Parambol, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, Khalid Rahman, Vishnu Reghu, Chandu Salimkumar, Shebin Benson, George Maryan, Viji & others portrayed their characters with a natural and realistic approach.

What about off-screen talents?

The plot is based on a real incident that has happened in Kodaikanal. The adapted story is well-written and has enough moments to keep us hooked to the screens. The Telugu dialogues are neatly translated and the Telugu dubbing is done right too.

The screenplay by Chidambaram is pretty engaging, except for the first 20 minutes where the world-building and the character introductions could have been done in a much better manner. But right from the time where the friends go to the cave, the pace picks up and the entire rescue operation will have us on the edge of our seats. The drama between the friends, the cops, and a few other characters near the cave is well-induced into the plot.

Director Chidambaram does a super job with his presentation. The way he envisioned the whole incident and presented it on the big screen is commendable. Putting aside the slow-paced initial half of the film, he delivers a gripping tale that revolves mainly around human emotions, with friendship taking the front seat.

The cinematography by Shyju Khalid stands out. The film demands a great effort in the visuals where the audience has to feel the suffocation and tension and he contributed effectively in this regard.

The background score by Sushin Shyam and the sound design by Shijin Hutton & Abhishek Nair combine to give an eerie experience while we watch the proceedings inside the cave.

Special mention to the production design by Ajayan Chalissery. The set work looks very authentic and kudos to the art team for replicating the cave as real as possible in the sets.

Vivek Harshan's editing is good, though the initial slow pace could have been tightened.

The production values by Parava Films are good.

What’s Hot?

* Engaging Second Half
* Gripping Rescue Portions
* Realistic Performances From All
* Brilliant Cinematography
* Authentic Production Design
* Good Background Score

What’s Not?

* First 20 Minutes
* Childhood Portions Affect The Flow

Verdict: Overall, Manjummel Boys is yet another worth-watching Malayalam dubbed film in Telugu and a well-crafted survival thriller with an engaging second half. It is also high on emotions as the core point is about friendship which makes the film even more personal. It is a must-watch in theatres!!

Rating: 3/5