"Manjummel Boys is the movie I want to watch," Adi, my son, told me on the day his last exams got over. Seriously, the only time Adi likes to watch Malayalam movies in theatres is if its a Fahadh Faasil film or a film directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan. When it came to Manjummel Boys, he wanted to see the film before I did. We didn't like the trailer though. Surprised as we were when we began watching the film, I have to say the story packed in more surprises for us.
Directed by Chidambaram and inspired by a real life incident, the film shows what happens when few young men embark on an adventure trip to Kodaikanal and how they deal with an unexpected situation when one falls into a pit. The scenic beauty of Kodaikanal is almost ethereal; brilliant cinematography and melodious music blend in a compelling, masterful effect to this film.
[Source: Manjummel Boys on Facebook]
Indeed, Manjummel Boys has taken Malayalam cinema by storm, as it has now become the highest worldwide grosser from the Malayalam film industry, according to news reports. The makers of the film claim that this is the first Malayalam film to achieve such a milestone without a dubbed version of the same film being released in any other Indian language. Congratulations to the team!
Simple as it sounds, there are many reasons why Manjummel Boys has won people's hearts; not just Malayalis, but cinema enthusiasts at large have spurred on the box office success of this seeminly simple story. Even the seemingly 'side' characters spring to life and the casting is impeccable. The performance of the teastall owner is noteworthy; he convincingly plays a realistic role in functioning as a 'bridge' between hostile cops and the boys. A bearded guide, who had tried to offer his services to the boys, also springs a surprise with his subtle and moving attempts to help the boys when one of them falls into the pit.
What struck my teen about the film is that how easily he could relate to the film from the very first scene of the film. "Man, this is too good," Adi told me within minutes of the first scene. As a music buff, he loved the songs in this movie!
"Manjummel boys music captures the mood of the film and the vibe of the youngsters," he later said. Hmmmm!
Is Manjummel Boys a Real Story?
The movie makers indicate the film is inspired by a real-life incident.
So yes, it is a real story about a group of boys who went on an adventure trip to Kodaikanal, where one of them fell into a deep pit and got trapped inside a cave.
Cast of Manjummel Boys: Impeccable and authentic!
The entire cast of Manjummel Boys has played a pivotal role in its success. Every actor delivers the finest performances and in a way that is authentic and relatable to the audience. Be it the young man who is obsessed with cleanliness to the point of obession or another young man who adores Kamal Haasan and is thus brings everyone to Guna Caves for recreating the scene that Kamal Hassan had acted in at the same spot, the refreshing performances are a pleasure to watch.
Notably, the astounding success of 'Manjummel Boys' earned the young actors an opportunity to meet their much adored star - Kamal Haasan! This image was shared below on their Instagram page itself.
Reality checks are peppered throughout the story arc, taking us through unspoken memories of protagonists, as their survival instincts take charge.
The portrayal of the inner child's struggle to awaken through the near-death situation brings out the subtle powers of fine storytelling.
The scenes where Sreenath Basi and Soubin Shahir are shown as children, sometimes playing hide and seek, or confronting their deepest fears in ordinary life, mirror their true selves as adults.
[Source: Manjummel Boys on Facebook]
Manjummel Boys: What Could Have Made it Better?
The lack of notable women protagonists in the film disturbs me a lot. Of course, one can argue that the real life incident had no women protagonist as such.
However, I find it strange and disappointing when a movie on youngsters shows almost no women at all - it somehow doesn't feel right. Also, where women characters are shown, the visual messaging is disturbing. They are mostly driven depicted as being cold, grumpy and rude, whereas all the young men are portrayed in a highly fun-filled, engaging way. This is a skewed, rather unfair portrayal of women and reinforces the male patriarchal mindset that is prevalent.
Through unspoken cues of superstition, one of the young men is seen as saying 'Subhash has died' with spooky overtones and then later, asking the same bunch of friends to 'loosen' the rope - isn't there a contradiction or a lack of clarity in the way this character has been defined or shaped?
Also, glimpses of women falling at the feet of a male survivor do not necessarily send out a relevant message to the audience. It didn't come through well.
A Malayali lady, whom we had become acquainted with while watching the film, later told us, "I have two teenage boys and I don't think I can sleep tonight after watching this film. As a mother, this film has really frightened me."
This is a grave parental concern that the film makers could have anticipated. It's fine to be inspired by a real-life story but it would have been top-notch to consider the impact a movie like this would have on mothers. Clearly, the film maker's oveall approach to this film has been wholly male-centric, right from the start.
[Source: Manjummel Boys on Facebook]
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