Movie Name : Manjummel Boys
Release Date : April 06, 2024
Starring: Shoubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, Ganapathy, and others
Director: Chidambaram
Producers: Babu Shahir, Soubin Shahir, Shawn Antony
Music Director: Sushin Shyam
Cinematographer: Shyju Khalidh
Editor: Vivek Harshan
The Telugu adaptation of the Malayalam movie “Manjummel Boys” has just been released in theaters. Directed by Chidambaram, this survival thriller promises an intriguing watch. Let’s delve into its reception and see how it fares.
Story :
In the year 2006, a bunch of pals from Manjummel decided to take a trip to Kodaikanal. They were inspired by another group of friends, who seemed to have the time of their lives on their adventures. Fueled by envy, the Manjummel Boys set off on their own journey to Kodaikanal, eager to explore. One of their stops was Guna Cave, a famous spot. During their visit, one of their friends accidentally fell into a dangerous pit known as Devil’s Kitchen. It’s a place where no one has ever survived a fall. The movie tells the story of how these friends rallied together to save their fallen comrade from certain peril.
Positive Aspects :
Turning real-life stories into movies isn’t easy. Take “Manjummel Boys,” for example. It’s a survival thriller that needs a lot of belief to bring real-life situations to the big screen in an engaging way. Director Chidambaram pulls it off by focusing on human feelings, especially the bond of friendship.
When one of the friends falls into the pit, we don’t see it in detail at first. But when it’s shown later, it’s intense. Knowing it’s based on a true story adds to the tension. Once the friends reach Kodaikanal, the story picks up speed. The way they show the past connects us to Subhash’s character.
Big applause to the set designers for making the pit scenes look so real. The whole rescue operation keeps us glued, helped by the amazing music by Shusin Shyam and stunning visuals by Shyju Khalid. And when they play the lovely song “Priyathama Neevachata Kusalama,” it’s sure to light up the theaters.
What’s great is the movie doesn’t stop after the rescue. It also shows how Subhash copes with what happened, which adds depth. Soubhin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambo, Khalid Rahman, and everyone else did a fantastic job.
Negative Aspects :
“Manjummel Boys” takes a bit of time to get interesting. The beginning of the movie isn’t very exciting, especially the first 40 minutes. It feels like things are moving slowly, and there’s not much happening that grabs our attention. The way they introduce the characters and the world they live in could’ve been done better.
It’s not that the starting scenes are terrible. They do connect with the end of the movie, but they’re not as good as they could’ve been. It feels like the movie is being stretched out. The story is pretty simple, so it’s not hard to guess what will happen in the end. This makes it a bit less exciting.
The director didn’t try to make the real events more dramatic, which means some scenes might not be as exciting for some people.
Technical Elements :
In “Manjummel Boys,” the work of Ajayan Chalissery’s production design, Shijin Hutton and Abhishek Nair’s sound design, Shusin Shyam’s background music, and Shyju Khalid’s camera work bring the story to life. The editing is good in the second half, but it could have been a bit better in the beginning.
Director Chidambaram does a good job, especially in bringing out the emotions in the story. The way he shows the whole incident on screen is impressive. The movie also pays homage to Kamal Haasan’s “Guna” and the beautiful song “Priyathama.” However, the first hour isn’t as good, and that’s something the movie could have improved upon.
Conclusion :
“Manjummel Boys” is a gripping survival thriller that also tugs at the heartstrings. The second half keeps us hooked, especially during the intense rescue scenes that are beautifully shot. The performances by Shoubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambol, and the rest of the cast are praiseworthy.
However, the first half lacks excitement, and it feels like things are moving too slowly. Plus, as the climax nears, it becomes a bit too easy to predict what will happen next. Nevertheless, the movie is technically strong and definitely worth watching in theaters. I recommend it.
Piktalk.com Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewed by Team Piktalk