The Malayalam survival thriller Manjummel Boys has been receiving positive reviews from both audiences and critics for its gripping story. Director Chidambaram has narrated an emotional story of a group of boys who go the extra mile to save their friend. The movie is based on a real-life incident that happened at the infamous Guna Caves of Kodaikanal. Keep reading to know what happened in the Guna Caves, aka Devil’s Kitchen.
Manjummel Boys marks filmmaker Chiambaram’s comeback following his 2021 hit film Jan.E.Man. The director roped in an ensemble cast that includes Soubin Shahir, Ganapathi, Sreenath Bhasi, Lal Jr., Deepak Parambol, Khalid Rahman, and others. Soubin has also served as the movie’s co-producer and bankrolled it under the banner Parava Films.
What is Manjummel Boys’s real story?
Malayalam cinema is successfully bringing a number of real-life incidents-based movies to the forefront. After Tovino Thomas‘ 2018, Manjummel Boys has brought another heart-wrenching story of a difficult rescue mission. According to OTTplay, the latest Malayalam movie seemingly follows the incident of 2006, when a group of Malayali youth from Ernakulam visited the caves. During their trip, one of the friends plunged 60 feet below and got stuck. Despite informing the authorities, the victim’s friends did not receive any help. Eventually, one of the boys in the group tied a rope to himself and went down to the cave to rescue his friend. When the fire personnel finally came into action, they lifted the two boys to safety. The entire rescue operation lasted almost five hours and was a testimony of true friendship.
During an interview with Film Companion, Manjummel Boys’ actor-producer Soubin Shahir revealed that he was in touch with real-life survivors throughout the shoot of the movie. He said, “They recalled some disturbing details and events, which got me tensed not only as the producer but also as the actor who plays an important role. I used to call the real people who faced this issue to get to know their inputs at all stages. I would also meet them in person and honestly, I was scared thinking about how we would pull this off. We kept in touch with them to maintain that sense of truth.”
