Manjummel Boys, Chidambaram’s latest directorial, is being well received by audiences across Kerala and the nation. The survival thriller has been a success at the box office and has captivated viewers due to its poignant moments and unique filmmaking. The film became the first Malayalam blockbuster of 2024 after gaining rapid momentum in theaters.
Manjummel Boys’ heartwarming tale of friendship and selfless affection, along with its gripping survival thriller, captivated the audience. The film’s allure is enhanced by the fact that it is based on a true story and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. However, what precisely occurred in 2006 with the actual victims? This is a brief summary of how a group of friends experienced the scariest experience of their lives during a trip to Kodaikanal and how they managed to overcome it together. (PS: Spoilers Ahead)
Who are the real-life Manjummel Boys?
The primary victims of this incident, which happened in 2006, are 11 youngsters from the small Kochi town of Manjummel. They all came from low-income backgrounds and found jobs in their locality. Since they were children, they have been close friends and are active members of a club in their region.
What happened at Guna Caves?
On September 3, 2006, eleven friends—Krishnakumar, Siju David, Subhash Chandran, Shibu, Anil Joseph, Jinson, Sujith, Sixen, Abhilash, and Sudheesh—as well as Prasad, Sudheesh’s close friend and a driver—travelled from Manjummel to Kodaikanal for a fun getaway. Upon arrival on September 4, they spent their time touring a few of the area’s well-known tourist attractions. By 2 pm, they had reached the famous Guna Caves.
An adrenaline rush causes them to attempt to cross the restricted area of this location. Subhash falls into a deep pit during their cave exploration, much to the disappointment of others. For hours, they frantically called his name aloud in the hopes that he would respond.
They began praying to God for a miracle together, and after several hours, they began to hear from him. For more than an hour, the police, fire force, and locals were too scared to enter the abyss when they arrived. At that moment, Siju David, also known as Kuttan, came forward to risk everything in order to descend 85 feet and save Subhash.
Subhash says the near-death experience was frightening
Subhash, the only victim who was saved from the Devil’s Kitchen or the Guna Caves, is still traumatized by the horrific event that occurred 17 years ago. He claimed in an interview with Club FM that he had no idea how he fell into the pit and that the darkness prevented him from seeing anything when he opened his eyes. He also mentioned that he could hear bat noises coming from within the cave. It felt as though I had entered a freezer. My entire body hurt from the injuries, so I was unable to move,” he said.
Who played the Manjummel boys in the film?
Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi were responsible for playing Siju David and Subhash, while Balu Varghese took up the role of Sixen. Deepak Parambol as Sudheesh, Ganapathi S. Poduval as Krishnakumar (Kannan), Lal Jr as Shibu, Chandu Salimkumar as Abhilash, Khalid Rahman as Prasad, Abhiram Radhakrishnan as Anil, Arun Kurian as Sujith, and Vishnu Reghu as Shebin also delivered convincing performances.
