KOCHI: Manjummel Boys, helmed by Chidambaram and starring an ensemble cast that includes Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi, is a survivor-thriller inspired by a 2006 real-life incident.
Since its release on February 22, the movie has collected nearly Rs 200 crore at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Malayalam movie to date.
This resounding success has invariably put Manjummel, a quaint town on the outskirts of Kochi, and a group of thick friends, on whom the story is based on, into the global limelight.
On the day TNIE visited them, the real Manjummel heroes were in conversation with the youth of Amalothbhavamatha Church about the importance of cultivating good friendships.
Despite their growing fame and increasingly busy schedule, this group of ordinary men who share an extraordinary story never back away from an opportunity to inspire. According to them, this is their mission.
Here, they talk about their friendship, the importance of art and sports clubs, the Manjummel effect on their personal lives and town, the movie and more...
How did your friendship take shape?
Subash: Right from our childhood, we were a close-knit group. There was no social media then. When we got home after school, we all gathered on the ground to play. We took part in local club activities and swam in the stream nearby. Such bonds last long.
Such friendships are a source of strength during distress…
Siju David (Kuttan): Yes. For instance, after the Kodaikanal accident, we struggled to arrange cash for the return trip, Subash’s treatment, etc. None of us was financially stable.
Sumesh helped us a lot. Though he could not make it to the trip, he arranged everything in a single night.
When we finally reached here, there was no delay for anything on account of lack of funds.
Five years ago, we formed a society named Yuva, which helps people in distress. Each week, we set aside some money to attend to emergencies.
Weren’t you guys part of a club here earlier as shown in the film?
Siju David: Yes, it was called Darshana. There were about 40 members when it began. It was active for years. Then, it became Yuva Darshana. Later, when the residents’ associations became more prominent, clubs started to wane. We, however, continue to serve society via Yuva.
Is it just your gang?
Siju David: No, many from the Manjummel area are part of it.
Siju John: It has members of all ages. Whenever people approach us, say seeking assistance for a marriage or a death, our team offers whatever help we can.
Today’s youngsters are falling prey to vices such as drug abuse. Could you elaborate on the importance of art and sports clubs in this context?
Sumesh: Such activities are essential. It is when children don’t have any outlet for activities that they fall prey to bad influences.
Sujith: We kept each other close, away from harm. After getting back from school each day, we used to head straight to the playground or the club. Sadly, today’s kids don’t have such avenues. They are confined to their silo.
Subash: Back in the day, there were many public grounds. It is from these playgrounds that friendships blossomed. Art and sports clubs were physical manifestations of such bonds. The government should establish public grounds in every locality.
[To Siju David] What were the events in your life that helped develop your willpower to take the decision to descend the crevice in Guna Cave?
Siju David: I used to hold leadership positions at the clubs here. I guess donning that position as a youngster and coordinating matters helped me.
Sujith: Also, when we were kids, there was an incident when Krishnakumar got caught in a current while we were swimming. It was Kuttan who dived in to save him. Kuttan was a natural leader.
Sixon: This is true to this day. When we go for tours, etc., we just hand over the money to Kuttan. He is the responsible one and takes care of everything. We don’t have to worry. We just chill!
Sujith: Our families are reassured when we say Kuttan’s name. They trust him.
Subash: Even if we have to go anywhere else, we just say we are going to Kuttan’s house. (all laugh)
Have you guys always been an adventurous group?
Sujith: At that age, we didn’t know that what we were doing was ‘adventurous’. It just felt like a natural thing to do.
Siju David: In Kodaikanal, the fencing at the suicide point was not very tall back then. So we crossed over to click a pic. We were not very aware of the dangers. The same thing happened at Guna Cave.
What went through your minds while watching the Manjummel Boys film?
Siju David: It was like going on that trip again. We experienced those moments, emotions. We were all in tears.
Anil: We would say 95 per cent of what’s shown in the film was real.
Sixon: Prior to the screening, the film crew had invited us to the set of Guna Cave, which was set up in Perumbavoor. When we reached there, we were overwhelmed. The set designer Ajay Chalissery did an exemplary work. It was as close to the original as it can get. We started trembling as we entered….
Siju: They had set up cameras inside the set to capture our reactions. We stood numb. It was as if we were inside the real Guna Cave. That’s what they wanted to know.
We didn’t have to convey the feeling through words — our emotions told them everything.
Did they seek references from you while creating the set?
Subash: When the ‘Manjummel Boys’ crew sought permission to study the Guna Cave, the Tamil Nadu officials hoped to replicate what ‘Ordinary’ did to Gavi. They were right… there’s now a big tourist rush to Guna Cave now…
Hence, they got permission. They went in five times to get the structure of the cave right. Ajay went on a sixth trip with his painting team. He wanted them too to get a feel of the cave…
To be frank, I was scared as soon as I took the first step in. My whole body was shaking… I knew it was fake, but fear had taken over.
At least three teams had approached you to turn this story into a film. But those projects didn’t work out. Finally, how did this one take off?
Sixon: Many urged us to see this story turned into a movie. One friend, Shawn Antony (the film’s co-producer), was keen about it. He met Kuttan and Subash. Then, there was Ganapathi, whom we knew. The film’s director, Chidambaram, is his brother. He was an up-and-coming filmmaker when we initially met. His first film, Jan-E-Man, had not been released then. They came and discussed the story with us, took a documentary and began work. It just happened. We never imagined that the movie would become this big, such a vibe.
Siju David: Initially, we thought Chidambaram was going to shoot a film with Ganapathi as the central character. Later, we learned Soubin was part of the cast and co-producing the film.
Sujith: Their team was very committed. They came to our houses and studied everything about us — the way we walk, talk… our mannerisms. I think they did that for about two years. Their hard work has paid off. The film depicts us correctly. We were surprised.
Sixon: They even studied our old photos and got the costumes right.
Subash: I had only seen Sreenath Bhasi in films until then. During the pre-production stage, he visited my house.
Sujith: Yes, Subash’s mother did not even know who Sreenath Bhasi was. She presumed him to be her son’s friend.
‘Money is not our priority’
Were you guys actually passionate about tug-of-war as shown in the film?
Siju David: Yes, definitely. We are all crazy about it. We were part of local competitions. Some of us still have scars from bouts of those days… We once even participated in a tug-of-war event with an elephant (laughs).
[To Subash] What were the childhood experiences that helped you develop the mental courage to triumph over the fall?
Subash: I must say, swimming and climbing trees (laughs).
Sujith: Subash was adventurous even in childhood. Swimming was his main hobby.
Sumesh: Swimming in the stream requires physical and mental strength. He loved swimming, and would catch fish – cook and eat it alone!
Subash: Also, I was not great at studies. So, I was often made to stand on the bench among girls as punishment. Such torments also helped shape my mental strength (laughs). On a serious note, I survived because a jagged edge of boulder in the crevice pierced through my jeans and prevented me from falling further.
Sujith: He is tall; his height was also a factor.
Did you ever regret going on the trip?
Subash: Yes. But now, I see people are drawing inspiration from my story. I am told it is helping motivate those who are in distress. Also, old-time friends have started to reconnect. Earlier, I used to wonder why I was spared. I see it now – maybe to lend hope to others. I am grateful to God for it.
[To Subash] You mentioned you used to be an atheist… And there’s a scene in the film where you question the concept of God...
The director and writer were responsible for shaping the conversations in the film. While we did have similar discussions, the way they were portrayed in the film was crafted to engage the audience effectively.
I, indeed, used to question the existence of God. But while laying trapped inside the cave, I prayed to all gods in the world…
[To Prasad P S] Did you return to Kodaikanal after the 2006 incident?
Prasad: Yes, in 2009. I took a family on a tour there. After dropping them, I asked at a shop if they knew of the incident. They did. In fact, all of Kodaikanal still remembers the incident.
Were there more safety measures at the site when compared to your previous visit?
Prasad: There were some changes. When we visited the cave in 2006, there was a board stating that 13 people had perished there. But it was written in Tamil.
During the rescue, an official told us Subash’s name would be the 14th on that board. The local people, too, initially urged us to leave the place after Subash fell. They warned us that staying there would land us in trouble. They were right.
Sixon: We endured much torture, more than what what was shown in the film.
Krishnakumar: The local people, however, rallied behind us after they also heard Subash’s cries from the pit.
Sixon: We were withheld after the rescue. Thankfully, the doctor, who treated Subash at the local hospital, intervened and helped us leave the town without legal hassles. That was one aspect we missed in the film.
Are you in touch with the doctor?
Siju David: Sadly, no. We had tried. She’s the only one whom we have not been able to reconnect with from that time. We hope to meet her soon.
[To Subash] Do you think you have found closure to the trauma with this film?
Subash: Yes. The recovery phase was an ordeal. It took me six months to start sleeping properly after the incident. Physically, I spent about 60 days in an Ayurveda hospital.
[Physical injuries included gashes, scraped skin across the body.]
It took me nearly two years to return to normal life. The focus since then was on moving forward. When the decision was made to turn our experiences into a film, I felt it was important. I wanted the world to see the struggles that my friends underwent to rescue me. They are my fount of inspiration.
Sreenath Bhasi played your character at a time when he too was in a tough phase… Did that reflect during interactions?
Sixon: Yes, very much. During the shooting process, whenever we met, Bhasi would say that he, too, was in a metaphorical pit and that, through this film, he would rise.
When did you guys embark on another trip after the 2006 incident?
Siju David: Six months later, to Munnar. Subash, of course, could not join.
Anil: We returned to Kodaikanal only for the puja ceremony of the film – after nearly 18 years.
Writer B Jeyamohan made some comments about Malayali boy groups – on boozing and raising a ruckus wherever they go. How do you guys view his comments?
Siju John: One needs to only read the comments under his statement to know the reaction of Malayalis. We don’t have anything particular to add.
Anil: It is likely that when Jeyamohan was young, he, too, has done similar things.
Siju David: We entered a restricted area, that’s true. It was not the right thing to do. The fencing wasn’t proper back then. Maybe, safety measures should be enhanced and well-maintained at such sites.
After the incident, did any family member of the 13 who had perished in the pit earlier reach out to you?
Sumesh: No. However, the first thing the police asked Kuttan was whether he saw any skeleton there.
Siju David: I couldn’t see anything, as I went in with a torch around my neck and I was using both my hands to hold onto the rope. I grabbed the torch and looked only when the first rope ended. I had to wait till they got another one. I checked around me. All I saw were bats. I immediately switched off the torch.
[To Abhilash] In the film, your character is shown as walking away from the gang in the end… what actually happened?
Abhilash: Yes. I was in shock. It was me who saw Subash falling into the pit. It was a traumatic sight. I cut off from the gang, too. Because of my withdrawn nature, my neighbours presumed I had left for the Gulf.
Like how they show in the film, did you return to the cave to give the now-popular ‘Loose adikkada’ advise?
No. I was in shock. Siju took me outside, and I waited there until Subash was rescued.
[To Subash] You used to write, right? Have you considered turning your story into a book?
Subash: I have thought about it a lot. I have written it in my mind. But Chidambaram has portrayed it better than I ever could. I may write about the before and after of the incident. (Gang-members laugh out, saying he has written three bizarre scripts.)
After watching the film, many are inspired by your life. Do you have any message for the youngsters?
Subhash: I didn’t do anything extraordinary. It was my friends’ actions that saved me. They inspire me. But I will tell this to youngsters: nurture and preserve good friendships. Also, fights between friends are normal. Don’t get hung up on your ego.
Now, the original Manjummel Boys have become famous. How are you guys handling this busy schedule and attention after leading a relatively peaceful life?
Siju David: The incident took place in 2006. A month later, news of our story started to appear. We were catapulted into the limelight. In 2008, I received a bravery award from the President. We used to receive letters. Many of them. We felt like celebrities then.
Today, after the film, everything’s different. We don’t have time for our personal lives now. We are busy with events, interviews, inaugurations. Our lives have completely changed.
Subash: We are all common people. We never wanted celebrity status. But now, can we work for a living? Imagine, you are in your work clothes, which are torn and dirty, and people come to take selfies... Not all of us have white-collar jobs.
So it’s a bit uncomfortable... So, temporarily, I have stopped my work [in the construction field]. Now, we give interviews and that helps the film. When all this is buzz is over, we will return to our normal lives.
Have the real Manjummel Boys got any remuneration from the film team…
Sixon: People have been asking us the same thing.
Siju David: They have not discussed anything on those lines with us. There was no such agreement or contract.
Subash: Money is not our priority…
(TNIE Team: Ronnie Kuriakose, S Neeraj Krishna, Krishna P S, Mahima Anna Jacob, Anna Jose. Video: Pranav V P and Asif. Photos: A Sanesh)