Nothing exists without a reason in Chidambaram’s sophomore film Manjummel Boys, not even the habit of one character to scream loudly whenever he is excited, causing much irritation to those around him. Or, even a tug-of-war competition that the hot-headed principals indulge in, quite early on in the film. Each of these elements comes back into the picture, when you least expect it, delivering satisfying pay offs.
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With his debut Jan-E-Man, Chidambaram proved what he is capable of, deftly balancing the tonal shifts from the humorous to the morbid. In Manjummel Boys, inspired from a real-life incident, he is not required to do such balancing acts, but no less are the challenges. Especially so when the audience is aware of how the events will turn out in the end. Yet, it is quite a feat that we are kept invested in the story all through.
Things take off rather casually in Manjummel Boys, with the gang having fun as uninvited guests at a wedding party and getting into tiffs with a rival gang. The easygoing mood is maintained right till the moment one of them falls into a ravine. But, by this time, a good number of the eleven friends get registered in our head, thanks to the standout traits written for them. This connection proves vital in the latter half of the film, which rests on the emotional pull of the bond they share with each other.