Ajith Nair

Kudos to the filmmaker for approaching an age old issue, in urban settings. The narrow parochial nature of how men view any man woman interaction and exchange is the core of the movie, brought forth as a plot that turns complex. Sudhi Koppa is the disruptor in chief, aided by a bunch of male chauvinistic gang of men led by Suraaj. The movie doesn’t bother to create any layers, and makes no pretenses about being anything beyond a linear storyline. However it delivers enough to make atleast some men rethink and others give it one star in denial!😊

Manjummel Boys: Love triumphs all Guna a psychological romantic drama film released in 1991 to a mixed response- the story of a mentally disturbed Kamal Hassan lost in the delusion of love for a rich heiress. Among other things it talked about a certain purity of love that mortals cannot understand. The most famous song from this movie,Kanmani Anbodu, elucidates this among many other sweet adulatory terms as Ilaiyaraja weaves magic in melody and rhythm Cut to the first decade of the Millennium where a gang of boys from Manjummel in Kochi are on a trip to paint the town of Kodaikanal red, accompanied by Kamal Hasan hits one of which is Kanmani from the movie Guna. Keen to visit the point where the song was shot, the group deliriously heads in that direction. The tragedy that unfolds thereon is the story of Manjummel Boys- an honest no frills screenplay that rivets you to a most daring rescue act that belies all the challenges and cynicism that the system can throw at helpless ordinary folks. Central to the plot is Soubin Shahir as Kuttetan the chief rescuer and Shreenath Bhasi as Subhash the brave survivor. Bound tightly to them is a band of rowdy, all heart boys who are the very definition of that Mallu social media slang called Chunkzz. Joined at the hips , born and bred as one breed these boys are a boisterous bunch of tug of war losers who struggle to put money together for even a simple trip to Goa. The movie spends time upfront in the plot towards Kodaikanal, readying us for what sounds like one grand rave party coming up, only to shock and jolt us into the dark bat infested caves of The Devil’s Kitchen where the rescue thriller unfolds. It’s a story of undying, unrelenting love (like Guna) that makes friends not let go of each other even when Satan stands at the door, sharpening knives. It’s also a lesson in the triumph of human spirit against all odds, including gross superstition, downright neglect and cruelty from public officials. Towards the end is a scene where Manjummel area discovers what their boys have pulled off, with Subhash’s mother hugging Kuttetan and crying in gratitude. Not a dry eye remained in the movie hall then as the enormity of what the boys have pulled off by their sheer grit hits us. Director Chidambaram Poduval doesn’t layer up this narrative with frills, allowing the powerful story to unfold as it should, supported by some gripping screenplay, great sets design as well as VFX. Even the cast, while strongly appropriate, doesn’t hog the limelight or stray from the plot. The success of this movie is in being of service to the story doing complete justice to a true incident that happened in 2006 at Guna caves. On a side note one can’t but draw parallels with Malayankunju (review link in the comments) where a similar triumph against all odds is showcased, once again due to the an unpredictable human bond that gets formed when buried under a landslide. Go watch Manjummel Boys to celebrate what the human spirit can really do when up against a wall or for that matter a cave, and how the strength of some of our relationships might be much much deeper than we imagine.

Chaaver begins in blood. The odium of sodium vapour mixed up a dash of cellophane red readies the viewer for what’s to come. The visuals have a lead on the narrative right through, zoning you into the plot from the word go. Remember feeling the same thing when I watched Varathan. The screenplay and shots are the film really. And maybe that’s why Chaaver remains a treatment and cinematic aesthetic movie but does not really occupy a similar status with its script. The political backdrop, a hunt and a chase, the involvement of an innocent bystander and the string pulling by puppeteers all could be interpreted in many ways. However Chaaver lets that be while it revels in a raw manifestation of human instincts. It illustrates the foolhardiness of people drawn by ideology and political predilections. It laments the eventual fate of those who try and kill on caste lines. And it showcases the futility of heinous crime. In between all this it also showcases the predicament of someone who wants to stay true to his friendship in the face of much torture and hardship. Statements of power and the disposability of the foot soldier who believes he is important are also part of the mix. Alas nobody survives in the end except for cinematography that leaves you in a blood splattered miasma that makes you want to wash it off yet it still wouldn’t quite go clean. This isn’t for the faint hearted, if only the script and characters had as much meat as blood.