Made on a Rs 20 crore budget, movie earned Rs 240 crore, won 10 awards; actor was arrested, landed makers in a fraud case

Legal trouble

Despite its phenomenal success, controversy soon followed. A police case was filed against actor Soubin Shahir — who played a pivotal role in the film — and his team of co-producers by Siraj Valayithira, who claimed to be one of the film’s silent investors. Siraj alleged that he was made to invest close to Rs 7 crore towards the film’s budget but was later denied any share of the profits post-release.

The case was filed against Soubin Shahir, his father Babu Shahir, and producer Shawn Antony, all partners at Parava Films. Soubin was arrested on charges of financial fraud but was later released on bail. The case continues in court.

Recreating Guna Caves

Manjummel Boys is based on a real-life incident that took place in the Guna Caves in 2006, when a group of friends from a small locality decided to go on vacation to Kodaikanal. However, their trip took a tragic turn when one of them became trapped in the Guna Caves.

Although the filmmakers initially considered shooting in the real Guna Caves, they soon realised it would be both impractical and dangerous. They therefore decided to recreate the caves on a set. Talking about the experience, director Chidambaram told Onmanorama, “The journey wasn’t easy, but it was incredibly rewarding. I believe we received what we truly deserved. It motivates us to push forward and create even more.”

Speaking to Mathrubhumi, art director Ajayan Chalissery shared how his team meticulously constructed the Guna Caves by moulding natural rocks from various locations in Kodaikanal to create a realistic cave-like environment. He revealed that to capture the dramatic visuals of the cavernous drop, a series of 50-foot-deep pits were built and combined to form a 150-foot drop.

“When we talk about Guna Cave’s recreation, the team had to ensure everything was meticulously designed. The challenge was to create a place where the actors, like Soubin, could realistically hang 40 feet off the ground, as seen in the final shot,” Ajayan Chalissery shared.

Despite their meticulous efforts, the set frequently faced flooding due to the rain-effect methods used during filming. To counter this, the team had to continuously pump water out to keep the shooting environment safe and functional.