Don't Think Manjummel Boys Should Be Remade In Another Language: Director Chidambaram

"Manjummel Boys" director Chidambaram says he doesn't think his superhit Malayalam film should be remade in any other language as he believes nuances may get lost in translation.

The survival thriller, based on real events, hit the theatres on February 22 in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and received widespread acclaim from audience and critics.

Produced by Parava Films, "Manjummel Boys" revolves around a group of friends from a small town called Manjummel near Kochi whose vacation goes awry when one of them falls into an 800-foot-deep pit in the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu.

Chidambaram, who also wrote the film, said while he is open to remakes in general, a culture-specific story like "Manjummel Boys" shouldn't be adapted into another language.

"It's a real story about a real cave and people. The cultural connection of the Kerala people, Tamil Nadu people...

"There are a lot of factors that helped the movie run (successfully) but if you're going to remake it, I don't know how much of it would be translated. I don't think 'Manjummel Boys' is a movie that should be remade in any other language," the director told PTI on the sidelines of IIFA Awards here on Saturday.

Chidambaram described the film as a "pure humane story" which had every ingredient to become a good movie.

"A guy saving his friend from the pit of death, it's a first of its kind, and changing the history of the cave... Who will not jump to (make a film like) that?" he said.

"In every part of the world, there are going to be boys like this who do mischievous stuff, and end up in situations like this. It's a universal story. That's why it connected with a lot of people," he added.

"Manjummel Boys", mounted on a reported budget of Rs 20 crore, emerged as one of the highest grossing Indian films of 2024 earning over Rs 240 crore worldwide.

The only idea for the climax, the filmmaker said, was that the man had to be saved.

"Everyone knows the guy was saved but how to arrive at it and how to make it cinematic and engaging? We all love a good, meaty climax. I took a good one-and-a-half years to arrive at my first draft of the screenplay," said Chidambaram.

The director, who made his debut with 2021's comedy drama "Jan.E.Man", wants all his movies to be different from each other.

"As a filmmaker, I want to do varied movies and my next film might be something very funny or very violent. I want to explore all the genres," he added.

His upcoming film is in the development stage.

"It's a story about human emotions, drama... An anatomy of violence is what I'm exploring," he said.

It was recently announced that Chidambaram is set to make his Hindi directorial debut in collaboration with Phantom Studios. 

--PTI---