A rescue mission that almost never happened!

Manjummel Boys (Malayalam/ Tamil; 2024)

Director: Chidambaram

I was intrigued by this movie after reading two articles. The first detailed a legal dispute between Ilaiyaraaja's side and the producer. The dispute arose when the producer used Ilaiyaraaja's song composition as a background without obtaining permission. This incident added an exciting layer to the movie's production. The second article discussed the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary's directive to the Kodaikanal Police to investigate police brutality against complainants, which also played a role in the movie's plot.

This is a gripping tale of a rescue mission that took place in 2006. A group of young men from Majummel, Kochi, embarked on a trip to Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, a popular tourist destination. While exploring, the men made a fateful decision to venture into a restricted area. Tragically, one of them fell into a seemingly bottomless pit. The story unfolds as the remaining men, faced with a group of apathetic officials who had essentially given up on their friend, embark on a daring mission to rescue him. 

This survival thriller is based on actual events. The cave the young men entered has a long and checked history. It was first described in 1821 by a British officer who christened it 'Devil Kitchen'. It caught people's attention when it was featured in 1991 Kamalhaasan's hit movie, 'Guna'. Since Guna, a mental patient in the film, used this cave as his hideout, it came to be referred to as 'Guna's Cave'. A catchy song from the movie, 'Kanmani Anbodan,' is used liberally in this movie and has become a bone of contention with Illayaraaja's camp.

As many as 16 victims have plunged into the pit in Guna's Cave, but none have been rescued. Even a Central Minister's relative had fallen into this hole. All the available resources could not rescue or not so much excavate his remains.

Roots of Guna Caves ©Shutterstock 

So, when the Majummel Boys ran to the Kodaikanal Police for help, the police were not too enthusiastic in carrying out rescue missions, looking at the cave's track record. In fact, they were beaten up, accusing them of trying to cover up a murder. The fire and forest departments were not helpful either. No officials dared to go in hoisted on ropes with so many urban legends floating around. Long story short, the boys and the local people hawked on the police and rescue teams. One of the Manjummel Boys, Kuttan (Suji David), volunteered to go in. After many tense moments, the victim (Subhash) was found alive and rescued. Kuttan went on to receive a State award for bravery. Subhash remains the only person rescued after plunging into the hole in Guna Caves.

This movie is a visual treat, with stunning cinematography that captures the beauty and danger of the cave. The camera work effectively conveys the tension and fear experienced by the characters, adding to the overall suspense of the film.

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We, the angels and demons!

Evil (Miniseries; 2016-22)

S1-S3, 36 episodes.

Is evil something extrinsic, or is it something within ourselves? Is the world comprised of two equally opposing powers trying to dominate the other? Is there a rational explanation for all the bizarre things that happen around us? Can science adequately explain them?

A long time ago, actually, it all depended on where one hailed from. It was utterly acceptable to blame one's socially unacceptable acts on the forces of evil and get away scot-free. In ancient times, some civilisations preached we were responsible for our actions and needed to be repaid in this birth or next. The source of evil is the suppressed desires of the reptilian brain, whose ill thoughts are cancelled off by the conscious mind.

Almost apologetically, some Middle East religions blame all misdeeds on rogue angels who strayed God's path. These deviants try to recruit mortals to their camp to give God and his teaching a run for his money.

In the modern world, increasingly, science comes up with rational explanations for events that happen around us.

The myths surrounding the pale-looking Count Dracula and his nocturnal activities can be understood when we realise that the Count suffers from congenital erythropoietic porphyria. Sufferers are pale with anaemia and stay indoors due to photosensitivity. They may have an aversion to garlic, or it could be folklore. The fear of the Cross could be reactionary if the whole mob ran towards them, chanting prayer hymns. Pellagra and rabies have been suggested as possible reasons for Count Dracula's bizarre behaviour, appearance and dentition.

Fast forward to the ICT age, and we have another demon to struggle with. The dopamine-inducing ding of a 'like' on social media has turned us into narcissistic Pavlov's dogs, gratified with peer validation, to be a herd member and to terrorise behind the cloak of anonymity. The algorithmic targeting of potential customers to clickbait is doing much damage to our civilisation. These acts are man-made with their rapacious desire to be blessed with insurmountable wealth. Allegiance to Money God seems more important than being kind to fellow kind.

The race to excel, to attain the impossible, perfection has turned into self-centred devils, giving two-hoots to fellow travellers of life.

Electromagnetic waves, radio signals, modern plumbing issues, seismic activities, psychological conditions and simple foolhardy have all been blamed as the work of God's antithesis, Satan. More often than not, there is a plausible rational explanation for everything. It is a work in progress for those for that we cannot give an acceptable reason. In the interim, invoking the name of God and Satan gives a temporary reprieve to the faint-hearted.

Not to forget the dark web, where one can find all the things that are banned by society if the buyer knows what to ask, including magic mushrooms, cocaine and sexual services of the kinky kind.

This miniseries, which has completed 36 episodes in 3 seasons, talk precisely about this. Three modern-day ghostbusters, a pastor in the making (who gets ordained later in the series), a psychiatrist and a techie, are summoned by a Roman Catholic Church to assess demonic possessions and determine whether there was a rational explanation for them. Invariably, there seems to be a logical explanation for all the mayhem. If previously, in the pre-internet era, when hysteria and other psychological affection were blamed for 'demonic' possessions, now, even the Church thinks there could be a rational explanation for all the bizarre occurrences. Increasingly, social media is enslaving people to be irrational, become narcissistic, pretend, be insecure and all the negative things that a religious person would label as the work of the devil. I guess Lord Highness of the Dark need not ascend to Earth to carry out his nefarious activities. Human beings are pretty capable of self-destroying themselves.

Along the way, in the series, we encounter Satan, making his presence and luring the investigators and their loved ones to the dark side. Much self-restraint and willpower are crucial to combat these negativities.

With or without angels and demons, we are responsible for our actions. We do the crime and the time in this life or the next. No 'Get Out of Jail Free cards' exist to absolve one from his crimes. We use our God-given faculties (angels) to fight our inner demons to do the right thing. We are the Atma that forms part of the Paramathma.

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