More trouble for Manjummel Boys! ED to examine financial records of all Malayalam blockbusters since 2019

Amidst allegations against the makers of the 2024 Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys for inflating box office collections for money laundering, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has reportedly advised freezing the bank accounts of the producers of the hit film. Now, it seems like many other Malayalam films are not safe, as the ED is set to look into the financial records of all the successful films produced in Kerala in the last 5 years and this includes the production costs.

Manjummel Boys and Mollywood in huge financial tussle

After Manjummel Boys' excellent box office performance, the survival thriller film faced significant trouble when a man named Siraj Valiyathara Hameed claimed he had invested Rs 7 crore in the project and was promised a 40% share of the profits, which he did not receive after its release. 

Also read: Chidambaram on Manjummel Boys: 'Permissions were secured for Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan'

This dispute prompted the ED to investigate the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Parava Films founders and producers, Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir, and Shawn Antony, were taken to court after an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). Soubin, who both bankrolled and acted in the film, was recently questioned by the ED. For the uninitiated, Manjummel Boys grossed over Rs 250 crore at the worldwide box office.

Now, as per the latest reports, the ED is set to take a look at the financial records of all successful films produced in Kerala in the last five years. This includes production costs. The investigation was initiated after two Malayalam filmmakers provided information to the ED regarding alleged instances of black money being washed through theatres across Kerala, prompting officials to inquire in detail. 

In 2024, the Malayalam film industry made approximately Rs 720 crore at the box office. Films like Manjummel Boys, Aadujeevitham, Aavesham, and Premalu all managed to cross the Rs 100 crore mark at the box office.

Also read: No Manjummel Boys without Kamal Haasan's Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan, reveals Chidambaram

All about Manjummel Boys

Directed by Chidambaram, the 2024 blockbuster survival thriller stars Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, Ganapathi S. Poduval, Lal Jr., Deepak Parambol, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Arun Kurian, Khalid Rahman, and Shebin Benson. 

It is based on the true story of a group of friends on a mission to rescue their friend, who had fallen into one of the deep crevices of the Guna Caves. Following its critical success, the film emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film, surpassing the record set by the medical thriller 2018.

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