Actor and producer Soubin Shahir has been arrested in connection with an alleged financial fraud involving the film Manjummel Boys. He was taken into custody alongside his father, Babu Shahir, and associate Shawn Antony. All three were later released on anticipatory bail granted by the High Court.

The case centres on accusations of embezzlement amounting to Rs 7 crore linked to Soubin’s production company, Parava Films. The police allege that the fraud was orchestrated before the film even entered production. The investigation was triggered by a complaint from Siraj Valiyaveettil, who claimed to have invested Rs 7 crore in the project. According to the complaint, Siraj was informed that the film's budget would be Rs 22 crore. However, he later learned that it had been completed for Rs 18.65 crore. He further alleged that he was promised 40 percent of the profits but received no returns.

In 2024, the Income Tax Department conducted raids at Soubin’s office following allegations of tax evasion and concealment of financial records. Manjummel Boys, written and directed by Chidambaram, was a gigantic commercial success, reportedly earning Rs 140 crore domestically and Rs 240 crore worldwide. The survival drama, inspired by a real-life incident at Guna Caves in 2006, was critically well-received as well. It remained Malayalam cinema’s highest-grossing film until the release of L2: Empuraan this year.