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Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018): Mani Ratnam, returning back to crime genre...What else does film buffs like me need? After a streak of romance and dramas, Mani Ratnam's new feature is a unique tale of throne fights among brothers with best cast in recent times. Aravind Swamy, Vijay Sethupathi, Simbhu, Arun Vijay, Jyothika, Prakash Raj, Jaya Sudha, Aditi Rao Hydari...Such an ensemble cast in recent times with already electrifying album from AR Rahman and impressive trailers. Did Mani Ratnam unleashed the film maker in him with full mode?

Plot: The film takes off with the murder attempt on Senapathi (Prakash Raj), a well-established don in Chennai. In order to find the person behind it, his three sons, Varadha(Arvind Swamy), Thyagu (Arun Vijay) and Rudra (Simbu) attack Chinnappa who is a member of the opposite gang. As time passes by, the brothers come to know a shocking truth about the murder attempt on their dad. Who is that culprit? Why did he attack Bhupathi Reddy?

My Review: In Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Mani Ratnam took a unique take which left me confused at the end. The entire movie is based on total gray shaded characters without any protagonist and antagonist where everyone is a danger to others. With such darkly etched characters, first half of the film is well written with handling the bonding of family and whodunit mystery. The scene in Pre-Interval where Senapthi revelas the mystery to his wife followed by the best scene of the film where his wife looks at her sons through window (I loved this scene) with Bhoomi Bhoomi as background score...That Interval bang left me in Awe and raised expectations on second half..

But second half left me in confusion when the action started.It started so soon that I wasn't ready for it. Mani Ratnam had let the drama to take back seat so that pne of the most violent movie in recent times could start. With all the grey characters started attacking each other, I was confused to whom perspective I should watch this...Even with epic making, I wasn't mended with that action but then Praaptham song started in background which started giving me clarity..Such an unique mark from Mani Ratnam and Ar Rahman and the uniquely made Climax cleared the doubts ofcourse it left few unanswered.

So, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam may not be the best from Mani Ratnam but its riveting crime drama with terrific performances from all the cast and pitch perfect technical values..

My rating 7.5/10