A big-scale multi-starrer after a long time, and in a Mani Ratnam film. Chekka Chivantha Vaanam has an ensemble cast and crew that includes the likes of Arvind Swami, STR, Vijay Sethupathi, Arun Vijay, Jyothika, Aishwarya Rajesh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Dayana Erappa, Prakash Raj, Jaya Sudha and many others. Santosh Sivan captures, while Sreekar Prasad cuts and AR Rahman takes control of the music department.

After the death of Senapathy (Prakash Raj), an ageing gangster, his sons Varadan (Arvind Swami), Thyagu (Arun Vijay), and Ethi (STR), fight it out for his place, with the help of Police Officer Rasool (Vijay Sethupathi). 

Writers Mani Ratnam and Siva Ananth waste no time in establishing the characters. Right from the word go, the drama begins and the whole star cast is introduced neatly, with not much hype. An ever-agitated Varadan, a subtle yet stylish Thyagu, and an arrogant Ethi are brought into the picture.
 

The first half travels at a leisure pace and the conflict, which is quite obvious, takes complete shape and provides a big platform for high amounts of bloodshed in the second half. Ever since Mani Ratnam made his debut, he has been handling stories which deal with complex relationships, something that usually has love as the base. This time, Mani has taken a different tangent and deals with a gangster family.

The relationship between the family members, in particular the father and the sons is highlighted. In fact, the film stays true to it's title throughout and it is the maximum blood we have seen in a Mani Ratnam film. The film, however, picks up pace in the second half and the war between the brothers is a super exciting watch.

Getting into the technical aspects, Sreekar Prasad's cuts are very neat and don't show any sign of tackiness. Santosh Sivan's framing, camera movements and lighting is top notch, giving the film a boost in terms of visual quality. A stand out performer, like in every Mani Ratnam film since 1992, is AR Rahman. The background score is brilliant and adds a lot of value to the screenplay. The songs have been exquisitely woven into the film and there's no lag whatsoever.

There are many action sequences and Dhilip Subbarayan's stunt choreography is perfect. The high-octane gun fire and stunt sequences are the peak of this film! Overall, all the departments have come together to present something worthy.

Arvind Swami as Varadan is simply superb. His effortless performance defines his character very well. Arun Vijay, lately, has proven his acting talent and CCV is no less. So much swag, carried with ease. Prakash Raj, though it is a minor role in terms of screen time, does his bit well. Jaya Sudha and Jyothika have ample scope for performance, and their experience in such roles comes in handy. Their performances deserve praise. However, the screen time for Aishwarya Rajesh, Aditi Rao Hydari and Dayana Erappa is quite less. 

Without doubt, the show stealers are STR and Vijay Sethupathi. Their characters have been etched in such a way that they don't need to pressurize themselves to deliver their best. Once again, they prove that they are splendid performers. CCV will surely be a landmark in STR's career. VJS brings some lightness to a story that predominantly deals with life and death.

The trailer cuts have turned out to be a drawback as some shots used are revealing and they reduce the excitement factor while watching the film. Though there is efficient writing, there was a predictability factor that might come off as a concern. Aishwarya Rajesh plays a Srilankan Tamil girl, but it could have been more interesting to know why! The intermission block too, is played with emotions, and doesn't turn out as a high point.

Every star has his mass moments that will be celebrated by the fans! In a nutshell, don't miss the skies turning completely red as Mani Ratnam deals with an intense family rivalry drama.