Action-packed Tamil knock ’em dead Tarantino-style
Chekka Chivantha Vaanam AFTER a long time Tamil cinema has come up with a multiple star cast certain winner in Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (CCV) by ace director Mani Ratnam. With a stellar cast this high-budget bold movie has taken Tamil cinema to another international level.
CCV stars the cream of Kollywood stars, Arvind Swamy, Vijay Sethupathi, Silambarasan and Arun Vijay.
CCV’s opening sequence features an assassination attempt on Senapathy (Prakash Raj). In the mayhem, Senapathy and his wife are seriously injured.
Senapathy is a crime lord who is feared by his rivals and who has the police on his payroll.
The crime world and the police are in a quandary as to who made the hit on Senapathy. Meanwhile the family has its own issues with a strong rivalry between the three sons as to who would take over from their dad.
Varadhan (Arvind Swamy), who is married to Jyothika but who also has a fling on the side, sees himself as the rightful heir as he lives with his dad.
The second son Thiyagu (Arun Vijay) is a cold and calculated playboy who lives in Dubai with his wife and two children. He lives on the financial assistance of his dad. The third son, Etti (Simbu), lives in Russia dabbling in drugs and crime. Rasool (Vijay Sethupathi) is a police officer who is a childhood friend, Varadhan, who also seems to be in the fray.
A bloody war erupts and of the four contenders, who would emerge unscathed, forms the storyline.
Aravind Swamy, who was introduced to Kollywood by Mani Ratnam in the early ’90s, has played his role as a cold calculated killer with aplomb. Arun Vijay shines in his role as a playboy. He is certainly going to garner a throng of female fans after his performance in CCV.
Simbu is vintage. He simply grows better as he gets older. His gradual metamorphosis from a soft-hearted guy to a ruthless, power-hungry individual shows his acting talent. The current love of Tamil cinema, Vijay Sethupathi, comes up trumps. The climax of the movie featuring Vijay Sethupathi will leave you breathless.
Jyothika is back in movies and what a welcome sight she is too. She plays her role as the long suffering wife of a gangster with relative ease. Prakash Raj, although in a short role, leaves his indelible mark as a consummate actor.
The plus factor of CCV is the excellent cinematography by Oscar winner Santosh Shivan. The sweeping Siberian landscape and wide angled shots of scenic Dubai are all captured vividly by this master cameraman who wields his magic.
Dhilip Subrayen must be commended for the breathtaking and jaw-dropping action sequences.
The action scenes are we’ll choreographed. If you like your action Quintin Tarintino-style, this is it.
Oscar winner AR Rahman’s music complements the movie perfectly.
CCV is a definite winner. There are no boring moments. This is the kind of movie that will have you engrossed in its entirety and have you spellbound long after the credits have rolled.
CCV is showing at Cine Centre Suncoast in Durban.
Lachimiah is an ex-presenter on Radio Phoenix and other community radio stations. He is passionate about Kollywood movies and music. He is a seasoned MC and motivational speaker