Mani Ratnam last month made a big comeback in Tamil with 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam'. The film didn't do well in Telugu (released as 'Nawab'), but the Tamil original has been a runaway hit.

In Chennai city alone, the multi-starrer has grossed Rs 7.82 Cr. As per a trade report, the total gross in the state of Tamil Nadu is over Rs 45 Cr. In mopping up the figure, Chennai, Chengalpet, and Coimbatore have contributed a lion's share.

Starring Arvind Swamy, Vijay Sethupathy, Simbu, Jyothika and others, the film had music by AR Rahman. The gangster-family flick had an exciting second half. The first half, however, was ordinary.

The true victory is for Mani, who pulled off this success after 'Kaatru Veliyadai' ('Cheliyaa').