Valavaan, the directorial debut of Little Superstar Simbu, is a love triangle, but not the run-of-the-mill type. Simbu has worked at moving the film through twists and turns rapidly and carrying the burden of portraying a rainbow of emotions.

Silambarasan is Casanova, friend and angry young man in one; and has weaved all the three female characters around his myriad personalities perfectly. The interesting story starts with the college student Valavaan (Silambarasan) who wins the heart of his professor Swapna (Nayantara) - but she doesn't know he’s a student!

The first turn in the movie comes when Swapna finds that Valavaan is a college student 3 years younger than her. On discovering the truth, she stops the planned wedding between them.

The story moves to Valavaan's past, when he had a relationship with his classmate Geetha (Reema Sen). She is an arrogant girl and is obsessed with him; something that puts Valavaan off and he moves away from her. But arrogance goes hand-in-hand with cunning and Geetha plays her own game to ruin the relationship between Valavaan and Swapna .

Kaadhal Sandya plays the role of Valavaan's childhood friend – sweet and loyal.

With the mess in his life, thanks to Swapna  leaving him for lying to her and Geetha playing her sick games with him, Valavaan is furious and wants revenge.

What does Valavaan do? Does Geetha win? Do Valavaan and Swapna  get together again? What happens to Geetha?

The film is… disturbing. Many dark emotions roiling throughout the film, many murky games of passion and revenge. Simbu has portrayed different moods with all 3 women, with his real self probably only shown to his true friend, Sandya's character.

It seems to be the time of anti-heroines and Reema Sen has played the role of Geetha to the hilt.

The music of Yuvan Shankar Raja has been on everyone's stereos enough to bring them to the cinema halls for the audio-visuals. No introductions to "Loosu Penne" and the remixed "Kaadhal Vandhirichu" are required. Is Simbu turning playback singer too?

The background music has geared the fast-moving screenplay. The man behind the camera, Priyan, has brought the colours of youth to life. Comedian Santhanam has provided much-needed comedy relief amidst the dark and tension-filled emotions in the film. 

 Valavaan is different – no rose-tinted glasses here, but light and dark warring with each other.

Galatta.com' vote: Simbu is a Sakala kala Valavaan!