Cheran then restarted work "Pokkisham" in 2004 but postponed the film after falling out with the new lead actress Meera Jasmine. He then the drama film "Thavamai Thavamirundhu" (2005) focused on family relationships and Tamil culture, and cast himself in the lead role, alongside Rajkiran, Saranya and Padmapriya. During production, the film went over budget and took nearly 145 days of shoot in Karaikudi, Madurai and Chennai. The film was made at a budget of ₹2 crore rupees, and went on to make profits for the producers. The film also won positive reviews, with a critic from Sify.com noting that "Cheran has kept the flag of uncompromised cinema flying and is one of the handful of directors, whose calling card remain his artistry over the medium", adding that the film is "brilliant and appeals as much to the mind as the heart". Upon release, the film won several awards including the another National Award for best film on family welfare.