Jeeva's career is a curious case of brilliant movies interspersed with some pretty ordinary ones. His latest starrer "Rowthiram" produced by his dad's Super Good Films after a hiatus is in itself an enigma. Movie is good in parts but those are few & far in between on an overall average fare. Gokul has talent which shows on screen as far as his directorial capacity is concerned but need to hone up his writing skills. Screenplay spoils the party with some poor characterization & poorer casting marring the effort. Story is not new that of a righteous hero get caught up for being honest & straightforward .Screenplay also follows the regular commercial route with first half full of comedy-romance-family sentiments with the second half reserved for the action-revenge-action. Jeeva does his job adequately even though he is made to act against his usual self. The role of a hero with very few words doesn't actually suits for him & he is clearly uncomfortable in doing so. Shreya is there only to romance the hero & to act naive (or some may call it stupid) to rake a few laughs or two. Prakashraj has a very brief guest role but the impact of his character is there throughout the movie. Jayaprakash is emerging into a very fine actor with every passing movie. In this movie also he vindicates the point. Ganesh Acharya is totally misfit as Gowri considering the suspense & expectations that was built up before the introduction of the character on screen. He is a fine actor alright but his characterization is such that he brings in a few unintended laughter here & there. Sathyan does manage to tickle the funny bones in the brief while he is there on screen. Prakash Nikki's music is average , no songs make one to take notice. Shanmugasundaram's cinematography is excellent adding on to the proud list of outstanding technicians Tamil industry is giving to the Indian cinema over the past decade or two. Editing must have been a bit crisper . On the whole , "Rowthiram" has nothing special in it , if one has time to kill can surly watch it once. Bottomline: Lacks a punch or two

Starring: Jeeva, Shriya Direction: Gokul Music: Prakash Nikki Production: R.B. ChoudaryFresh after the success of Ko, Jeeva makes his appearance in Rowthiram, his home production, under the direction of newcomer Gokul, in which he essays the role of a young man who does not keep mum to the injustices around him and fights for the aggrieved souls. It is a first time combination for Jiiva and Shriya and the team certainly looks fresh and good.True to the title of the film, Rowthiram deals with the anger of the protagonist, its upshot on his family and its cascading effect.For a debut director, Gokul shows promise. He attempts to pack in his first film, romance and a lot of action and succeeds fairly. He shows mettle in the scenes that build up suspense when Jiiva gropes in the dark on the whereabouts of his family and also in the ironical climax. He is successful in building up the curiosity to know about the identity of Gowri. The scene where the gang moves to throw acid on Jiiva is well conceptualized and suggests the substance in Gokul. The dialog's between the gangsters are quite natural. Gokul also makes a noticeable cameo and it is a pity that his role is very small.Some scenes are neatly done especially the family and the romance blocks. However, these are not sufficient to buoy the story up as there is inconsistency in the pace. While the first half fairly manages to hold the attention, Gokul stutters to keep the audience hooked in the second half and his struggle to move the film forward becomes evident. The long action sequences also exhausts. The snag for Rowthiram comes from its lengthiness.It is a cakewalk for Jiiva who has delivered his role with understanding and subtlety. He shows the anguish through eyes in the sequence where his family leaves him without information. His agility in the action sequences are a plus to the film.Shriya provides the color and warmth to this otherwise 'manly' and 'hot' film and surprisingly keeps her glamor in check in most places. Prakash Raj does a small cameo and in the supporting cast, it is Jaiprakash who walks away with the acting honors with his natural and nuanced portrayal. Ganesh Acharya as the gangster has not much to do but to jive to the 'Goli Maaro' number.On the technical side, it is stunt master Anal Arasu who has much work with the film being action-centric. His stunt choreography would be spoken about but the slow motion shots in most of the action scenes act as a downer. Costumes and accessories by Deepali Noor especially for Shriya are refreshing and relatable. Cinematographer Shanmugasundaram is adequate in his responsibility.There is no lasting effect in the music of Prakash Nikky. The songs are well picturized and choreographed although a couple of them do not justify their presence for instance Goli Maaro Gangster and Malai Mangum Neram.Rowthiram has positives going in its favor. If the screen play had been more linear and taut, it would have made a huge impact.