Vetri-starrer 'Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhakku' cleared for release with U/A certificate
Chennai, July 3
The Central Board of Film Certification has cleared director Dayal Padmanabhan's eagerly awaited period crime drama 'Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhakku', featuring actor Vetri in the lead, for release with a U/A certificate.
Taking to its X timeline to share the news, production house 2M Cinemas, which is producing the film, wrote, "We are delighted to announce that #LakshmiKanthanKolaiVazhakku has been certified 'U/A'. A period crime thriller, now ready to reach audiences of all ages. See you in theatres from July 10, 2026. Directed by @dayalpadmanaban. Produced by @2mcinemas. & D Pictures. A @DarbukaSiva Musical."
For the unaware, director Dayal Padmanabhan had clarified earlier that the story of his film will not have anything to do with the well known Lakshmikanthan murder case in which popular film stars of that era were the suspects in the murder of a journalist called Lakshmikanthan. The director had clarified that his film was based on real life incidents that took place in 1972.
The director disclosed that the story of his film revolved around developments that had happened in the life of a prisoner on death row. "The couple of hours that he spends, revisiting his past, before going to the gallows is what the film's story is all about," Dayal Padmanabhan had said.
The director, who completed shooting his film well ahead of the allotted time for the film, had said that the entire team had been incredibly supportive throughout this journey and that he felt truly blessed to have worked with them.
'Jiivi' fame Vetri plays Arivumathi in the film, while Rangaraj Pandey plays Sivanandham. Brigida will be seen as Mallika, while Saravanan will be seen as Sargunam. Maaran plays Murthi in the film, alongside a roster of notable performers. Elevating these visuals to sublime heights is a masterful musical score by Darbuka Siva.
It may be recalled that the film's first look was launched by acclaimed filmmaker Vetrimaran, who had appreciated the team's conviction and sincerity after watching select visuals.
Directed by Dayal Padmanabhan, Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhkku is produced by K.V. Sabareesh under the banner 2M Cinemas, with Dayal Padmanabhan also serving as co-producer under D Pictures.
On the technical front, screenplay and dialogues for the film have been penned by Kavitha Bharathi and Dayal Padmanabhan. Cinematography for the film is by M V Paneerselvam. Editing is by V Boopathi while music and background score are by Darbuka Siva.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some good content from Tamil cinema! Not another mass masala film. This sounds like a serious, character-driven story. Vetrimaran appreciating the first look is a huge endorsement. Hope the screenplay lives up to the hype.
The director's clarification is important - too many people would have assumed it's about the 1944 Lakshmikanthan murder case involving MGR and Sivaji Ganesan. 1972 setting is interesting though. Darbuka Siva's music will definitely elevate the period feel. July 10 can't come soon enough! 🎬
Happy to see Vetri getting such a strong platform after 'Jiivi'. The cast looks solid - Rangaraj Pandey, Brigida, Saravanan - good mix of experienced and newer actors. But I hope they don't romanticize the death row prisoner's story. These real-life based films need to handle the subject with sensitivity.
The technical team is impressive - M V Paneerselvam on cinematography and Darbuka Siva on music. That's a solid combination for a period film. The fact that they finished shooting ahead of schedule shows good planning. Hope the theatrical release does justice to their hard work! 👏
A period crime thriller set in 1972 Tamil Nadu - this could be a refreshing change from the usual commercial formula. But I'm cautiously optimistic. The death row prisoner angle could be either deeply moving or melodramatic. Fingers crossed the writers have done justice to the
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.