Lakshmi Lawrence Kadhal: Producers Move Madras High Court Against CBFC's Refusal To Certify The Tamil Film

Yet another Tamil film has faced a certification issue after Vijay's Jana Nayagan. The producers of Lakshmi Lawrence Kadhal (Love of Lakshmi and Lawrence) have taken legal action after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused to certify the film, citing allegedly disrespectful religious sentiments.

According to The Hindu, the makers have approached the Madras High Court against the refusal of a censor certificate by the CBFC, which claimed that the film contains multiple visuals and dialogues which allegedly showed one religious belief system in a bad light, and the film is not suitable for public screening.

Both the examining and the revising committee said that the movie should not be certified.

A statutory appeal was filed by the production house against the refusal of a censor certificate. Justice K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi has granted time to the board till February 3, 2026, to file its counter-affidavit in response to the appeal. Advocate M. Santhanaraman, who appeared on behalf of the producers, contended the board's refusal to grant a certificate.

The producers stated that the film aims to show that classical art forms like Bharatnatyam are universal and not restricted to any particular religion, and anyone can learn, celebrate and perform the dance form. The advocate argued that this message doesn't justify the ban on the film.

Lakshmi Lawrence Kadhal is directed, written, and produced by Lemurien Youreka, with story by Babu Moses. The film explores the theme: “We are all here to love one another and cherish each other’s talents and gifts.”

The upcoming film stars several debutant actors.