New Delhi: The release of Jolly LLB 3 has been given a major boost after the Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition demanding action against its latest track and seeking to halt the film’s release. The plea alleged that the movie defamed the judiciary and mocked the legal profession, but the bench found no basis for intervention.
A Division Bench of Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Brij Raj Singh delivered the order on Wednesday. While addressing the concerns raised over the song Bhai Vakeel Hai, the court stated, “We did not find any objectionable matter to warrant interference by this Court. We have also gone through the lyrics of the song ‘Bhai Vakeel Hai’ and we do not find anything which may interfere in the practice of the legal profession by genuine Advocates.” The judges clarified that neither the song nor the trailer contained elements that could be deemed disrespectful.
However, legal hurdles continue to surround the film. On August 20, a Pune court issued notices to actors Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi after lawyer Wajid Khan Bidkar filed a complaint. He alleged that Jolly LLB 3 ridicules the judicial system and objected to a particular scene where judges are referred to as “mamu,” a slang word he described as derogatory. Both actors have been asked to appear before the court on 28 September.
The controversy is not new for the franchise. Earlier in May 2024, Chandrabhan, President of the Ajmer District Bar Association, also raised objections. He claimed the film disrespects the judiciary by portraying lawyers and judges in an “inappropriate” and “indecent” manner. “This decision has been taken considering the first and second parts of Jolly LLB. It seems that the filmmakers, directors and actors do not respect the dignity and prestige of the judiciary of the country’s Constitution at all,” he said, urging the court to stop its shoot in Ajmer.
Despite repeated challenges, the franchise remains one of Bollywood’s most talked-about courtroom dramas. The first film, released in 2013, starred Arshad Warsi and Saurabh Shukla, while its 2017 sequel brought Akshay Kumar into the fold alongside Huma Qureshi.
Produced by Star Studios and directed by Subhash Kapoor, Jolly LLB 3 will reunite Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, and Saurabh Shukla, with Huma Qureshi, Amrita Rao, and Gajraj Rao joining the ensemble cast.