Jolly LLB 3 is back and this time Subhash Kapoor has added a sharp focus on social injustice to the courtroom antics of the previous two. Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi are the warring lawyers and they are joined by Saurabh Shukla, Gajraj Rao and Seema Biswas. The film is about the plight of marginal farmers in India. It’s a “good courtroom drama” that combines humor with a message but sometimes gets weighed down by its own preachiness.
At the heart of it all is Rajaram, a struggling farmer and poet from the desert village of Parsaul in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Cheated by the system that favors corporate interests, his death sets his widow Janaki (played with quiet strength by Seema Biswas) on a mission for justice. With the help of an NGO, she approaches two unlikely lawyers: the original Jolly (Arshad Warsi) and his ambitious protégé (Akshay Kumar). What follows is a high-stakes game of legal chess against real estate baron Khetan (Gajraj Rao, oozing charm) and the nexus between politicians and corporates. Based on the 2011 farmer agitations in Greater Noida’s Bhatta Parsaul, the film doesn’t reveal too much but builds up the tension through clever legal moves and courtroom confrontations.
Akshay and Arshad bring their brand of style to the roles and the film has commercial appeal and comedy. Akshay reins in his action hero and serves the script, but does sneak in a few fan pleasing set pieces. Arshad’s wit is sharp, but the early banter between the two Jollys feels drawn out and repetitive and sometimes gets annoying. Saurabh Shukla is the one who truly elevates the film as the no nonsense Judge Tripathi. He adds new layers to the character with subtle gestures and booming authority that keeps the franchise alive. Huma, Amrita and Ram are good in their parts while Amrita’s corporate villain is the film’s critique of unchecked capitalism.
Subhash Kapoor’s direction keeps the franchise’s frothy satire in balance with a serious examination of the system. The script keeps the spirit of the law above its letter and uses the court as a microcosm of the larger societal issues. But as the case heats up, the dialogue becomes sermon like and one sided in its support for the land owners and sidelines the problems of the landless labourers. Kapoor sticks to the formula of the series – the predictable beats – and leaves little room for bold structural risks. Maybe that’s because he knows the audience is familiar with the franchise. But that’s also what allows the film to punch above its weight and turn a light hearted legal comedy into a commentary of great urgency.
Technically, JLLB 3 is as slick as you’d expect from a big film, but cinematography and music take a backseat to the story. The Rajasthan landscapes are parched and real, the editing is fast during the legal bits.
The film’s biggest strength is its unflinching look at farmers’ distress – the suicides, land grabs and unequal wealth distribution that plague rural India. By weaving in real life references like the 2011 protests, it’s a timely slap on the corporate-politician alliance and the biased think tanks. With Shukla and Rao’s performances and all that, it’s engaging and thought provoking. On the flip side the Jolly rivalry and preachy dialogues slow down the pace and the focus on farmer-owners simplifies a complex issue.
JLLB 3 works as a franchise film that evolves without losing its core. It’s a mix of laughs, legal thrill and social conscience. It’s a reminder that courtroom dramas can do more than just entertain, they can demand accountability. For the franchise fans or anyone who loves underdog vs system stories, this one delivers with heart and bite, even if it doesn’t break new ground.