Jolly LLB 3 Review: A Courtroom Drama That Loses Its Way
Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 3 attempts to bring together the best elements of its successful predecessors: sharp satire, socially relevant themes, and the familiar clash of two flawed but endearing lawyers. This time, the subject is weightier than ever — the farmers’ protest and the contentious Land Acquisition Act. On paper, it should have been the most powerful chapter in the franchise. In execution, however, the film struggles to balance its ambition with effective storytelling.
For a film built around the idea of a legal face-off, Jolly LLB 3 spends surprisingly little time in the courtroom. The screenplay devotes a considerable stretch to building up the rivalry between Akshay Kumar’s Jagdishwar Mishra and Arshad Warsi’s Jagdish Tyagi, but this initial sparring feels prolonged and repetitive, delaying the film’s arrival at its central conflict. When the narrative finally shifts toward the farmers’ struggle, the momentum has already been blunted. The courtroom sequences that defined the earlier films — sharp, witty, and impactful — are fewer and less hard-hitting this time.
Where the film does hold steady is in its performances. Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi bring their distinct styles to their respective Jollys, with both actors finding moments to shine. Yet once again, it is Saurabh Shukla as Judge Tripathi who emerges as the true anchor of the series. His wit, timing, and sheer presence elevate even the weaker stretches of the film. Among the supporting cast, Gajraj Rao delivers a convincing turn as the industrialist antagonist, and Ram Kapoor portrays the smooth-talking corporate lawyer with confidence. However, his performance inevitably invites comparisons with Boman Irani and Anu Kapoor from earlier installments — benchmarks he doesn’t quite match.
Visually and technically, the film is competently made, with the expected blend of satire and melodrama. The problem lies in its uneven rhythm: the story wants to highlight the plight of farmers and question systemic injustice, but the screenplay never digs deep enough. The serious themes end up competing with comic interludes, resulting in a tonal imbalance.
Jolly LLB 3 is not without merit — it entertains in parts and benefits from a seasoned cast that knows the terrain well. But as a continuation of a franchise that once delivered biting commentary wrapped in humor, it falls short of expectations. It is an engaging one-time watch, but hardly the definitive courtroom drama it aspired to be.
Rating: 3/5
