The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition against Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 3, stating there was “nothing objectionable, no hindrance to legal profession”, after reviewing the song Bhai Vakeel Hai and finding no disrespect to advocates.
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition that sought to prohibit the release of “Jolly LLB 3,” starring Akshay Kumar, on the grounds that it allegedly disrespects the legal profession.
The Division Bench, comprising Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Brij Raj Singh, reviewed the three official trailers and teasers of the film and concluded that there was nothing objectionable warranting the Court’s intervention.
The Court stated,
“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 petitioner, Jay Vardhan Shukla, argued that the film portrays the legal profession negatively.
He claimed that the trailers and songs circulating widely on YouTube and social media are prejudicing the public perception of practicing advocates, thereby causing significant harm to the judiciary.
Shukla asserted,
“The derogatory portrayal in Jolly LL.B. series discourages persons from joining the legal profession and creates disillusionment among law students, thereby affecting the future of the justice delivery system.”
In response, Deputy Solicitor General SB Pandey challenged the validity of the petition, pointing out that the petitioner had not approached the appropriate authorities regarding the film.
He noted that individuals aggrieved by online content should first contact the intermediary or publisher under The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The Court found merit in the objections raised by the Union of India and thus dismissed the petition, stating,
“We find from the petition that the petitioners have not yet approached any authority as given under the Rules, 2021. We find the preliminary objection raised by the learned Deputy Solicitor General of India to be of some substance.”
Advocates Rishab Khare and Anadi Chitranshi represented the petitioner, while Senior Advocate SB Pandey and Advocate Varun Pandey represented the Union of India.
The Jolly LLB franchise is one of Bollywood’s most successful courtroom comedy-dramas.
- Jolly LLB (2013): Starring Arshad Warsi, the first part was a sleeper hit, earning nearly Rs 50 crore on a modest Rs 10 crore budget.
- Jolly LLB 2 (2017): Featuring Akshay Kumar, it turned into a superhit with over Rs 200 crore in worldwide collections.
Now, in Jolly LLB 3, the two actors come together for the first time, reprising their respective “Jolly” roles. The film also stars Saurabh Shukla, Huma Qureshi, Amrita Rao, and Annu Kapoor in key roles. Written and directed by Subhash Kapoor and produced by Alok Jain and Ajit Andhare under Star Studio 18, the movie is set to release in theatres on September 19, 2025.
This is not the first time the Jolly LLB series has faced legal scrutiny. In 2017, Jolly LLB 2 also attracted petitions claiming it misrepresented the legal system.
Case Title: Jay Vardhan Shukla And Another v Union of India and 6 Others
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