September 19, 2025: iPhone queues may be chaos, but in Jolly LLB 3, it’s the courtroom that’s packed with tension. Subhash Kapoor’s third entry into his now-cult legal drama franchise doesn’t chase the spectacle, it digs back into the soil, quite literally. Inspired by real events, the film centres on land acquisition and farmer distress, echoing stories that are still part of today’s headlines.
Kapoor, who returns as writer and director, chooses not to reinvent the wheel. Instead, he spins it harder, relying on a tested format: a courtroom battle between the unlikely Davids and the towering Goliaths of the Indian system. Jolly LLB 3 opens with the suicide of Rajaram, a small farmer from Rajasthan, whose land is snatched to fuel a billionaire’s “Bikaner to Boston” dream project.
What follows is less about surprises and more about how the narrative unfolds within the franchise’s familiar tone, a tightrope between satire and sincerity.
Jolly LLB 3 Review: Two Jollys, One Fight: Familiar Formula, New Fuel
The plot brings both Jollys, Arshad Warsi and Akshay Kumar, face-to-face for the first time, and this dynamic becomes the film’s biggest draw. Both lawyers are outmatched in resources, but not in resolve. Their courtroom banter and opposing styles breathe life into a plot that otherwise sticks close to expected beats.
Akshay Kumar brings sharp timing and playful arrogance to his version of Jolly. Arshad Warsi is no less charming, carrying a worn-down honesty that works well in contrast. Together, they crackle, not in the explosive sense, but like a slow burn you want to keep watching.
Saurabh Shukla returns as the now-iconic judge, holding his courtroom like a seasoned performer commanding a stage. Seema Biswas is heartbreakingly grounded as Janaki, Rajaram’s widow. Gajraj Rao, despite his commanding presence, feels like he’s working with a character that’s more idea than flesh.
Kapoor’s decision to shift the setting from Greater Noida to Rajasthan doesn’t dilute the theme—it adds texture. The local dialects, dusty townscapes, and rural courtrooms feel lived in, even when the script occasionally leans too much into sermonising.
Akshay, Arshad Spar Again in Satirical Legal Drama
The courtroom scenes still carry punch, though they sometimes stray into familiar territory. By the final act, the writing tilts towards moral exposition, as is tradition in the franchise. This time, however, the punchlines don’t always hit as hard, and the pace falters in moments.
The soundtrack is passable, but a mid-movie sentimental track slows down the film when it should be tightening its grip. Female characters once again find themselves underused, Huma Qureshi and Amrita Rao appear, but their arcs are paper-thin.
Still, for all its predictability, Jolly LLB 3 offers enough moments that stay with you. The sharp digs at the system, sly references to real-life figures, and the bond between justice and satire hold firm.
Jolly LLB 3 doesn’t raise the bar set by its predecessors, but it doesn’t lower it either. It maintains the tone, the intent, and the impact, sometimes diluted, sometimes sharp. It’s the kind of courtroom film that prefers to argue its case through known methods rather than disrupt the system entirely.
It’s not a reinvention; it’s a reaffirmation.