Gujarat Court Halts Release of 'Jolly LLB 3' Over Judiciary Portrayal

On September 11, 2025, the Gujarat High Court was approached with a petition seeking a stay on the release of the upcoming Akshay Kumar-starrer film 'Jolly LLB 3'. The petitioner, Yatin Desai, a resident of Ahmedabad, has raised concerns over certain dialogues depicted in the movie's teaser, which he claims lower the dignity of the judiciary.

The petition cites an order by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, which had previously formed a committee to review the earlier sequel 'Jolly LLB 2' following similar litigation over the projection of the judiciary in a comic manner. In that case, four parts were removed from the film after the scrutiny.

In the current case, the petitioner has prayed for the formation of a similar committee of judges, retired judges, lawyers, and experts to review 'Jolly LLB 3' and remove any parts that depict the judiciary in a poor light. The petitioner has also sought the cancellation of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate issued for the movie's teaser and the film.

The petition argues that while artistic freedom is protected, it is not absolute, and the dignity of the court should take precedence over the film's investment. It contends that the teaser scandalizes courts and trivializes the justice delivery system, which could normalize disrespect towards the judiciary, especially among the youth.

The petition has named Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, and the film's director Saurabh Kapoor as respondents, in addition to the relevant authorities. The matter is likely to be heard by a single judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on Thursday.