Jolly Time Out, 3 Is A Shroud

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao and Huma Qureshi

Director: Subhash Kapoor

The purpose of filmmaker D. Subash Kapoor is clearly blurred. With his third outing on 'Jolly LLB', he is in familiar territory and with the undersold franchise. His earlier protagonist lawyers Jagdish Tyagi (Arshad Warsi) from Meerut and Jagdish Mishra (Akshay Kumar) from Lucknow, carried the town lawyer syndrome into their from-the-heart-pleas even as they unwittingly got sucked into the legal system, which at least in this space has more potholes than roads.

While the earlier two outgoings were scripted to suit the proper small-town lawyer, known as 'Jolly LLB', Arshad Warsi first and Akshay Kumar later, the two small town lawyers now clash. Therefore, in a way, the culmination of the hitherto rural lawyers' journey is the clash of the two in a Delhi court. The lawyers are yet again before the judge Sundarlal Tripathi (Saurab Shukla).

The most significant departure in that franchise is that hitherto was a tongue-in-cheek look at the system with hilarity writ larger than the writ to be issued by the court. This time the light-hearted banter or even the potshots are few and far between. This too could have been a momentous departure in the style and genre albeit within the franchise. Unfortunately, that does not happen. Mishra is still the struggling lawyer living with his liquor-loving wife, Pushpa Pandey (Huma Qureshi). This time, he is sponging off the clientele that come in search of Tyagi. The two are thus in constant conflict; both desperate, both unsuccessful, yet ambitious.

Tyagi has moved on to becoming a dad and his wife Sandhya (Amrita Rao), who is working with an NGO. In walks into the scenario Janaki Rajaram (Seema Biswas) who takes up cudgels against successful business magnet Hari Babu
Khaitan (Gajaraj Rao who is busy displacing farmers for his business plans, including the latest "Bikaner to Boston". Things do not go according to his plans when the local farmer refuses to part with his parcel of land and later dies by suicide without mentioning the obvious. The film is inspired by the farmers' revolt against land acquisition in Greater Noida probably advanced by his legal team (also Jolly!).

The story moves to Rajasthan. Janaki is a fighter and a tough one at it. She is no walkover the Kaithan team decides. At court, the clash between the two Jollys is on expected lines. Mishra appears for the businessman and even
succeeds against Tyagi who appears for Janaki.

Janaki has more reasons than just the land parcel. She spells out how she lost her husband and her widowed daughter-in-law Sarah Hashmi (Varsha Solanki) to a stage-managed scandal. The matter is remanded for hearing afresh before judge Tripathi. The scene is set for playing out the narrative to the climax. The clash between the poor farmer and the evil businessman hand in glove with the concept politician and the obliging police. We return to the court scene drama. This is not from the B.R. Chopra's story department, much less it is Govind Nihalani.

It is an unpretentious 'Jolly LLB'. Notwithstanding that both Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi are known for their comic timing, this time round more of the quips fall flat. Not because they don't try, but despite it, blame it on the confused writing of Subash Kapoor. They both are at work far from their respective best. Yet, adequate. More footage and punch help Saurabh Desh Pandey. He is so bursting in talent that he can salvage any losing battle. Giving him the run for the money is Seema Biswas as Janaki, the full crown of the conflict.

This is a don't-take-me-seriously courtroom drama. Do not think too much, surely do not logically. Stay up for two-and-a-half hours. Understand that the filmmaker is asking you to think of the farmer before, during, or after your meal. Yet don't bother to take anything, including farmer protests seriously.

'Jolly LLB 3' as an idea is far more interesting than the expectation. A self-confessed flippant courtroom drama, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.