lawyer

The story is a slice of David and Goliath fitted smartly in a legal drama. Young lawyer Jagdish Tyagi aka Jolly is frustrated with his legal career going nowhere. He leaves Meerut and moves to Delhi in search of thriving opportunities. Easy popularity comes knocking on his door when he tries to en-cash some residual fame off a Land Cruiser hit-and-run case fashioned on the similar BMW case of Sanjeev Nanda, by filing a PIL.

Pitted against the very best lawyer Rajpal, who shrewdly scores over Jolly by virtue of his obvious position, stature he has attained in his profession and experience, this fight isn’t an easy one.

Jolly suddenly finds himself down from every side with manipulations and threats coming his way. Truth demands strength! So can Jolly uncover the intricacies of the case, and fight the likes of such powerful men? What unfolds is a fascinating legal drama, harsh face offs and a strong ending.

Arshad Waris and Boman Irani (Jolly LLB Movie Stills)

The script isn’t a very elaborate one, but surely leaves room for a brilliant screenplay to flow. Picking up largely from reality, the story brings forward the loopholes of the entire justice system of India, which at its core is flawed. Every character is created in a non preachy way, but intends to point out their hapless victimization at the hands of law. Characters like Kaul Sa’ab, the canteen owner who couldn’t get justice for his daughter, raped and murdered or the scene where the judge talks about the number of pending cases in court; one is forced to realize that speedy justice is a myth in this country.

However, the evident humor of the story lingers on. I particularly like the scene where a police constable auctions postings. The story anchors on reality and it won’t be wrong to say reality in India is in a very sorry state. Despite a very slim plot, a loaded screenplay does the magic for this film.

It is a sheer delight to watch Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi antagonistically pitted against each other. They simply carry forward the film, most effortlessly. Arshad exhibits many shades of humor, nervousness as well as confidence and frustration immensely well

Boman Irani will somehow manage to strike you more. He is classily manipulative, shows arrogance in the most stellar way and even when his character is most shaky given the circumstances, this man brings alive on screen most flawlessly the psyche of a towering legal giant.

The judge who-knows-it-all, Saurabh Shukla plays his part naturally, with so much ease. It is the perfect choice of actors, which makes this film strong!

Amrita Rao could have been avoided in the film altogether. Though she is immensely pleasant, she and her role have nothing to contribute in the film.

Subhash Kapoor is an ace director. Keeping the narrative simple, he maintains the film’s rhythm grounded in the satirical humor of the story. His critiquing is honest and strongly borrows from a general pathos towards our judiciary and portrays it garbed in humor. Jolly LLB though a light hearted film will evoke concern for the state of affairs in our country, corruption et al.

The screenplay is fabulously done. Everyone in the film has well etched out parts. It harnesses well Boman and Arshad’s on screen chemistry. Kapoor lets the screenplay flow well, without adding any airs; the film turns out quite well on that.

However, I sincerely wish, the makers had omitted the almost weird music bit of the film. Seriously, what was that!

Jolly LLB is a witty satire on the corruptible legal space of India. Craftily made, the film makes for a good humorous, thought evoking watch!