Movie Review: 'Jolly LLB'

I don’t know if this movie joins the league of the successful movies wherein the second half of the title describe the first half, covered by the protagonist, like Chachi 420, Munnabhai MBBS, and Vicky Donor - the ones my brain could promptly produce. But for now, let me put my analytical brain aside and get down to what movie has to offer.

There is a hit-and-run car accident by a rich drunken dude whose family puts a fat sum of money before highly reputed, very seasoned, and a bigheaded lawyer named Rajpal (Boman Irani) to save him. A gutsy guy from Meerut, Jagdish Tyagi (Arshad Warsi), who is known as Jolly, decides to re-open the buried case to seek some publicity that this much-hyped case has created.  His character validates his nickname. When he tries to take on Rajpal, the titan makes him aware of his miniature level. After getting taunted by his fiancée, Sandhya (Amrita Rao) that he has turned into a broker from a lawyer, getting slapped by the person he respects, and being denied for peeing on a footpath, Jolly turns into an empathetic soul. He changes from fame-minded, money-oriented, budding lawyer who falters in English to the level of not knowing how to even spell ‘Affidavit’ to a lawyer who dares to fight for bringing justice to the weak. Arshad pulls off Jolly’s character with a visible conviction. Boman is as usual great in his arrogant-avatar. Amrita Rao is a forgettable filler. But the hero, for me is Saurabh Shukla, the judge who is so freaking funny and so ruthlessly real that you can’t but laugh your head off, especially for his dialogue delivery and immaculate comic timing.

The movie seems to know its limitations and so, the best thing about the movie is its timing, i.e. less than two hours. Thank God that there are no patches of unnecessary action, adventure, emotional drag, preaching, and most importantly, sex. But yes, there are two goddamned songs that stick out as sore, dirty thumbs. The director Subhash Kapoor has very nicely unveiled the unseen layers of Indian court rooms. Jolly LLB has nothing to offer except some really amazing laughs. The angle of the comedy is new and the dialogues look very fresh. It’s neither a movie that you mustn’t miss nor it’s a movie that makes you feel used. It’s a typical Bollywood movie that ensures you a punishment if you dare to watch it with your brains turned on. Decide for yourself while I give it a deserving 3 on 5.