The Karnataka High Court Thursday dismissed a petition challenging the release of the film, Jolly LLB 3, and imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner for taking up the court’s time. The matter was heard by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi. The courtroom comedy film starring actors Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi released on Friday.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bengaluru resident Syeda Neelufur had sought action on account of the film’s alleged objectionable content against the legal profession and judiciary. It sought a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to re-examine the film and remove the objectionable parts.
It also called for the release of the film on Friday to be stopped until the said parts were removed, while also requesting legal action against actors Arshad Warsi and Akshay Kumar, director Subash Kapoor, and the producer Fox Star Studios. The petition also called for them to be directed to publish an apology in national newspapers.
The court orally observed that this was a humorous film which might not appeal to the sense of humour of the court and others, but this was not a reason to censor it. The bench ordered, “We find that such PILs unjustifiably consume judicial time… We accordingly dismiss the petition with a cost of Rs 50,000 to be deposited with the registry of the court.” The court also directed that if the sum was not deposited, the matter would be taken up on October 4 to take coercive steps.
Previously, in 2017, the Bombay High Court had directed four cuts to be made to a scene in Jolly LLB 2 after advocate Ajay Kumar Waghmare had filed a petition stating that the film mocked the legal profession.