Lawyers in Meerut demand stay on the release of Jolly LLB

07 March, 2013

Lawyers in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district have filed a petition against Arshad Warsi starer film Jolly LLB in Delhi High Court saying that the film is defaming their community. The film which is slated to hit the cine screens on 15 March is a 'laugh-riot' in which Boman Irani plays the role of a highly successful lawyer.

Based on the reviews of the trailer of the film in which a judge is shown as pulling up struggling advocate Arshad Warsi for writing ‘prosecution as prostitution’ and ‘appeal as apple’, the Meerut lawyers have said that the film is "defamatory to lawyers" and amounts to "contempt of court".

They have demanded stay on the release of the film, but the high court bench has declined to stay the release while saying that mere on the basis the trailers action can't be taken. However, the final orders have been reserved by the court.

The lawyers who claimed to be the graduates of Meerut Law College that is affiliated to Chaudhary Charan Singh University, have also said in their plea that the film shows that lawyers use abusive language in court proceedings, thereby putting the dignity of the court in low esteem of society, reported The Indian Express. According to the petitioners, the movie defames all lawyers who are graduates of the university.

The lawyers have also demanded cancellation of the certification granted for the release of the film, alleging that it violates "guidelines issued by Information and Broadcasting Ministry under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act."

In response to the petition that demands stay on the film, the production house which has made the film said that the scenes in the movie are the creative expression of the filmmaker. The production house reportedly also said that these are mere blackmailing tactics by the lawyers as they have approached the court only few days before the release, whereas the trailers went on air two months ago.