Arshad Warsi to return as original Jolly in ‘Jolly LLB 4’ after Akshay Kumar headlined second and third instalments with Umesh Shukla to direct prequel that will wrap filming by January 2027 – Report | Hindi Movie News
Arshad Warsi is set to return as lawyer Jagdish Tyagi, popularly known as Jolly, in the fourth instalment of the ‘Jolly LLB’ franchise. According to a recent report, the upcoming film will be a prequel directed by Umesh Shukla, with filming expected to wrap by January 2027. The makers are yet to finalise the title. The development marks Warsi’s return to the lead role after Akshay Kumar headlined the second and third films, bringing the franchise back to the character who started it all.
‘Jolly LLB 4 ’ to be a prequel starring Arshad Warsi
The Jolly LLB franchise is preparing to return with a fourth film, with Arshad Warsi leading the project under the direction of Umesh Shukla. Variety India has reported that the film is in production and is expected to complete its shoot by January 2027. The title is yet to be finalised, while the project is currently in the final stages of pre-production.A source quoted in the report clarified that the upcoming film will revisit the franchise’s past rather than continue the story after the third instalment. “The project is currently in the last leg of pre-production. And it’s not taking the film forward. It’s a prequel,” the source said.The first three films were written and directed by Subhash Kapoor. Shukla, who has directed films such as OMG: Oh My God! and 102 Not Out, will now take charge of the fourth instalment. Details about the plot, the setting and the supporting cast have not yet been officially announced.
Arshad Warsi returns as the original Jolly after Akshay Kumar’s two instalments
Warsi first played Jagdish Tyagi, the small-town lawyer known as Jolly, in Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB in 2013. The film built its appeal around a lawyer navigating the legal system, combining courtroom drama with humour and social commentary.Akshay Kumar subsequently took over the lead role in ‘Jolly LLB 2’ and returned for ‘Jolly LLB 3’ as Jagdishwar Mishra, another lawyer known as Jolly. The third film brought the two characters together for a courtroom face-off, giving the franchise an opportunity to pit its original protagonist against its newer central figure.With the fourth film reportedly planned as a prequel, Warsi will once again lead the franchise. The timeline also creates the possibility of revisiting the character’s earlier days, although the makers have yet to disclose how the story will unfold.
Will familiar faces from the first ‘Jolly LLB’ return?
The franchise has built a recognisable supporting ensemble around its courtroom stories. Saurabh Shukla’s judge, whose interventions have provided both comic relief and a moral counterpoint to the lawyers’ arguments, has been a recurring presence. His return to the fourth film has not been officially confirmed in the information available so far.The original ‘Jolly LLB’ also featured Amrita Rao, Boman Irani, Mohan Kapoor and Sanjay Mishra. Whether any of them will reprise their roles in the prequel remains to be seen. The makers are yet to announce the complete cast or reveal whether the new film will retain the earlier instalments’ familiar courtroom setting.
What does Umesh Shukla bring to the ‘Jolly LLB’ franchise?
Shukla has previously directed ‘OMG: Oh My God!’, a social satire built around questions of faith and accountability, and ‘102 Not Out’, a character-driven comedy starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor. His filmography spans humour and stories that use familiar social situations to explore broader themes.
‘Jolly LLB 3’ box office performance
The third instalment, directed by Subhash Kapoor and starring Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi, brought the franchise’s two lawyers together for a courtroom confrontation. According to Sacnilk’s box-office tracking, Jolly LLB 3 collected approximately Rs. 117.50 crore net in India, with India gross earnings of Rs. 140.14 crore and overseas collections of Rs. 31.50 crore. Its worldwide gross stood at around Rs. 171.64 crore.
