Bollywood actor Rani Mukerji’s much-awaited film, Mardaani 3, has finally hit theatres today, January 30. The film brings back Rani in her action-packed avatar as cop Shivani Shivaji Roy, who takes on another mysterious case involving the disappearance of young girls.
The film has opened to a largely positive response from audiences.
What cine-goers have to say about Mardaani 3
Mardaani 3 arrives at a time when Rani has completed 30 years in the film industry. The film had already been generating significant buzz following the release of its trailer, and fans are now flocking to theatres to watch it. Moviegoers have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share their reviews, with many calling it a ‘paisa-vasool’ cinematic experience.
One X user praised Rani’s performance and wrote, “⭐⭐⭐/5 #Mardaani3 – intense, hard-hitting crime drama. #RaniMukerji is powerful and fearless, carries the film completely Raw action, gripping second half, strong emotional climax. Serious, impactful and PAISA WASOOL.”
Another fan shared a detailed review, writing, “Mardaani 3 stays fiercely loyal to what the franchise stands for – gritty realism, moral urgency, and an unflinching look at crime and justice. This is not a glossy thriller meant for easy thrills; it’s a hard-hitting, emotionally heavy film that wants to disturb you before it entertains you.”
The viewer further praised the director for tackling a deeply relevant social issue without softening its impact and described the second half as gripping and engaging. The tweet added, “#RaniMukerji once again proves why Shivani Shivaji Roy is one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic cop characters. She delivers a commanding, fearless performance, blending steely resolve with emotional depth. Her screen presence alone carries the film, and this easily ranks among her strongest performances in the franchise. The antagonists are another highlight. #MallikaPrasad is genuinely terrifying, continuing the #Mardaani tradition of memorable villains. The supporting cast, including #JankiBodiwala, holds its own and adds emotional texture to the story.”
Another tweet read, “Strong characters, sharp direction, and a gripping plot make Mardaani 3 an unmissable cinematic experience.” Praising Mallika Prasad as the antagonist, one fan wrote, “Mallika Prasad’s Amma is terrifyingly real – one of the most disturbing villains in recent films.”
Commending the film’s storyline, another user said, “Some films entertain, some awaken. Mardaani 3 belongs to the second category – bold, necessary and deeply impactful. This is storytelling with purpose.”
An X user watching the film in Australia offered a mixed review, writing, “The film starts well and remains very engaging for the first 30 minutes. However, from then until the interval, there are several illogical scenes which could have been handled more maturely. The pre-interval twist, however, is great. The interval warning scene is fine but again lacks logic. #RaniMukerji is good and #MallikaPrasad is brilliant as ‘Amma’. The background score and dialogues are okay, though the dialogues feel cheesy at times. Overall, a decent first half.”
However, not everyone appears to be impressed. One cinemagoer wrote, “#Mardaani3 Interval: The tension, fear created by the villains, crisp editing and #RaniMukerji’s swag from the first two parts are largely missing. It is fast-paced but lacks excitement and freshness so far.”
About Mardaani 3
Helmed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 3 is the third instalment in YRF’s Mardaani franchise. The film also stars Mallika Prasad and Janki Bodiwala in key roles, among others. Speaking about the film, Rani said, “Mardaani 3 is dark, deadly and brutal. I’m intrigued to find out how audiences respond to our film, and I hope they shower it with the same amount of love they always have.”