Movie: Mardaani 3
Genre: Crime Thriller
Cast: Rani Mukerji, Mallika Prasad, Janki Bodiwala, Prajesh Kashyap and Others
Director: Abhiraj Minawala
Story: Aayush Gupta,
Writer: Aayush Gupta, Deepak Kingrani, Mallika Prasad
Produced By: Aditya Chopra
Music: John Stewart Eduri
Cinematography: Artur Żurawski
Editing: Yasha Ramchandani
Runtime: 137 Minutes (2hrs 17mins)
Story
After successfully busting a major human trafficking and drug smuggling racket, Shivani Shivaji Roy (Rani Mukerji) is inducted into the NIA and assigned a high-profile case involving the mysterious disappearance of an ambassador’s daughter. Alongside her, the caretaker’s daughter also goes missing under similar circumstances.
As Shivani begins her investigation, she uncovers a disturbing pattern - several young girls from economically weaker backgrounds have vanished in the same manner. Digging deeper, she comes across a shadowy figure named Amma (Mallika Prasad), who appears to be at the centre of these abductions.
Who is Amma, and what drives her actions? Can Shivani unravel the truth behind the disappearances and bring the perpetrators to justice? The film follows Shivani’s relentless pursuit of truth as she takes on a chilling and deeply disturbing crime network.
Artiste Performances
Rani Mukerji returns as Shivani Shivaji Roy with the same fire and intensity that defined the earlier films. She commands the screen with authority and conviction, excelling in action sequences, emotionally charged moments, and powerful dialogue delivery. Her performance anchors the film and remains its strongest pillar.
Mallika Prasad delivers a chilling and menacing performance. Her screen presence, restrained expressions, and body language add to the film’s tension, making her a strong antagonist. She brings the required unease and seriousness to the narrative.
Prajesh Kashyap is effective in his role and contributes to the film’s dark tone. Janki Bodiwala delivers a sincere performance. The rest of the cast perform adequately within their respective roles.
Technical Departments
The editing is neat, and with a runtime close to two hours, the film maintains a largely tight and crisp narrative. A few minor trims could have made the pacing even sharper in certain stretches.
The background score works strongly in the film’s favour. John Stewart Eduri exercises good restraint, allowing silence to heighten tension in intense scenes and stepping in with impactful music only when needed. This balance enhances both the suspense and emotional beats.
The cinematography is effective and suits the gritty tone of the film. The production values are solid and support the scale and seriousness of the subject.
Director Abhiraj Minawala builds the film around a compelling central plot and narrates it with clarity. While the film doesn’t maintain edge-of-the-seat tension throughout and follows a familiar good-versus-evil structure, he manages to deliver enough tense and impactful moments to keep the narrative engaging. Though the pacing dips slightly in places, the film holds together as a solid action-thriller.
What Worked
Core plot and theme
Strong performances by Rani Mukerji and Mallika Prasad
Shivani–Amma confrontation sequences
Interval warning block
Pre-climax Colombo episode
Climax action sequence
Effective background score
Effective background score
What Could've Worked Better
Slightly flat narration in the initial portions
Predictability at a few points
Analysis
From the trailer itself, it is clear that Mardaani 3 focuses on a direct good-versus-evil confrontation, with the case of missing girls forming the emotional and narrative core. The film delivers largely on that promise.
The movie opens straight into the conflict without any detours. Shivani Shivaji Roy is introduced through a well-choreographed action sequence, immediately establishing her authority and urgency as she dives into the investigation. The initial portions are racy and well-executed, keeping the audience engaged.
The investigation surrounding the ambassador’s daughter’s disappearance is effectively written and offers a few edge-of-the-seat moments. The antagonist’s setup is also handled well, creating an atmosphere of fear and tension. However, despite the engaging narrative, a few scenes in the first half fall slightly short of the seriousness they aim for, reducing their impact.
The pre-interval confrontation is a standout moment. It emotionally shakes Shivani’s character and leads into a strongly written interval block. The twist revealed here lands well, followed by a warning sequence that works as a solid mass moment, setting the stage for a full-fledged face-off between Shivani and Amma.
The second half begins on a promising note but loses momentum in the middle portions. The narrative holds back the antagonist’s motivations until the pre-climax, relying heavily on backstories that feel underwhelming. Had the intent behind the kidnappings been revealed earlier, it could have added stronger emotional weight and heightened the impact of the rescue mission.
The pre-climax Colombo stretch is gripping and re-energises the film. The climax action sequence is powerful, whistle-worthy, and elevated by Rani Mukerji’s commanding performance and impactful dialogues, bringing the narrative to a strong close.
Director Abhiraj Minawala stays true to the franchise’s core - focusing on social relevance, confrontation, and the strength of Shivani Shivaji Roy. While the film leans more towards confrontation than investigation this time, it succeeds in delivering a solid action thriller.
My Final Thoughts
Mardaani 3 follows the familiar path of the franchise, placing Shivani Shivaji Roy at the centre of a disturbing crime where women are the primary victims. Like its predecessors, the film tackles an important and relevant issue, this time revolving around the disappearance of girls from economically weaker backgrounds.
While a few scenes fail to achieve the intended gravity and the narrative dips in places, the film remains engaging due to its intense confrontations, powerful face-offs, and Rani Mukerji’s commanding screen presence. On the whole, Mardaani 3 stands as a worthy and impactful addition to the Mardaani franchise.
Bottom-line: Mardaani 3 - Another Solid Chapter in The Mardaani Saga
P.S. This is purely my personal take on the film.
I do not rate movies because I believe every film is made with effort, belief, and hard work by many people across departments. My intention is never to influence anyone’s experience before watching a film, but only to share what I felt as a movie lover. 😊
Review by a Movie Lover