Mardaani 3, the third instalment in the popular crime-thriller franchise starring Rani Mukerji as fierce cop Shivani Shivaji Roy, has registered a mixed box-office performance in its opening week. Released on January 30, the film saw a promising start at cinemas but has faced challenges maintaining momentum during the weekdays.
The film opened with an estimated ₹4 crore net on its first day, marking the biggest opening in the Mardaani series and one of Mukerji’s strongest career openings in recent years. This surpassed the Day 1 collections of Mardaani (2014) and Mardaani 2 (2019).
Over the opening weekend, Mardaani 3 grew steadily, collecting approximately ₹17.25–17.50 crore net in India and around ₹27–28 crore worldwide by Sunday, showing an 81 % jump from Friday to Sunday — a trend typical of strong word-of-mouth for franchise films.
However, the film’s first Monday box office saw a sharp drop, earning about ₹2.15 crore, a decline of more than 70 % compared with weekend averages. This slowdown has tempered optimism, with total four-day collections still under approximately ₹20 crore in India. Analysts attribute the weak Monday performance partly to stiff competition from Border 2, which continues to attract strong footfalls.
Critics and audiences have offered mixed reactions to the movie. While Rani Mukerji’s performance has drawn praise, some feel the narrative lacks the novelty and urgency of earlier entries, impacting sustained audience traction beyond the weekend peak.
Mardaani 3 is the third film in a franchise known for combining social themes with high-octane thrills. The original Mardaani was widely appreciated for its grounded crime-drama approach, and Mardaani 2 achieved respectable box office success.
As the week progresses, industry watchers will closely monitor weekday trends and regional performance to see if Mardaani 3 can sustain its run or pivot into a stronger total haul.
