- Rani Mukerji returns with Mardaani 3, the third film in her hit franchise
- The film is releasing at a time when Border 2 has been dominating the box office
- The film has sold tickets worth Rs 26.92 lakh and 3,176 shows are allotted
Rani Mukerji is back on the screen with the third installment of her hit franchise, Mardaani. As the first two installments worked at the box office, trade experts have pinned their hopes on the third film as well. Interestingly, Mardaani 3 is coming at a time when Border 2 is smashing box office records. The Border 2 storm was followed by the terrific Dhurandhar wave, which gave the Hindi film industry a much-needed boost from its year-long lull.
In an exclusive chat with NDTV, trade analyst Taran Adarsh said he's looking forward to the film as it's one of his favorite franchises.
"Mardaani is a powerful franchise. The first two installments worked at the box office. Rani Mukerji delivered her finest performances in both the films. This time, the antagonist is a female, so it would be interesting to see the clash. I hope with Mardaani 3, Rani Mukerji will deliver a hat-trick. It will get its audience,"* Adarsh told NDTV.
Asked about the timing of the release of Mardaani 3 amid the Border 2 wave, Adarsh said, "These two films are very different in terms of budget, costing, and casting."
As per trade tracker Sacnilk, the film has already sold tickets worth Rs 26.92 lakh (without block bookings). The film has been allotted 3,176 shows all over India. The final figures from the makers, Yash Raj Films, are still awaited.
About the Mardaani Franchise
The first film from the franchise released in 2014. Made on a modest budget of Rs 21 crore, the film minted Rs 59.55 crore at the box office.
Rani Mukerji came on board as Shivani Shivaji Roy, a tough cop chasing criminals. In the first film, Shivani takes up the job of hunting down Karan Rastogi (Tahir Raj Bhasin), who runs a cartel involving child trafficking and drugs.
In 2019, the second film, Mardaani 2, released. The theme of kidnapping a girl child returned in the sequel as well. In this film, cop Shivani Shivaji Roy's eyes are fixed on the culprit Vishal Jethwa (aka Sunny). This time too, Rani proved her star power as the film emerged as a box office hit.
The film was reportedly made on a budget of Rs 27 crore and made Rs 67.12 crore in return.
For the first time, in Mardaani 3, Rani Mukerji will face a female antagonist.
The real test awaits Rani. In the season of Dhurandhar-Border 2, will Rani prove her mardaani with the third offering from her hit franchise?