The highly anticipated third installment of the popular action-thriller franchise, Mardaani 3, has made its theatrical debut with a steady and respectable opening at the Indian box office. According to early estimates reported by the industry tracking website Sacnilk, the film has garnered approximately Rs 3.80 crore net in India on its first day of release, Friday, January 30, 2026.
A Solid Start for a Serious Thriller
While the opening day figure may not be record-breaking, it represents a strong and promising beginning for a film that belongs to a more serious, socially-conscious genre rather than being a typical mass commercial entertainer. The collection indicates that the movie has successfully attracted its target audience and received a good opening response considering its intense theme and narrative style.
Rani Mukerji's Powerful Return as Shivani Shivaji Roy
Leading the charge once again is the formidable Rani Mukerji, who reprises her iconic role as the fearless and principled police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy. This character has become synonymous with the Mardaani series, and fans have eagerly awaited her return to this powerful avatar. Early reactions and reviews are already showering praise on her performance, with many noting that she brings the same intensity and conviction that made the previous films so compelling.
The ETimes review particularly highlights her contribution, stating: "Rani Mukerji proves why she is so revered as Shivani Shivaji Roy. Her performance as the no-nonsense cop with unflinching integrity is as finessed as the first two volumes. Right from the opening sequence, the actor pulls off the stunts with elan."
Supporting Cast and Direction Strengthen the Narrative
Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the film features a capable supporting cast that helps drive the story forward. Janki Bodiwala and Mallika Prasad play significant roles, with Prasad portraying the character of Amma. The ETimes review notes about her performance: "Mallika Prasad as Amma does a fine job, but the characterisation has little novelty."
Another noteworthy performance comes from Prajesh Kashyap, who plays a former victim of the beggar mafia now fighting back against human traffickers. The review adds: "Prajesh Kashyap, as a former victim of the beggar mafia who is on a war against Amma and other human traffickers, has a strong role."
Positive Occupancy Trends Throughout Opening Day
One of the most encouraging signs for Mardaani 3 is the steady growth in audience occupancy observed throughout its opening day. The film recorded an overall occupancy rate of 18.01% in the Hindi market on Friday. What's particularly interesting is how these numbers improved as the day progressed:
- Morning shows: 8.97% occupancy
- Afternoon shows: 14.78% occupancy
- Evening shows: 17.13% occupancy
- Night shows: 31.14% occupancy
This progressive increase suggests positive word-of-mouth and growing audience interest as the day went on, which bodes well for the film's performance over the weekend.
A Franchise That Continues to Deliver
The ETimes review concludes by praising the consistent quality of the Mardaani franchise, emphasizing how it maintains its strength and relevance with this third installment. The combination of Rani Mukerji's commanding presence, a socially relevant storyline, and competent direction appears to have created another solid entry in this successful series.
As with all box office reports, these figures are based on early estimates and industry tracking, and may be subject to revision as official data becomes available. However, the initial numbers and trends suggest that Mardaani 3 has made a respectable start to its theatrical run, setting the stage for what could be a successful box office journey ahead.
