Rani Mukerji has made her comeback to cinemas as ACP Shivani Shivaji Roy through Mardaani 3, which marks her 30th anniversary in the film industry.
The film, which opened on January 30, 2026, achieved a net collection of ₹3.80 crore in India on its first day of release. The performance of the film shows that dedicated supporters of the franchise exist in the audience, while its growth shows no signs of stopping.
The crime drama started with 8.97% occupancy during its morning shows but experienced a significant increase, which reached 31.14% during its night screenings. The film shows an upward trend which depends on urban centers and positive word-of-mouth for its success during the first weekend.
Competitive Dynamics
Current box office results for Mardaani 3 show that “Border 2” has completely taken over the theatrical market. The Sunny Deol film continues to compete strongly against its rivals because it has reached its eighth day of distribution and earned ₹11 crore on that Friday.
The two films display a major difference in their viewing availability because Border 2 showed 1273 times in Delhi NCR, while the new film could only show 526 times.
Rani Mukerji’s thriller showed on 381 screens in Mumbai, while the war epic maintained its presence on 858 screens. The franchise’s third installment can only achieve its highest success through its storytelling and gritty execution because it has been released in limited areas across mass belt territories.
Franchise Legacy
Mardaani 3 has to exceed the financial results of Mardaani 2 because its box office performance needs to match or exceed the second film’s financial achievements.
The original 2014 film concluded its lifetime run at ₹35.65 crore, while Mardaani 2 became a surprise hit with a total of ₹47.35 crore net in India. The sequel stands as Mukerji’s second most successful film, which established elevated expectations that the current movie needs to fulfill.
The third installment of the series, which Yash Raj Films’ Aditya Chopra produced, tells the story of 93 missing girls through its dark, brutal plot while using its main character’s “quiet strength” to achieve box office success during tough competition.
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