“Rani Mukerji Opens Up: Playing in Mardaani Franchise Emotionally Draining”

Rani Mukerji Calls Mardaani Franchise Emotionally Demanding: “Thinking About the Missing Girls Is Traumatising”

Rani Mukerji has showcased her versatility across genres, but the Mardaani franchise remains a milestone in her career. Playing Shivani Jadhav, a rare female cop in Hindi cinema’s male-dominated police universe, comes with significant physical and emotional demands.

“In a female actor’s life, a lot of hard work is involved,” Rani told Mid-Day. “I’m a married woman and a mother. Every month, year, and decade is different for us because of hormonal changes. On top of that, for a role like Shivani, you have to maintain a certain body language, a presence, and a manner of speaking that shows you are a cop.”

Mardaani 3 posed challenges similar to its predecessors but carried an even heavier emotional weight. Based on the true story of a missing girl in India, Rani admitted the subject matter was difficult to handle. “The trauma the girls face in the film is something we feel indirectly, knowing it’s inspired by real events. To think of the missing girls and what their families go through is traumatising. I had to detach myself so I could perform the role properly. With Mardaani, I aim to shake people up and say, ‘Look, this is happening around us.’”

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 3 continues the franchise’s legacy of socially relevant storytelling. While the first film tackled human trafficking and the second explored the mind of a serial rapist challenging the system, this third installment delves into yet another dark reality, reinforcing the series’ reputation for impactful cinema.

Mardaani 3 is set to release in theatres worldwide on January 30, 2026.