Mardaani 3 Starts Strong: ₹3.8 Crore on Day 1 Matches Mardaani 2

Rani Mukerji returned to the big screen on Friday with Mardaani 3, the third installment of Yash Raj Films’ crime-thriller franchise, and the film delivered a steady opening at the box office. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film collected ₹3.8 crore on Day 1, matching the opening-day performance of Mardaani 2 (2019) and outperforming several recent female-led releases. The film was released on January 31, 2026, across 2,345 screens nationwide.

In Mardaani 3, Rani once again essays the role of senior police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy, taking on a new case that probes deep-rooted issues of systemic sexism and patriarchy. The film follows the success of Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, which earned Rani her first National Award, raising expectations around her return to the franchise. While critical reception has been largely decent rather than exceptional, audience interest showed gradual growth over the course of the day.

Occupancy figures reflected a slow but improving trend. Morning shows opened at 8.97%, which rose to 14.78% during afternoon screenings. Evening shows recorded 17.13%, while night shows saw a notable jump to 31.14%, pushing the overall occupancy to 18.01%. Trade analysts believe the stronger night turnout could help the film maintain momentum over the weekend, particularly in urban centers.

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Region-wise, Delhi-NCR recorded the highest number of shows, with 526 screenings and an occupancy of 18.75%. Mumbai, however, performed better in terms of audience turnout, registering 26.75% occupancy across 381 shows. Despite backing from Yash Raj Films, Mardaani 3 has had a comparatively limited release, largely due to competition from last week’s big-ticket release, Border 2, which continues to dominate screens nationwide.

On its eighth day, Border 2 earned ₹11 crore, significantly higher than Mardaani 3’s opening figure. Still, Rani’s latest film has outperformed Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway (₹1.27 crore), Bunty Aur Babli 2 (₹2.8 crore), and Hichki (₹3.3 crore) on Day 1. It also opened stronger than The Buckingham Murders and Haq, though it trails Article 370 and Jigra. How the film holds over the weekend will be key to its overall box office trajectory.

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