Mardaani 3 review: Rani Mukerji is a flawless 'goddess' of justice in a story that is as relevant as it is heartbreakingly predictable

Mardaani 3 story:

Mardaani 3 sees Rani Mukerji's return as DCP Shivani Shivaji Roy, who finds herself in a nail-biter when a high-ranking official's daughter and his driver's daughter are kidnapped. As her investigation takes her from the serene Sunderbans to the seedy underbelly of Delhi, Shivani discovers a huge, evil conspiracy involving the "beggar mafia" and experiments on human subjects. To save 93 children who have gone missing, Shivani must overcome a corrupt system and her moral quandaries while battling a new matriarchal villain called Amma, played by Mallika Prasad. This film highlights the changing societal and digital dangers to women's safety in contemporary India through a combination of brutal investigative procedure and explosive action. 

Mardaani 3 review:

Men experiment on, use, and discard women once their desires are satisfied. Hardly a day goes by when there is no triggering news regarding crimes against women, and that's something that is never going to change. There's a monologue by Rani Mukerji in the climax of Mardaani 3 where she talks about how women have to live among demons (men) with a hope that things will change. But it seems impossible, and that's why there has to be a goddess born to fight these demons every now and then.

Mardaani 3 features Shivani Shivaji Roy (Mukerji) once again, as she investigates the kidnapping of a high-profile diplomat's daughter, which uncovers a larger criminal nexus. The abduction case quickly unravels, leading us to the kingpin, Amma (Mallika Prasad). But what sets the film apart from its previous installments? Well, the script of Mardaani 3 escalates in complexity while maintaining a grounded treatment.

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The entry sequences for both the protagonist Shivani and antagonist Amma are quite similar, having light thrown on their piercing shiny eyes. This also establishes the motive that having two characters of the same gender pitted against each other will undermine all values. Amma, being a lone wolf, keeps everyone under her control and creates a fear among people. She acts like she thinks. Her roaring face knows when to go for the kill, and that's what she does once the decision has been settled upon. Meanwhile, Shivani, still living in a man's world, knows how to take charge and make things turn around while fighting the right fight, be it within the system or against it.

Mardaani 3 looms large, with the story taking us on a roundabout journey as the villains stay a step ahead of the police. The villains serve as a constant reminder that the police are often disrespectful, allowing many crimes to occur for their own financial gain, which is visually evident throughout the film. Amma also tells Shivani the same thing in one of the scenes, where the latter tells her that there are cops who know their job and bring justice in any way.

However, during this never-ending cat-and-mouse chase, the predictability becomes apparent. We see a new character being introduced subtly but also showing that they are the most trustworthy among all. However, in no time, the trust is broken, and you see it coming the moment this character makes an entry into the frame for the first time. Although the film is a cop story, it's more about having Shivani Shivaji Roy dominate the whole time.

Unlike the previous two installments, particularly Mardaani 2, Vishal Jethwa's character constantly broke the fourth wall as a serial rapist and killer. This time, despite having the nexus spread across the country, there are complications that come with it, and they are not needed per se. We have the ring focusing on pre-pubescent girls, and then we see they are victims of human experimentation. In one of the scenes, we hear a person tell a foreign national that animals have better lives and values than street children, so it's easier to provide these "humans" for experiments. The whole back-and-forth talk about the value of women in this country will make you squirm, but the fact of the matter is, it's the reality we are living in.

Mukerji's aides join her in challenging the system and seeking justice for several girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, her higher officials keep on pinning on to the fact that the saving of a diplomat's daughter is of "higher" importance, which she urges to fight back but fails, thus taking a different path because every human has the same value, and professional background is not enough to measure. This is what makes Amma who she is – she was also a victim of this system when she was abducted; the cops took a bribe, and her kidnappers proceeded with her without any repercussions.

Janki Bodiwala is an addition to the cast as Fatima, a constable who is asked to serve teas in the police station. She is brought into the investigation team by Shivani while she also becomes a victim of the crime. On the other hand, we see Prajesh Kashyap as Ramanujan, a social worker who has exposed many beggar nexuses, resulting in the rescue of numerous children.

When I saw the trailer for Mardaani 3, the revelation of the villain took away the biggest surprise that the franchise is known for. However, the film does bring justice to that revelation by actually keeping several characters under wraps, which, to be honest, worked well for the film.

Despite this, the film's larger theme is overly prominent; even though crime against women is a relevant issue that can be addressed in various ways, this particular portrayal felt excessively direct. I am not denying that this situation could occur, because women are often treated as guinea pigs by men who seek to use them and discard them. This time, the focus is on pre-pubescent girls and their perceived "usefulness" for experiments, suggesting that capitalist interests value $100 million more than human lives, right?

Despite Rani Mukerji's towering personality and incredible performance in the Mardaani franchise, it's the villains who also make the series delectable. The franchise brought Tahir Raj Bhasin and Vishal Jethwa into the scenes and made them so disturbing to think of that you dread revisiting these films. Meanwhile, Prasad, with just her appearance, wins as the formidable villain, but does she have a similar impact? To a larger extent, definitely yes! She has solo shine moments, and it's definitely a treat to watch her as a scary character where her backstory gives her a choice to become what she is!

But this time you see the villain and the hero come face-to-face multiple times, only for the former to get away effortlessly every now and then. This does feel like a big flaw of the film, and how did that happen so easily? Meanwhile, there's a character whose reality was too straightforward to guess even before the second half ended. Meanwhile, when you have a supporting character in Bodiwala, it's not surprising that she won't have layers. However, the predictability of her character fails to do justice to her potential. She is portrayed as meek yet possessing strong determination, and it is clear that twists will occur both for her character and through her actions.

Mardaani 3 is directed by Abhiraj Minawala, and for a strong franchise like this, he has definitely taken over the reins and flourished well. He does know how to direct a senior actor like Mukerji as well, giving Bodiwala and Kashyap a chance to dominate the screen during their moment. Moreover, having a predictable villain like Prasad doesn't mellow down her performance but enhances it too much.

Mardaani 3 is a story which will be relevant even two decades from now, just like the previous two films. Did it hit the benchmark created by the franchise which came into the picture a decade ago? Well, not so much, but you cannot take away the fact that it will always be an important watch.

Well, it's always fun to see Mukerji as a one-man army belting and kicking the ass of the villain with a thumping BGM that will bring tears to your eyes as well as a brim of hope that it happens in reality too. Well, this time it was Aigiri Nandini, the popular Mahishasur Mardini Strotam, which will always be relevant and give you instant goosebumps.

Mardaani 3 verdict:

Mardaani 3 succeeds as a visceral reminder of the systemic failures surrounding women's safety, anchored by Rani Mukerji’s powerhouse performance. While the script tackles chilling new territory—the "beggar mafia" and human experimentation—it loses some of the franchise's sharp edge to predictable plot beats.