Mardaani 3 Day 1 Box Office: Rani Mukerji's Film Earns ₹3.48 Cr

On the silver screen, Rani Mukerji returns, yesterday, January 30, 2026, as she is once again the fearless DCP Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 3. While plenty has been written and reviewed in film reviews of the movie and many of them praised the gritty storylines, the box office numbers on Day 1 of the movie show a “steady but soft” lead into the movie.

The Numbers Game

Mardaani 3 brought in ₹3.48 crore nett in India on opening Friday, initial estimates from industry estimator Sacnilk indicate. While decent for a female-oriented mid-range crime thriller, the number has never approached the opening day collection of its 2019 predecessor, Mardaani 2, which launched at ₹3.80 crore.

• Shows Nationwide: 2,299
• Average Occupancy: 13.6%
• Key Markets: Maharashtra and Delhi NCR remained top performers, but overall footfall impacted by the still dominating action-grabbing Border 2.

Comparison of Films

Why the Slow Start?

Trade analysts point to two big hindrances preventing the numbers from getting to ₹4 crore level:The Border 2 Storm Sunny Deol’s Border 2, now just in its second week, remains appealing to huge audiences at both the single-screen and multiplex end of the spectrum.

Release Strategy

Yash Raj Films (YRF) reportedly followed a “scarcity model,” restricting how many shows will be performed per screen, offering flat pricing, so the evening and night shows would sell, rather than release them as a huge, blanket release.

Critical Acclaim & Word of Mouth

The film is scheduled to do relatively well with its modest launch, but we believe significant momentum will be observed during Saturday and Sunday. The work of Rani Mukerji has been hailed as “formidable,” while many named their latest antagonist, Amma (Mallika Prasad), one of the most terrifying villains of the show. Its plot about Shivani Roy, who investigates the disappearance of 93 young girls has resonated with viewers because of its “no-holds-barred look at grim realities.”