Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 6: Rani Mukerji-starrer Mardaani 3 has completed its first week at the box office with a modest domestic collection of Rs 26.30 crore. The action drama, which hit theatres on January 30, has struggled to live up to pre-release expectations, registering a subdued performance amid mixed reviews from audiences and critics.

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the third instalment of the Mardaani franchise sees Mukerji reprise her role as fearless cop Shivani Shivaji Roy, with the narrative centred on the sensitive issue of girl child trafficking in India. Despite the strong subject and the franchise’s popularity, the film failed to draw large crowds, facing stiff competition from other releases, including Border 2 starring Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan.

The film opened to Rs 4 crore on its first Friday and showed some growth over the weekend, collecting Rs 6.25 crore on Saturday and peaking at Rs 7.25 crore on Sunday. However, collections dipped sharply after the weekend. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 2.25 crore on Monday, Rs 2.6 crore on Tuesday, Rs 2.1 crore on Wednesday and Rs 1.85 crore on Thursday, taking the total first-week domestic haul to Rs 26.30 crore.

On the international front, Mardaani 3 fared slightly better, with worldwide collections touching Rs 39 crore, offering some relief amid its underwhelming performance in India.

Occupancy figures further reflected the film’s struggle to sustain momentum. On Thursday, February 5, the film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of just 9.57 per cent, contributing to the steady decline in day-wise earnings after the opening weekend.

Apart from Rani Mukerji, the film features Mallika Prasad as Amma, along with Janki Bodiwala and Mikhail Yawalkar in key roles. While Mardaani 3 continues its theatrical run, trade analysts suggest that sustaining box office numbers in the coming days may remain a challenge.