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Earlier today, Yash Raj Films (YRF) officially announced that Mardaani 3 will be released in theatres on February 27, 2026, during the Holi festival period. Powerhouse performer Rani Mukerji will reprise her role as the tough, no-nonsense cop Shivani Shivaji Rao in the third instalment of the much-admired franchise. The film is being described as dark, deadly, and brutal. And going by the first look of the immensely talented actress, the viewers should be in for a treat.
The first Mardaani film was directed by Late Pradeep Sarkar (Director – Parineeta). It was about how a senior and dedicated cop (Rani Mukerji) becomes hellbent on exposing the case of the kidnapping of young girls by a child trafficking mafia. In the sequel, Mardaani 2, the story follows the cop’s efforts to catch a psychopathic and ruthless contract killer, who s*xually assaults and brutally murders young girls. Both Mardaani and Mardaani 2 received positive feedback from critics and audiences and performed well at the box office too.
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Being fans of both the Mardaani films and Rani Mukherji’s acting chops, we are waiting with bated breath for Mardaani 3. But our excitement is shadowed by one concern—the film’s director. We may be wrong, but here’s why we’re concerned.
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Mardaani 3 is being directed by Abhiraj Minawala. According to available information, he has directed one feature film, LoveYatri, a romantic comedy that came out in 2018 but received underwhelming reviews from multiple critics. Since Mardaani 3 belongs to a different genre (a hard-hitting cop action thriller), it remains to be seen whether Abhiraj Minawala can deliver a film that matches its predecessors’ quality and entertainment quotient.
On the other hand, if we look at the positive side, Abhiraj Minawala has been previously associated with several big films as an assistant/associate director. The list includes films like Band Baaja Baaraat, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Fan, Sultan, and Tiger 3. So, he has significant experience working behind the camera under a big banner in big-budget films. Plus, the script of Mardaani 3 is written by Ayush Gupta, who lent his writing skills to the terrific Netflix series The Railway Men.
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The only concern, rather slight apprehension, is whether Abhiraj Minawala can adeptly direct a high-octane action movie whose predecessors have a solid reputation and fan following. He’ll be under pressure, but it should be suitable for the film in a positive way. In fact, many directors couldn’t meet the expectations with their first film, but delivered outstanding films later in their careers.
Moreover, Mardaani 2 was directed by Gopi Puthran (Associate Director—Mardaani). But Mardaani 2 was his feature film directorial debut, and he did such a fine job there. So, there is no reason not to believe in the talented filmmaker Abhiraj Minawala’s directorial abilities, and we just hope that Mardaani 3 will be a critically and commercially successful venture. Who knows, it might even surpass Mardaani and Mardaani 2.
Check out the Mardaani 3 release date announcement and first look here:
The countdown begins for #Mardaani3! On Holi, good will fight evil as Shivani Shivaji Roy returns to the big screen on February 27, 2026.#RaniMukerji | #AbhirajMinawala pic.twitter.com/biGu3v4TZ9
— Yash Raj Films (@yrf) April 21, 2025
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