From ‘Rescue Time’ to Showtime: Mardani 3 Surprises.

From ‘Rescue Time’ to Showtime: Mardani 3 Surprises, My quick take on Rani Mukherji’s “Mardani 3”

Walking into a late-night show at a Dubai multiplex on day two of a big-ticket Hindi release and finding exactly three human beings felt less like cinema and more like a private screening sponsored by YRF. For a fleeting moment, I thought I had accidentally booked a home theater experience with Dolby loneliness. Somewhere between the popcorn counter and my seat, the echo of YouTube’s doom-laden reviews followed me like background score.

The tagline screamed “Rescue Begins.”

My inner critic whispered, “Great. But will someone rescue us from the theater?” 🤣

Thankfully, both the audience and my optimism trickled in. Seats filled. Skepticism exited. And I must admit, for a YRF product, Mardani 3 doesn’t just survive. It handcuffs doubt and reads it its rights.

Like its predecessors, this franchise knows its lane and drives straight down it without unnecessary U-turns. Rani Mukerji returns as the no-nonsense, bad-ass cop Shivani Shivaji Roy, proving once again that power doesn’t need a six-pack, just a spine of steel and a stare sharp enough to file FIRs. This time, she takes on the dark underbelly of girl-child trafficking. Heavy subject, familiar treatment.

Is the plot novel? No.

Are the twists shocking? Also no.

Does the film keep moving like a local train that refuses to stop for philosophy? Absolutely yes.

And that, in a thriller, is half the battle won.

Credit where due: the makers wisely avoid song-and-dance distractions. No random romance breaking into a crime scene. No backup dancers during a chase. This restraint adds gravitas to Rani’s character. The action sequences are slick, controlled, and very much “ekdum YRF standard.” Technically, the film is polished and crisply shot, doing justice to its gritty mood.

Performance-wise, this is Rani’s playground and she owns every inch of it. But like the earlier films, Mardani 3 understands that a hero shines brighter when the villain casts a long shadow. Enter Amma, played by NSD-trained Mallika Prasad Sinha, who doesn’t just antagonize. She commands. This is her Mogambo moment, minus the cackle, plus menace. Scene-stealer alert

A pleasant surprise is Janki Bodiwala of Vash fame, finally getting a role with substance in Bollywood. Meatier parts suit her, and she proves it.

And then there’s the universe expansion itch. If Rohit Shetty can pack his cops into planes and land them in Colombo, why can’t Mardani stamp her boots on Lanka? There’s a whiff of that ambition here. Perhaps a polite cinematic nudge to Shetty Bhai: Mardani Singham ho Jaye😆.

Mardani 3 is predictable, yes, but pace-driven, sincere, and engaging. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It just runs over the bad guys with it efficiently. Watch it for the thrills, the performances, and Rani Mukerji reminding us once again why she remains a force.

After all…

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