When we first met her in the summer of 2014, Shivani Shivaji Roy made an instant impression. Played by Rani Mukerji in a way that seemingly flumped a woman as a misfit in a man’s world but one that she steadily made her own non-negotiable domain — one punch and punchline at a time — Mardaani, with Rani leading with her feisty and fiery walk and talk, not only gave us a shero to cheer for but also a film that naturally lent itself to a franchise.
After all, unfortunately, there is no end to crime (especially against women). And in Mardaani 3, that comes seven years after Mardaani 2, we find the top cop in the middle of a case that has its roots in the first film, but one which updates itself to address issues that concern the here and now.
Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, Mardaani 3, as has been the trademark of this get-set-go franchise, hits the ground running, and rarely relents. Two girls — one belonging to privilege, the other not — are kidnapped in broad daylight and it is up to Shivani to bring them back. However, what appears on the surface to be a case of abduction by a beggar mafia gang — led by Amma, played by the formidable Mallika Prasad — with the possible intent of human trafficking, gradually rolls over into territory that shows us that there is more than what meets the eye. It is here that Mardaani 3 — with honest intent not translating into clever execution — falters a little.
But before that, the film packs in a lot to keep you on the edge of your seat. Shivani’s entry is action packed, as she almost singlehandedly kicks and wallops her way to rescue a bunch of destitute women in the Sundarbans. The scene shifts to Delhi thereafter where Shivani is handpicked to trace the aforementioned missing girls. It gradually leads her to discover a pattern — of pre-pubescent girls from impoverished households being abducted. “No one misses missing girls,” Delhi Crime’s Vartika Chaturvedi — another hard-nosed cop with a strong emotional core — had said in its third season, released a few months ago. Mardaani 3 reinforces that, with a certain specificity: no one misses missing girls from poor families.
The Mardaani franchise has often been criticised for its on-the-nose action and emotion, but truth be told, that is what the DNA of these films always has been. In Part 3, we enter a darker and more gritty world where the antagonist doesn’t operate in isolation. Shivani finds herself up against a network which has roots and wings spread far larger than one can imagine. The build-up is interesting, given that you are left guessing what the actual intent behind the multiple crimes are.
The interval block — the film is written by Aayush Gupta, along with Deepak Kingrani and Baljeet Singh Marwah — is the highlight of the film, paving way for a series of double crosses that operate on both sides of the law. There is plenty to chew on here, though Mardaani 3 — given the templatised nature of its story — does toe the predictable line quite often. The reason for the crime, as mentioned before, is novel, though in spelling it out, the writing fumbles. However, it does leave us with a bitterly uncomfortable truth, one which a key character articulates as: “In this country, lives are cheap and expendable”.
Mardaani 3’s strength — along with a banger of a background score by John Stewart Eduri — lies in its performances. Shaitaan/Vash actor Janki Bodiwala does her bit in a restrained part, with Prajesh Kashyap bringing a chilling psychopathic touch to his character.
But like the first two films in the franchise, Mardaani belongs to Rani. As a cop who relies on instinct, pummels her adversaries to pulp and rarely seeks permission (or give in to an apology), Shivani Shivaji Roy rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done. Like she — and Rani — always does.
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