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Rani Mukerji’s Mardaani 3 off to slow start despite using affordable pricing model

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the Rani Mukerji led Mardaani 3 is looking at a tough opening weekend.

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 30, 2026 01:10 PM IST

Rani Mukerji as Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 3.

Director Abhiraj Minawala’s Mardaani 3 began its theatrical run on January 30, after lead actor Rani Mukerji did extensive press for it. However, despite all the tactics, the opening day numbers appear underwhelming. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 1.16 crore in advance ticket sales. At the time of publication, Mardaani 3 had collected Rs 41 lakh at the box office. Given the meticulous planning behind the release, the makers are likely to be disappointed with the initial response.

According to Bollywood Hungama, rather than a traditional multiplex release, the makers decided to go with an approach involving limited screens and affordable pricing in order to maximise the occupancy rates.

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This similar model was used in Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, which turned out to be one of the biggest hit of 2025, earning Rs 329 crore net domestically. Now the same studio, YRF, has tried something similar with Mardaani 3. Usually, films backed by big production houses aim for 10-15 shows in a day. Mardaani 3 has capped that amount at just 6, no matter what the screen count. In theatres with two screens, the film will only be played after 3 pm. They have used a flat pricing model with prices ranging from Rs 260 to Rs 340.

While this model worked for Saiyaara, there is no guarantee it will do the same for Mardaani 3. However, as a franchise film, Mardaani 3 does have a stronger foundation to build on. Mardaani (2014) was directed by Pradeep Sarkar and earned Rs 35.56 crore net on a reported Rs 20 crore budget. The second film made Rs 47 crore net on a Rs 30 crore budget. Both films turned out to be fairly good investments, and their opening day numbers were Rs 3.4 crore and Rs 3.8 crore, respectively.

With the weekend approaching, the evening and night shows are likely to bring in better figures. As of now, Mardaani 3 has 5024 shows across the country, with NCR leading the pack (624 shows).

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the cast of Mardaani 3 includes Rani Mukerji, Mallika Prasad, and Janki Bodiwala.

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