“‘Hard to Forget the Missing Girls’: Rani Mukerji on Emotional Toll of Mardaani Films”

Rani Mukerji Calls Mardaani Franchise Emotionally Draining: “Thinking About the Missing Girls Is Traumatising”

Rani Mukerji’s career spans multiple genres, but the Mardaani franchise stands out as a defining chapter. Playing Shivani Jadhav, one of the few female cops in mainstream Hindi cinema, demands not just physical stamina but immense emotional resilience.

“In a female actor’s life, a lot of hard work goes into every role,” Rani told Mid-Day. “As a married woman and mother, every phase of life brings its own challenges. On top of that, for Shivani, your body language, voice, and presence must convey authority and strength.”

Mardaani 3 proved particularly heavy emotionally. Inspired by real-life cases of missing girls in India, Rani says the subject was deeply affecting. “The trauma these girls and their families endure is heartbreaking. I had to detach myself to perform properly. With Mardaani, I want to wake people up to these realities.”

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 3 continues the franchise’s tradition of socially relevant storytelling, tackling another dark and disturbing issue in society.

The film is set to release worldwide on January 30, 2026.