
Bollywood star Rani Mukerji returns as her fierce crime-fighter DCP Shivani Shivaji Roy in the highly anticipated Mardaani 3, and this time she’s up against a chilling new adversary — a female villain known as Amma, played by veteran performer Mallika Prasad. The film’s trailer, which dropped on 12 January 2026, introduced audiences to this ruthless antagonist, sparking strong reactions and excitement ahead of the movie’s 30 January 2026 theatrical release.
Unlike the male antagonists Rani’s character faced in the previous Mardaani films, Mardaani 3 pits Shivani against a powerful woman mastermind who operates a sinister criminal network responsible for kidnapping and trafficking young girls. The case, which involves the disappearance of more than 90 girls in just a few months, pushes Shivani into a relentless race against time as she tries to dismantle the brutal operation.
The character of Amma is described as cold, calculating and deeply unsettling — a departure from typical villain portrayals — and is already generating buzz for its intensity and menace. Mallika Prasad brings her experience from theatre, television and regional cinema to infuse the role with depth and gravitas, marking a significant moment in the Mardaani franchise as it introduces its first major female antagonist.
Mallika Prasad, a trained actor with a postgraduate diploma in acting from the National School of Drama and a master’s in performance making from Goldsmiths College, London, has had a diverse career that includes award-winning theatre work and acclaimed roles in films like Kanooru Heggadithi and Devi Ahilya Bai. Her casting as Amma adds a fresh and formidable dimension to the narrative, elevating audience expectations for a darker, more psychologically layered confrontation.
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Mardaani 3 is directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Yash Raj Films. With Rani Mukerji’s iconic character back in action and an extraordinary new foe in Amma, the third instalment promises to blend intense crime drama with high-stakes emotional storytelling — continuing the franchise’s legacy of tackling hard-hitting social issues through riveting cinema.
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