Mardaani 3 review: Rani Mukerji's Mardaani shines; SRK calls her fierce competitor, Akshay Kumar and Gauri Khan praise

There are very few friendships in Bollywood that truly last long. Most friendships exist only for reels and cameras. However, actors Rani Mukerji and Shah Rukh Khan are among those rare bonds who have, together and separately, given Bollywood some of its best films and remain best buddies off screen. The duo recently won National Awards for their respective films.

Rani won the National Award for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, while SRK bagged the honour for Jawan. As Rani clocks 30 years in cinema in 2026, the actor is riding high on the success of her recently released film Mardaani 3.

The internet is going gaga over her performance. Despite franchises and sequels not faring well at the box office, it is Rani's film that has shattered box office records.

Joining the bandwagon of praise, Shah Rukh Khan on Friday extended his best wishes to his friend Rani Mukerji for Mardaani 3, which hit theatres on January 30.

Applauding her feisty, strong and compassionate spirit, Shah Rukh wrote on X, "Just from the heart.... to my Rani 'Mardaani' all my best wishes. I am sure you will be feisty, strong & compassionate in Mardaani 3 like u are in the real world too."

Akshay Kumar also applauded Rani Mukerji for her powerful performance.

After Shah Rukh Khan, his producer and interior designer wife Gauri Khan has also come out praising Bollywood star Rani Mukerji for her powerful performance in her recently released Mardaani 3. Taking to social media, Gauri lauded Rani's performance, calling it strong and brilliant, and described the film as gripping and a must-watch.

She also extended her best wishes to the entire team behind the project.

She wrote, "What a strong performance. Rani you were brilliant in #Mardaani3. Such a gripping film... a must watch. All the best to everyone who worked on this film!! #RaniMukerji @yrf."

Apart from celebrities, moviegoers have also lauded Rani's impeccable act in Mardaani.

One internet user wrote, "#RaniMukerji is irreplaceable in the Mardaani franchise. It's nearly 30 years, but one thing she holds every time is her performance & screen presence."

Another person wrote, "If you are looking for a one-liner: the film is fab!"

Rani Mukerji fans continued to heap praise on the actress, as one comment read, "#RaniMukerji once again delivers a powerful performance, and Mardaani 3 lives up to the expectations of the franchise."

"Rani Mukerji is fearless and bold," said another user.

Some viewers, however, found the film a bit lousy and over-structured in the second half. A user wrote, "#Mardaani3 is a decent watch. The 1st half is really well written, but the 2nd half is a complete waste. The Mardaani franchise is known for raw, rooted stories and psychotic villains, but this time it's missing that essence. The entire film is saved by #RaniMukerji. She is too good."

Another review read, "What a powerful film! #Mardaani3 is a must-watch for parents with their children, especially girls. #RaniMukerji is fierce ❤️ The grey shades portrayed by #MallikaPrasadSinha & #PrajeshKashyap are phenomenal. Crimes against women must be confronted and curbed..."

Mardaani 3 performed well on its first day at the box office and earned an estimated ₹4 crore India net. As of now, the film has earned around ₹1.52 crore India net on its second day.