{{short description|2014 Indian film by Pradeep Sarkar}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = Mardaani | image = Official Poster of Mardaani.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Pradeep Sarkar | producer = Aditya Chopra | writer = Gopi Puthran | starring = {{Plainlist| *Rani Mukerji *Tahir Raj Bhasin *Jisshu Sengupta }} | music = '''Songs:'''<br />Salim–Sulaiman<br />'''Score:'''<br />Julius Packiam | studio = Yash Raj Films | cinematography = Artur Żurawski | editing = Sanjib Datta | distributor = Yash Raj Films | released = {{Film date|df=y|2014|08|22}} | runtime = 113 minutes<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 January 2026|access-date=17 January 2026|title=Mardaani (2014)|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/mardaani-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zoti1mzc|website=British Board of Film Classification}}</ref> | language = Hindi | country = India | budget = {{INR}}21 crore<ref name="BOI Report">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2296|title=Mardaani – Movie – Worldwide Gross & Budget|publisher=Box Office India|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> | gross = <!--Per WT:ICTF consensus--> {{INR}}59.55 crore<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mardaani|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/mardaani/box-office/ |access-date=21 July 2023|website=Bollywood Hungama|date=22 August 2014 }}</ref> }}
'''''Mardaani''''' ({{Translation|Manly}}) is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Pradeep Sarkar and produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films. The film stars Rani Mukerji in the lead role, with Jisshu Sengupta, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Anant Vidhaat Sharma in supporting roles. It is the first instalment in the ''Mardaani Trilogy''. The narrative follows Shivani Shivaji Roy, a policewoman whose interest in the case of a kidnapped teenage girl leads her to uncover the secrets of human trafficking by the Indian mafia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rani Mukerji in Mardaani, Yash Raj Films' boldest movie ever |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/rani-mukherji-in-mardaani-yash-raj-films-boldest-movie-ever-352245 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225183326/http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/rani-mukherji-in-mardaani-yash-raj-films-boldest-movie-ever-352245 |archive-date=25 February 2014 |access-date=20 January 2014 |website=NDTV |publisher=}}</ref>
The film was released on 22 August 2014 and received positive reviews from critics who praised the script and direction, emerging as a moderate success at the box-office.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mardaani - Movie - Box Office India |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2296 |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Box Office India}}</ref> At the 60th Filmfare Awards, the film received five nominations, including Best Actress (Mukerji) and won Best Sound Design (Anilkumar Konakandla and Prabal Pradhan).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The winners of the 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards {{!}} Filmfare.com |url=https://www.filmfare.com/news/the-winners-of-the-60th-britannia-filmfare-awards-8313.html |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Filmfare |language=en}}</ref> A sequel titled ''Mardaani 2'' was released in 2019. A third and final installment titled ''Mardaani 3'' was released on 30 January 2026.
== Plot == The film opens with a covert police operation orchestrated by Shivani Shivaji Roy, a dedicated Crime Branch Senior Inspector of the Mumbai Police, in order to apprehend a pimp named Rahman from his hideout. She barges in with her team and arrests Rahman, and rescues his mistress. Shivani lives with her husband, Dr. Bikram Roy, and teenage niece, Meera. Prior to the events of the film, she rescued an orphaned girl named Pyaari from being sold by her uncle, and started looking after her like her own daughter. One day, Shivani finds out that Pyaari has been missing from her shelter home for five days and begins an investigation, where she finds out that the mastermind behind this kidnapping is a Delhi-based kingpin named Karan "Walt" Rastogi (Tahir Raj Bhasin), who runs a cartel involving child trafficking and drugs. Shivani takes the task personally, going beyond her job and duties to nab Karan.
Shivani forces Rahman to reveal the names of Karan's associates and comes across Sunny Katyal (Anant Vidhaat Sharma), a car dealer who operates Karan's trafficking business in Mumbai. Karan discovers that Shivani is monitoring his cartel's activities and tries to have Katyal killed for becoming a liability. However, Shivani saves Katyal, and he agrees to help her nab Karan. Determined to catch him, Shivani tracks down Karan's aide, Vakeel (ironically the Hindi word for "lawyer"). Karan, angered, makes sure that Pyaari is sold and raped every day. As a warning, he spreads fake news that Shivani's husband has misused his profession as a doctor to molest a female patient, causing Bikram to be fired. He then chops off one of Pyaari's fingers and sends it to Shivani's house as a gift.
Meanwhile, Karan's right-hand man Mattu (Aman Uppal) gets a contract to host a party full of prostitutes from a man named Tandon on behalf of a minister in Delhi, Taneja ji. Mattu also kills one of the girls in Karan's brothel at his orders when she contracts dengue, further frightening Pyaari.
Shivani travels to Delhi and sets up a trap involving decoy drug dealers from Nigeria, who pretend to offer expensive and rare South American cocaine to Karan and Vakeel. As they are negotiating, Shivani barges in with her team. While Karan escapes, Vakeel tries to erase evidence by destroying his mobile phone's SIM card, then commits suicide. Shivani and her Delhi-based teammate Balwinder Singh Sodhi track down a tailor who knew Vakeel for a long time. He reveals that a prostitute named Meenu Rastogi was Vakeel's closest associate. Shivani's continued investigation leads her to Karan's house, where Meenu, revealing herself to be Karan's mother, sedates her.
She is abducted and brought to Karan's party. There, Shivani reunites with Pyaari, as she and the other girls are forced to work as prostitutes. Karan invites Taneja ji and allows him to rape Shivani. However, she escapes and ruthlessly beats Taneja before taking him hostage. Shivani single-handedly takes control of the situation, forcing Karan into a small room and rescuing the girls. She challenges Karan to fight her when he teases her for being a woman and then thrashes him. Concerned that he might evade justice, given the corrupt police and judicial system of the country, she hands Karan over to the girls, who beat him to death. Subsequently, Sodhi and the entire team barge in and arrest Mattu, Tandon and Karan’s gang members. Meenu is also attacked by the girls and gets paralysed by shock while Taneja survives before being sentenced to life imprisonment.
== Cast == {{Cast listing|* Rani Mukerji as Senior Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy, Mumbai Crime Branch * Tahir Raj Bhasin as Karan "Walt" Rastogi, a Delhi-based human trafficking kingpin * Jisshu Sengupta as Dr. Bikram Roy, Shivani's husband * Anant Vidhaat Sharma as Sunny Katyal * Mona Ambegaonkar as Meenu Rastogi, Walt's mother * Anil George as Vakeel Saab, Walt's assistant * Aman Uppal as Mattoo * Mikhail Yawalkar as Sub Inspector Balwinder Singh Sodhi * Priyanka Sharma as Pyaari * Avneet Kaur as Meera, Shivani's niece * Digvijay Rohidas Jafar * Ashish Warang as More * Sanjay Taneja as Taneja * Gautam Babbar as Tandon * Peter Muxka Manuel as Mboso * Eddie Teal as Mbangwa * Sharika Raina as Alka * Rio Kapadia as JCP Sinha * DV Vivek as JCP Iyer * Saanand Verma as Kapil * Mahika Sharma as a victim}}
== Production == Mukerji, who played the role of a crime branch officer in the film, met the Mumbai Police Crime Branch Chief as part of research for her role.<ref>{{cite web|title= Rani Mukerji meets crime branch chief to prepare for 'Mardaani' role|url= http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rani-mukerji-meets-crime-branch-chief-to-prepare-for-mardaani-role/438829-8-66.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131212115456/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rani-mukerji-meets-crime-branch-chief-to-prepare-for-mardaani-role/438829-8-66.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 12 December 2013|publisher= CNN-IBN |access-date= 20 January 2014}}</ref> It was speculated that her role was inspired by IPS officer Meera Borwankar, who was an investigation officer in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Hindi/Bollywood/News/Rani-Mukerji-meets-real-Mardaani-who-inspired-her/articleshow/41686460.cms |access-date=4 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907151158/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Rani-Mukerji-meets-real-Mardaani-who-inspired-her/articleshow/41686460.cms |archive-date=7 September 2014 |website=The Times of India |title=Rani Mukerji meets real Mardaani who inspired her - the Times of India }}</ref> For her role, Mukerji trained in Krav Maga, a street-fighting, self-defence system developed for the Israeli military.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-07-28 |title=Watch: Rani Mukerji's Israeli self-defence technique for 'Mardaani' {{!}} Watch: Rani Mukerji's Israeli self-defence technique for 'Mardaani' |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140728/entertainment-bollywood/article/watch-rani-mukerjis-israeli-self-defence-technique-mardaani |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Deccan Choronicle |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-26 |title=Rani Mukerji is fascinated by Krav Maga |url=https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/rani-mukerji-is-fascinated-by-krav-maga-15480192 |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Mid-day |language=en}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The film's soundtrack was composed by Salim-Sulaiman.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-08-22 |title=Music Review: Mardaani Anthem |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/music-reviews/music-review-mardaani-anthem/articleshow/40600185.cms |access-date=2025-12-23 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
{{Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Mardaani Anthem | length1 = 2:30 | lyrics1 = Kausar Munir | extra1 = Sunidhi Chauhan, Vijay Prakash }}
== Marketing and release == The official trailer was released on 24 June 2014.<ref name=toi>{{cite web | title = Mardaani trailer: Rani Mukerji packs a punch with dialogues, tough look | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Hindi/Bollywood/News-Interviews/Mardaani-trailer-Rani-Mukerji-packs-a-punch-with-dialogues-tough-look/articleshow/37126768.cms |date=24 June 2014| access-date = 25 June 2014 | work = The Times of India}}</ref> The Central Board of Film Certification required that the use of a profanity and scene depicting rape of a teenage girl be removed from the trailer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rani Mukerjis Mardaani Policed by Censor Board |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/videos/rani-mukerji-s-mardaani-policed-by-censor-board-328070 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901154442/http://movies.ndtv.com/videos/rani-mukerji-s-mardaani-policed-by-censor-board-328070 |archive-date=1 September 2014 |access-date=25 November 2014 |publisher=NDTV}}</ref> Because of the film's social message, the film was made tax free in Madhya Pradesh by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan within the first week of its release.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-08-26 |title=Shivraj Singh Chouhan declares 'Mardaani' tax free in MP |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/shivraj-singh-chouhan-declares-mardaani-tax-free-in-mp/articleshow/40910366.cms |access-date=2025-12-23 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-08-25 |title=Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister declares Mardaani as tax free |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/madhya-pradeshs-chief-minister-declares-mardaani-as-tax-free/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Bollywood Hungama |language=en}}</ref> Later, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra made the film tax-free.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-09-03 |title=Rani Mukerji’s Mardaani fails to get tax free status in Maharashtra |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/rani-mukerjis-mardaani-fails-to-get-tax-free-status-in-maharashtra/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Bollywood Hungama |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Rani Mukerji's <i>Mardaani</i> Tax Free in Uttar Pradesh |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/rani-mukerjis-mardaani-tax-free-in-uttar-pradesh-654443 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250612192546/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/rani-mukerjis-mardaani-tax-free-in-uttar-pradesh-654443 |archive-date=12 June 2025 |access-date=2025-12-23 |work=NDTV |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
In Pakistan, Central Board of Film Censors gave the film adult Certificate but objected on few scenes. The Board asked for seven cuts and wanted certain scenes to be blurred, but the film makers were of the view that "it would lead to loss of the essence of the narration of the movie" and hence decided not to screen the movie in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-08-23 |title=Mardaani won't hit Pakistan theatres |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/mardaani-won-t-hit-pakistan-theatres/story-E3Q8h2qjLPBIYUUUU2OEhI.html |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
''Mardaani'' premiered at the Kino Muranów theatre in Warsaw, Poland on 29 January 2015, where it received a standing ovation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-29 |title=Rani Mukerji’s ‘Mardaani’ premieres in Poland |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/rani-mukerjis-mardaani-premieres-in-poland/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-12-16 |title=‘Mardaani’ to premiere in Poland in 2015 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/mardaani-to-premiere-in-poland-in-2015/article6697550.ece |access-date=2025-12-23 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-01-29 |title=Mardaani receives a standing ovation in Poland |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/mardaani-receives-a-standing-ovation-in-poland/articleshow/46054515.cms |access-date=2025-12-23 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== Reception ==
=== Critical response === Shakti Shetty of ''Mid-Day'' gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Pradeep Sarkar offers a pragmatic and compelling story of what it is to chase down the bad guy with Rani Mukerji as an inspector who simply won't give up".<ref>{{cite web |date=4 September 2014 |title=Movie review: 'Mardaani' |url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/movie-review-mardaani/15549194 |access-date=25 November 2014 |work=Mid Day}}</ref> Subhash K. Jha of ''SKJBollywoodNews'' gave 4 out of 5 stars, praising the film's soundtrack, writing "''Mardaani'' cleans out the noises and yet retains a high decibel of authenticity in the complementary relationship between sight and sound".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skjbollywoodnews.com/2014/08/mardaani-movie-review/4120869.html|title=Mardaani: Movie Review|date=22 August 2014|work=SKJBollywood News|access-date=25 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071341/http://skjbollywoodnews.com/2014/08/mardaani-movie-review/4120869.html|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> Taran Adarsh of ''Bollywood Hungama'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "[E]nacting the part of the tough-talking cop who goes in pursuit of those who run the sex trafficking ring, Rani strikes a true to life, forceful pose and also lends her character the much-needed intensity, strength and dignity. The agony that drives her forward is visible on her face and is one of the prime reasons that makes this story easy to swallow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/reviews/type/view/id/1394|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911001818/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/reviews/type/view/id/1394|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 September 2014|title=Mardaani – Latest Hindi Movie Review by Taran Adarsh – Bollywood Hungama|website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=25 November 2014}}</ref> Rachit Gupta of ''Filmfare'' gave 3 out of 5 stars, writing "You can watch Mardaani for all the wrong reasons and feel underwhelmed. Don't watch it for Rani Mukerji trying to be a Salman Khan. She’s not".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Movie Review: Mardaani |url=https://www.filmfare.com/reviews/movie-review-mardaani-7047.html |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Filmfare |language=en}}</ref> ''The Times of India'' gave 3.5/5 stars writing "While there is nothing in the plot that you haven't seen before, it is still watchable for the superb performance of Rani".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Movie Mardaani Review 2014, Story, Trailers {{!}} Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/mardaani/movie-review/40687296.cms |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> Anupama Chopra of ''Hindustan Times'' gave 3 out of 5 stars, praising the cast performances but criticised the climax.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-08-22 |title=Movie review by Anupama Chopra: Watch Mardaani for Rani Mukerji's performance |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/movie-review-by-anupama-chopra-watch-mardaani-for-rani-mukerji-s-performance/story-0HGtTuwmBFghPsUbKfWTTK.html |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable" ! Award !! Category !! Nominee !! Result |- |rowspan=5|Filmfare Awards | Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | {{nom}} |- | Best Supporting Actor | Tahir Raj Bhasin | {{nom}} |- | Best Sound Design | Anilkumar Konakandla and Prabal Pradhan | {{won}} |- | Best Screenplay | Gopi Puthran, S. Hussain Zaidi, Vibha Singh | {{nom}} |- | Best Editing | Sanjib Dutta | {{nom}} |- |rowspan=1|IIFA Awards | Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | {{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|Screen Awards | Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | {{nom}} |- | Best Villain | Tahir Raj Bhasin | {{won}} |- |rowspan=2|Star Guild Awards | Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | {{nom}} |- | Best Villain | Tahir Raj Bhasin | {{nom}} |- |rowspan=1|Stardust Awards | Best Thriller – Action Actress | Rani Mukerji | {{won}} |- |rowspan="3"|BIG Star Entertainment Awards |Most Entertaining Film Actor – Female |rowspan="3"|Rani Mukerji |{{nom}} |- |Most Entertaining Actress in a Social Role |rowspan=1 {{nom}} |- |Most Entertaining Actor in a Thriller Role |rowspan=1 {{nom}} |}
== Prequel == {{main article|Mardaani 2}} A prequel titled ''Mardaani 2'' directed by Gopi Puthran was released on 13 December 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rani Mukerji's next is 'Mardaani 2' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/rani-mukerjis-next-is-mardaani-2/article25708474.ece |website=The Hindu |date=10 December 2018 |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|3495000}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|m/mardaani}}
{{Pradeep Sarkar}}
Category:2014 action thriller films Category:2014 crime action films Category:2014 crime thriller films Category:2014 Hindi-language films Category:2014 Indian films Category:2014 films Category:2010s feminist films Category:Fictional portrayals of the Maharashtra Police Category:Films about child prostitution Category:Films about human trafficking in India Category:Films about prostitution in India Category:Films about rape in India Category:Films about women in India Category:Films scored by Salim–Sulaiman Category:Films set in Mumbai Category:Indian action thriller films Category:Indian crime action films Category:Indian crime thriller films Category:Indian feminist films Category:Indian police films Category:Yash Raj Films films Category:Films directed by Pradeep Sarkar Category:Indian film series