In its nearly two-hour runtime, 'Mardaani 3' gives away key plot turns too early. Before Ramanujan’s identity is revealed, it’s already clear he’s the antagonist. Similarly, Fatima’s undercover role becomes obvious well before the script confirms it.

Rani Mukerji’s character fiercely challenges her senior officers, yet oddly offers explanations to criminals in at least two scenes. These moments could have been far more impactful had they relied on 'silence' instead of dialogue. A lead heroine doesn’t always need punchlines to assert her strength; silence can be just as powerful. Remember Akshaye Khanna’s quiet intensity in the film 'Dhurandhar' and earlier in 'Chhava'.

Read in Hindi: 'मर्दानी ३' ने नहीं समझा, ‘मौन’ का भी होता है महत्व...

Mallika Prasad’s portrayal of 'Amma' starts strong, but as her character begins to overshadow Rani’s, the narrative quickly re-centres 'Shivani Shivaji Roy' as the dominant force, perhaps a deliberate move to preserve Rani’s “heroine supremacy”.

Pranesh Kashyap as Ramanujan and Janaki Bodiwala as Fatima could have delivered more nuanced performances. The villain’s fate at the end is refreshingly 'different', but Jisshu Sengupta’s presence feels unexplained.

Overall, with tighter scripting, 'Mardaani 3' could have been a solid, value-for-money thriller.