The Indian media is abuzz with the news that recent releases Kick (Salman Khan) earned Rs83 crores, Singham Returns (Ajay Devgn) grossed Rs50 plus crore and Entertainment (Akshay Kumar) made Rs36.69 crores, whereas Mardaani (Rani Mukherjee) could barely notch Rs14.21 crores in the first three days. But there’s more to these numbers than meets the eye.

The first three (male-dominated) films were made with budgets crossing Rs100 crores, which meant they did not earn profits in the first weekend. Meanwhile, Mardaani, made with a budget of Rs14 crores, has yielded fairly good returns for Yash Raj Films. It brings us to the obvious question: who is the frontrunner? Is it Salman, Ajay, Akshay or is it Rani?

A decade ago it was impossible to come across a woman-centric film in which the hero played second fiddle. The mere thought of such a film making moolah for its makers — especially in the first three days of screening — would have many scoffing. But now actors like Vidya Balan, Priyanka Chopra and now Rani Mukherjee are busy scripting their champ stories.

Shivani Shivaji Roy (Rani) plays a crime branch officer taking on the mafia of girl child traffickers in Mardaani. There’s nothing new about the subject as we have had Bollywood tackling themes about forced prostitution and trafficking in the past. The most recent and best example was the Aamir Khan-Kareena Kapoor film Talaash. Had it not been for the convincing portrayal by Rani, the sincerity of the director and the added support of being a Yash Raj Films’ release, Mardaani would have gone unnoticed.

Gritty and grueling, this Rani Mukherjee starrer tackles the subject of child abduction and abuse

What sets it a notch above is that director Pradeep Sarkar (Parineeta, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag etc.) has tried to keep things as real as possible. Real-time shooting on Mumbai’s streets with genuine bystanders observing the happenings, using an actual housing colony rather than a set as the cop’s residence and also of the baddie make the viewer feel that the events are actually unfolding right before them.

Even the climax shot in the villain’s den looks authentic. No kaleidoscopic lights, blaring music, grotesquely made-up girls shown at the trafficking site. All these go on to support the claim of filmmakers as the titles roll that the film is based on actual events.

Even the casting appears credible. Of late the trend is to cast a good-looking villain in his mid-20s who can easily pass off as a boy-next-door. We saw Freddy Daruwala as the leader of sleeper cell in Holiday and here we have Tahir Bhasin who calls himself Walt. Slim built with a light stubble, Tahir can be any geek working in the IT industry.

The main reason for Shivani to track and then hunt down Tahir is the disappearance of Pyari (Priyanka Sharma), a teenage flower girl from the children’s home. Shivani had earlier rescued the child from her uncle who was trying to sell her off. This is when police Inspector Shivani discovers the activities of a mafia into child and drug trafficking.

Fearless, honest and highly committed, Shivani deals with criminals and cops with as much ease as any male cop, hence the title Mardaani. She is the only female cop in the force and her subordinates and superiors are all men. Although somewhat unbelievable, it keeps the onus on a female cop taking on a man’s domain.

Having received an ‘Adults Only’ certification did make Rani cry foul: “At a time when young girls are being raped, how could this film be labeled as such?” But after having viewed the film, one is likely to agree with the Indian censor board. There are heart-wrenching scenes where young girls are stripped bare as Tahir scrutinises their financial viability while the camera moves to back shots. Then there is a scene of Pyari being subjected to physical assault. The shot lasts barely for half a minute but it is traumatizing nevertheless.

You may not come out smiling after watching Mardaani but you will start thinking of ways to protect the young women in your close circle of family and friends.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 21st, 2014