Bollywood superstar Rani Mukherjee is once again in action macho 3. Ever since the release of the trailer, fans have been waiting to see how Shivani Shivaji Roy fights the criminals this time. Although this film is considered to be the only hit female-led franchise in Bollywood, this label does not impress the actor much. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Mukherjee said it is time to change the narrative and not define films on the basis of gender.

She said, “I think we need to start having conversations to remove these labels of female-centricity. We need to call a movie good or bad. We don’t say female teachers or male teachers; they’re just teachers. Similarly, whether a chef or a pilot, we don’t define these professions by their gender. So I think it’s time we change the narrative and start calling a movie a movie and a franchise a franchise. If that starts changing, So as an artist it would be amazing.”

The interaction was held at his alma mater, SNDT College, Juhu, with students, teachers and even some of his own professors in attendance. Also talked about his journey manlyRani explained how, after the film, more girls started joining the police force.

“There are so many girls who have been recruited into the police force, and I find it incredibly heartening because it’s inspiring to see that one character can inspire so many young women to join the force. The other positive thing is that there is so much talk about women’s safety. Damini squad, fearless Squads and many helplines have been started for women’s safety. So those are wonderful things,” she said.

However, every good side also has a bad side, and Rani Mukherjee showed no hesitation in stating the facts. She said, “The only thing that still makes me sad is that from 2012 to now, in 2026, we’re talking about the same issues. The problems women are facing, the horrible incidents we hear about, the trauma women are going through, and I think that needs to change.”

The actor further explained how, sometimes, it feels angry to read about these incidents, and how awareness has become more important. “I think it’s very important to be aware in today’s time. We may think we are being disturbed by some of the content we see, but it is important to be disturbed. Because when you are uncomfortable, you are going to start having conversations. You are going to start making it significant social media chatter. And through that, there is going to be a change in the judiciary where the punishments will be so extreme that a person will not even think of attempting to commit a crime. So these are the changes that we need to bring about.”

He also talked about the importance of being more aware and alert. The actor shared, “We can’t tell our parents where we’re going or where we are. There’s no fun in hiding because today, anything can happen to anyone. So it’s very important to be aware. If we are aware, I think 95 percent of crimes will stop happening. It’s only because we are not aware, and it shocks us that it happened in broad daylight.”

We further discussed how cinema is celebrating alpha males, hyper-masculinity, when stories about women in power still seem rare and exceptional. When asked what’s stopping the industry from making more fierce women’s stories, Rani laughed and said, “Nothing is stopping us, we are making (these stories). Especially me; I am always ready to support the issue. I want to be part of a change, and I feel manly This comes at a time when we really need more women like Shivani Shivaji Roy.”

But if he met Shivani in real life, what would she ask him, we asked. She immediately replied, “I would love to take her for a cup of tea and have a chat with her, get inspired by how she does her job and how she balances her home and work. Where does she get this moral compass from, because it’s so obvious. There are times when she goes against the law herself to bring the criminal to justice, and I love that about Shivani. I think I would make Shivani my best friend.”

Rani Mukherjee added manly She has always stood for empowerment and given hope to women, and she wants to continue doing so with her films, characters and her choices.

Mardaani 3 will release in theaters on January 30.