In her second outing, our Mardaani has to deal with meaner men. Boys.
Rani Mukerji takes on a teen scum out to show women their audacity. Armed with a sharp belt and years of suppressed venom, the serial rapist-murderer preys on “heroines” who aspire to be heroes.
The heinous tale is set in Rajasthan’s Kota where young girls who question lecherous men are silenced in dark, dingy hideouts. The rapist in question (Vishal Jethwa, adequately criminal) takes pleasure in rupturing the intestines of brazen woman.
Rani takes charge before more of her gender are brutalised. The cat-and-mouse game meanders through scheming politicians, misogynistic policemen and rabble-rousing TV anchors who try to establish “she asked for it”.
The mard-aurat debate assumes preachy tones at times, but Rani leads the charge with such determination that you can’t but help applaud her exploits despite her egoistic male colleagues.
But the teen beast is always a step ahead. And he is convinced that his ticket to fame is heinous crimes.
Rani is a woman in complete command. Alas, the other women have to wait till the end for redemption.