New Delhi, Jan. 30 -- Mardaani 3, the much-anticipated third instalment in the Rani Mukerji-starring crime thriller franchise, has made a modest beginning on its first day in Indian cinemas.

According to early tracking figures, the film reported a Day 1 [1st Friday] collection of Rs.1.96 Cr, bringing its total to the same amount on release day.

Mardaani 3 recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 11.88% on Friday, with morning shows at 8.97% and afternoon shows at 14.78%, while evening and night shows showed no significant turnout.

Industry trackers note that this represents a slower than expected start for a franchise that has previously performed well on opening weekends, particularly given the positive critical response surrounding the...