Mardaani 3: Meet Mallika Prasad, the Chilling New Villain ‘Amma’

New Delhi, january 14, 2026: The trailer for Mardaani 3 has officially dropped, and while Rani Mukerji’s return as the fierce ACP Shivani Shivaji Roy is making headlines, it is the introduction of the new antagonist, Amma, that has left audiences truly unsettled. Played by Mallika Prasad (also known as Mallika Prasad Sinha), the character is being described as the franchise’s most chilling villain yet.

Who is Mallika Prasad?

Mallika Prasad is far from a newcomer, though her role in Mardaani 3 marks a massive breakout moment in mainstream Bollywood. Born and raised in Bengaluru, she is a highly accomplished theatre artist, director, and educator. Her craft is backed by an elite academic background:

• National School of Drama (NSD): She holds a postgraduate diploma in acting from the prestigious Delhi-based institute.
• Goldsmiths, University of London: She earned a Master’s degree in Performance Making from this world-renowned college.

Beyond her academic credentials, Mallika is a Certified Fitzmaurice Voicework teacher and the co-founder of the Actors Ensemble India Forum.

A Versatile Career Across Industries

Before stepping into the dark world of Mardaani 3, Mallika built a reputation for depth and versatility:

• Kannada Cinema & TV: She is a household name for many in Karnataka, having starred in popular serials like Guptagamini, Megha-Mayuri, and the award-winning Naagkannike. Her film debut dates back to 1999 with the National Award-winning Kanooru Heggadithi.
• Recent OTT Success: Viewers may recognize her from recent high-profile projects such as Anurag Kashyap’s Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat and the web series Killer Soup (starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Manoj Bajpayee).
• International Theatre: Her solo digital performance, Hidden in Plain Sight, won the Infallibles Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2021.

Becoming “Amma” in Mardaani 3

In this third installment, Shivani Shivaji Roy faces a terrifying human-trafficking network and a “beggar mafia” targeting young girls. At the helm of this operation is Amma, a character Mallika describes as “evil yet holding a fierce spirit.”

Unlike the explosive, impulsive villains of the previous films, Amma appears to be a mastermind who operates with a calm, psychological edge. Mallika shared that the role was transformative, requiring her to “sit with her own shadows” and step away from a simplistic, black-and-white portrayal of a criminal.

Release Details

Directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra (YRF), Mardaani 3 also features Janki Bodiwala, Neena Gupta, and Jim Sarbh. The film is set to hit theaters worldwide on January 30, 2026.

With the trailer already garnering millions of views, the face-off between Rani Mukerji’s “quiet strength” and Mallika Prasad’s “cold-blooded” Amma is expected to be the cinematic highlight of the month.