 In 2014, Mukerji appeared in Pradeep Sarkar's crime thriller Mardaani, in which she played the lead role of Shivani Shivaji Roy, a Maharashtrian policewoman involved in a kidnapping case that leads her to uncover secrets of human trafficking in India. She took on the role "to show all girls what the reality is, what the world has come to, and how they need to protect themselves". In preparation, she interacted with senior officials of Mumbai's crime branch, and learned the Israeli self-defense technique of Krav Maga. Rajeev Masand found Mukerji to be the prime asset of the film, adding that by "investing Shivani with both physical strength and emotional courage, she gives us a hero that's hard not to root for". Writing for Hindustan Times, Anupama Chopra also praised her performance, writing that she not only "imbues Shivani with steely resolve but also gives her emotional depth". The film was a commercial success and garnered Mukerji another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.
