Mardaani 3 paid promotions behind ‘800 girls missing’ in Delhi claims? YRF dismisses rumours: ‘We are a 50 years old company’ | Bollywood News
3 min readNew DelhiFeb 6, 2026 04:27 PM IST
Anyone who has watched Mardaani 3 knows that this time, the makers have centred the film around the sensitive issue of child trafficking. Coinciding with the film’s release and promotions, reports claiming that over 800 people had gone missing in just 15 days in Delhi were circulated, leading to panic. The figures were widely circulated on social media, amplified by several influencers, and soon snowballed into a full-blown panic among the public.
The situation escalated to a point where the Delhi Police had to step in. While the police did not deny the authenticity of the data itself, they raised concerns about the manner in which the issue was being projected online. In a strongly worded statement, the authorities claimed that the narrative was being pushed through ‘paid promotions’ for monetary gains, sparking speculation that the comment was an indirect reference to the promotional campaign of Mardaani 3. Amid the growing chatter, Yash Raj Films (YRF) has now broken its silence and released a statement.
What YRF said
Responding to the allegations, a YRF spokesperson stated,“Yash Raj Films is a 50-year-old company founded on the core principles of being highly ethical and transparent. We strongly deny the accusations floating on social media that Mardaani 3’s promotional campaign has deliberately sensationalised a sensitive issue like this. We have immense trust in our authorities that they will share all facts and truths in due course of time.”
How the ‘800 missing people’ claims began
A few days ago, a PTI report stated that over 800 people went missing in Delhi during the first 15 days of 2026. The report triggered widespread alarm and intense online discussion. Prior to this, social media had already been flooded with posts claiming that around 60 girls had gone missing in Mumbai within 36 days—a claim that was later dismissed by Mumbai Police as fake.
Soon after, the Delhi data—based on official records—was picked up by multiple media houses and shared extensively across platforms, reigniting fears around women’s safety.
Delhi Police flags ‘paid promotions’
Taking to its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Delhi Police issued a clarification, stating: “After following a few leads, we discovered that the hype around the surge in missing girls in Delhi is being pushed through paid promotion. Creating panic for monetary gains won’t be tolerated, and we’ll take strict action against such individuals.”
Story continues below this ad
The police further clarified that while the data is accurate, the numbers are consistent with historical averages and do not indicate any sudden or abnormal spike.
Why Mardaani 3 was dragged into the controversy
Following the police statement, several content creators and influencers suggested that the alleged paid promotions were linked to Mardaani 3, given the film’s theme involving the kidnapping of young girls for scientific experimentation.
One influencer commented, “Look at the coincidence—Mardaani 3 is based on mass disappearances of girls, and at the same time, news of 800 girls going missing surfaces.” Calling it out as “cheap publicity,” such claims further fuelled online speculation.
However, with YRF categorically denying any involvement, the matter continues to remain under scrutiny as authorities investigate the source behind the paid amplification of the issue.
