Bollywood has delivered some seriously gripping spy thrillers over the years — where intense storytelling, complex characters, and geopolitical stakes combine with pulse-pounding action. If you love espionage with heart, grit, and cinematic flair, here’s your ultimate list! Bollywood Spy Films!
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1. Baby (2015) — IMDb: 7.9
One of Bollywood’s most tightly written spy thrillers, Baby follows an elite team of agents tasked with stopping sleeper cells across the globe. With razor-sharp plotting and edge-of-your-seat tension, Written & Directed by Neeraj Panday with an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu and Danny Denzongpa, it set a new bar for Indian espionage cinema. Watch on Amazon Prime Video.
2. Raazi (2018) — IMDb: 7.7
A beautifully crafted tale of loyalty and sacrifice, Raazi is based on a woman who marries into enemy territory to gather intelligence during war. Written by Bhavani Iyer & Meghna Gulzar and Directed by Meghna Gulzar with Alia Bhatt giving a terrific performance as the lead, Its emotional depth and layered screenplay make it one of the genre’s best. Rent on Apple TV+.
3. Phantom (2015) — IMDb: 6.0
A political spy action drama inspired by events after the 26/11 attacks, Phantom blends patriotism with personal missions. Not a film which is talked about much but its riveting set-pieces and sharp pacing keep you hooked and makes it for a really gripping watch. Written by Kabir Khan, Parveez Shaikh and Kausar Munir with the story adapted from S. Hussain Zaidi’s book Mumbai Avengers and Directed by Kabir Khan. Rent on Amazon Prime Video/Youtube
4. Madras Cafe (2013) — IMDb: 7.6
Set against the backdrop of civil war and political conspiracy, Madras Cafe is a smart, character-driven thriller about covert operations and their costs. Written by Shubhendu Bhattacharya, Somnath Dey and Juhi Chaturvedi, Directed by Shoojit Sircar, with John Abraham in the lead – also a performance which is termed as one of his career’s bests, it is widely regarded as one of Bollywood’s most realistic spy films. Available to Stream on Amazon Prime Video.
5. Dhurandhar (2025) — IMDb: 8.3
Representing the newest wave of Indian spy cinema, Dhurandhar has taken audiences by storm with its sprawling narrative and bold visuals. Written & Directed by Aditya Dhar, Headlined by Ranveer Singh and a stellar ensemble of Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun, the film is set against real-inspired covert operations and complex underworld politics — and is currently a global box-office phenomenon. It’s expected to hit Netflix soon with PART II RELEASING ON 19TH MARCH 2025!
Bollywood’s spy genre has something for everyone. Time to binge them all!
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