(This article was updated on June 5, 2025). From Stolen to Nayakan, we’ve assorted some of the best Indian thrillers on Amazon Prime streaming across languages — Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali.
Mysteries, whodunnits, psychological nail-biters—thrillers have long defied narrative borders, pulling viewers in with the promise of tension, surprise, and sharp storytelling. Whether it’s a crime drama, a political espionage plot, or a slow-burning suspense tale, the best thrillers don’t just entertain—they unsettle, provoke, and compel. In recent years, Indian filmmakers—many working outside the Bollywood mainstream—have brought remarkable nuance and craftsmanship to the genre, often from regional industries historically sidelined in the national conversation.
As streaming platforms expand their reach, Indian thrillers have carved out a distinctive niche: taut, character-driven, and culturally specific. And among the major players, Amazon Prime Video has quietly built a rich catalogue.
Quickly then, here are some of the best Indian thrillers streaming on Amazon Prime. Note: These films were playing as of June 5, 2025.
Best Indian Thrillers On Amazon Prime
1. Stolen (2025) – Hindi
Karan Tejpal’s Stolen isn’t interested in cheap suspense—it earns its tension the hard way. What begins as a missing child case in rural India quickly unravels into something thornier: a study of privilege, guilt, and the quiet cruelty of bystander apathy. Abhishek Banerjee plays Gautam, a man too used to watching the world from a distance, until that distance vanishes.
The real jolt, though, comes from Mia Maelzer, whose portrayal of the grieving mother never begs for sympathy—it demands it. Tejpal directs Stolen with restraint, a film less about resolution than exposure: of class divides, human frailty, and how far we’ll go to avoid looking directly at someone else’s pain.
2. Maanagaram (2017) – Tamil
Maanagaram (Metropolis) is a tightly wound thriller that maps the chaos of Chennai through crisscrossing lives. Lokesh Kanagaraj’s feature debut—years before Kaithi and Vikram—follows four characters: a short-tempered job seeker, a cab driver, a hapless criminal, and a principled stranger, all drawn into a botched kidnapping. The film’s genius lies in its structure. It never flaunts its cleverness; it just moves—fast, lean, and always one step ahead.
Kanagaraj’s script is tense but never showy, letting the city breathe between gunshots and chance encounters. The ensemble cast, especially Sundeep Kishan and Munishkanth, ground the story with humor and vulnerability. Maanagaram isn’t just a thriller—it’s a portrait of a city constantly on the edge, where strangers collide and fate doesn’t flinch.
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3. Ela Veezha Poonchira (2022) – Malayalam
Shahi Kabir’s Thekku Vadakku unfolds like a fog—you don’t realize how deep you’re in until visibility vanishes. Set atop a remote hill, where a lonely wireless police station hums beneath heavy monsoon skies, the film opens with Officer Madhu (a brilliantly restrained Soubin Shahir) making the slow, rain-soaked journey to his new post. What follows is part procedural, part character study. A woman’s dismembered body begins to haunt the landscape, and with it, the men stationed to guard it.
Writers Shaji Maarad and Nidhish take what might’ve been a straightforward crime setup and twist it into something more meditative—strange, quiet, and tense. The cinematography is startling, the pacing deliberate, and Soubin’s performance? All haunted eyes and long silences. It lingers.
4. Ek Hasina Thi (2004) – Hindi
Ek Hasina Thi begins like a noir and ends like a gut punch. Sriram Raghavan’s debut starts with charm and urban cool, then slowly twists into a cold, deliberate revenge story. Urmila Matondkar is magnetic—vulnerable one moment, unflinching the next. Saif Ali Khan plays the charming predator with unnerving ease. What sets the film apart isn’t just the plot but the patience.
Raghavan doesn’t rush revenge; he lets it simmer. The violence is sparse, but it lands hard. I remember walking into the film expecting pulp and walking out surprised by its precision. Almost twenty years on, Ek Hasina Thi still cuts sharp. It’s not loud, not flashy—just quietly ruthless, like the best kind of payback.
5. Pada (2022) – Malayalam
Kamal KM’s Pada is a rare kind of political thriller—urgent but composed, angry yet clear-eyed. Based on a real incident from 1996, the film follows four members of a leftist group who take a district collector hostage, demanding the rollback of a law that threatens the rights of Adivasi communities. What could have been a one-note protest drama becomes something richer: a gripping hostage scenario layered with ideological conviction and moral ambiguity.
Vinayakan, Joju George, Kunchacko Boban, and Dileesh Pothan deliver quietly forceful performances, grounding the film in lived-in realism. Pada doesn’t mythologize its revolutionaries, nor does it sentimentalize its cause. Even the music resists melodrama. What remains is something sharper: a portrait of resistance that never raises its voice, yet insists on being heard.
6. Andha Naal (1954) – Tamil
S. Balachander’s Andha Naal may have stumbled at the box office, but history has been far kinder. The 1954 murder mystery—one of Tamil cinema’s earliest thrillers without songs or dances—was awarded Second Best Feature Film in Tamil at the 2nd National Film Awards and eventually gained cult status. In 2013, CNN-News18 named it one of the 100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time.
Inspired by Kurosawa’s Rashomon, which Balachander first saw at a film festival, the film borrows its fragmented narrative and moral ambiguity. Javar Seetharaman co-wrote the script and plays the investigating officer, while Sivaji Ganesan, in a rare morally grey role, drew critical acclaim. Pandari Bai, as the conflicted wife, brings sharp intensity to this atmospheric, noir-tinged classic.
Watch Andha Naal on Amazon Prime
7. Sonar Kella (1974) – Bengali
Satyajit Ray wasn’t just a master filmmaker and music composer. He also had a flair for writing fiction, particularly detective stories. His most beloved creation, the suave investigator Feluda, first appeared on screen in Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress), adapted from Ray’s own novel.
The story begins with a boy who claims to recall a past life in a golden fortress—an account that makes its way into a newspaper article. The piece sparks interest not just from his family, but from criminals with their own designs. What follows is a winding journey—by train, across deserts, through memory and myth—as Feluda steps in to untangle the mystery.
Soumitra Chatterjee plays Feluda with quiet authority, while Ray orchestrates three narrative threads with the precision of a puzzle box. The result is charming, tense, and deeply cinematic.
8. Nayakan (1987) – Tamil
Inspired by The Godfather, Nayakan (1987) brought together three titans of Indian cinema—Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, and Ilaiyaraaja—and redefined what the gangster epic could be. Loosely based on the life of Tamil don Varadarajan Mudaliar, the film charts the rise of Velu Naicker, a rebellious slum kid who becomes a reluctant protector of the oppressed. Kamal Haasan’s performance—restrained, wounded, quietly explosive—ranks alongside Brando’s Corleone in its depth and dignity.
While Mouna Raagam gave Mani Ratnam room to experiment, Nayakan is where his voice crystallized. His penchant for sharp angles, light and darkness, sweeping set-ups were well established here. It also marked the beginning of a rich collaboration with cinematographer P.C. Sreeram. The film isn’t flawless, but it remains a landmark—ambitious, textured, and years ahead of its time.
Watch Nayakan on Amazon Prime
9. Shanghai (2012) – Hindi
Costa-Gavras’s Z (1969) captured the political unrest of 1960s Greece, but Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai adapts its spirit with surprising ease to contemporary India. That the film works so well in a completely different cultural context speaks to Banerjee’s sharp writing and tight direction. The themes—state corruption, media manipulation, and public apathy—remain as relevant as ever, and the core narrative transcends borders.
The pacing is brisk, with little wasted motion. Emraan Hashmi, in one of his most interesting roles, and Kalki Koechlin both deliver strong performances. Banerjee’s eye for detail grounds the film in a realism that feels lived-in rather than staged. Shanghai is a tense, smart political thriller—and one of the director’s most accomplished works to date.
Watch Shanghai on Amazon Prime
10. Chotushkone (2014) – Bengali
Srijit Mukherji’s Chotushkone is a solid dramatic thriller that stands out for its structure and sharp execution. The film follows four filmmakers who are invited by a mysterious producer to collaborate on an anthology, with death as the common theme. What begins as a creative challenge soon takes a darker turn. Mukherji uses the “film within a film” device effectively (which he later employed in films like Vinci Da and Uma) keeping us engaged through shifting perspectives and timelines.
The ensemble cast—including Parambrata Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, and Goutam Ghose—delivers strong performances. Mukherji blends genre elements with commentary on artistic ego and ambition, without losing sight of the suspense. The intricate screenplay demands a second viewing to understand its subtext.
11. Titli (2014) – Hindi
Titli is a story of a dysfunctional family, three brothers and a father, who’ve lived a life of crime and violence. Quartered in a squalid, run-down area in East Delhi, they make a living car-jacking. First-time director Kanu Behl skilfully brings out the nuances of the city, establishing a setting that feels lived in.
Fraught with violence and gore, Titli is a disturbing descent into the city’s grim, visceral underbelly thick with crime and corruption. There’s no hope or escape in sight. The characters inhabit a world where immorality is a norm and hopelessness and despair are constant companions. (Read full review here)
Watch Titli on Amazon Prime
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12. The Hungry (2017) – Hindi
The Hungry (2017), directed by Bornila Chatterjee, is a bold and unsettling adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, set against the backdrop of India’s elite business class. It’s a story of grief, revenge, and unchecked greed, where personal loss collides with corporate ambition. Tisca Chopra delivers a quietly intense performance as a grieving mother navigating a world of calculated violence and moral decay.
The film is visually striking, with stark compositions and a chilling sense of control. While it occasionally leans too heavily into symbolism, it holds your attention with its mood and mounting tension. The Hungry isn’t a comfortable watch, nor is it meant to be—but it’s a sharp, stylish take on vengeance in a world where power rarely comes clean.
Watch The Hungry on Amazon Prime
13. Raazi (2018) – Hindi
A taut spy thriller helped by an edge-of-the-seat narrative and a fine ensemble of actors, Raazi is a wartime tale set in 1971. It chronicles the true story of a young Kashmiri girl trained as a spy sent behind enemy lines ahead of the Indo-Pak war. Alia Bhatt as Sehmat renders some fine, jaw-dropping moments and her character transition is smooth. She brings out the innocence and brazenness with equal conviction.
Watch Raazi for Meghna Gulzar’s compelling storytelling, supported by brilliant performances (Jaideep Ahlawat, Vicky Kaushal, Shishir Sharma, Rajit Kapur, Amruta Khanvilkar). I wish Vicky Kaushal had more to do.
Amid all the jingoistic dramas, Raazi stands out as a measured, sobering look at the human cost of espionage.
Watch Raazi on Amazon Prime
14. Magamuni (2019) – Tamil
Santhakumar’s Magamuni is more than just a revenge thriller—it’s a layered character study disguised as genre cinema. Aarya takes on dual roles as estranged twin brothers: Maga, a weary cab driver entangled in political violence, and Muni, a soft-spoken farmer devoted to organic living. The contrast isn’t played for gimmick—it’s grounded, textured, and deeply felt.
The film resists the easy trope of separated siblings colliding for spectacle. Instead, Santhakumar’s screenplay takes its time, investing in character and mood. The tension builds not just from plot twists, but from moral weight. Every decision feels lived-in. Like his earlier Mouna Guru (2011), Magamuni blends quiet intensity with sharp social observation, proving once again that thrillers can be as empathetic as they are edge-of-the-seat.
15. Virus (2019) – Malayalam
Aashiq Abu’s Virus is a gripping and deeply human Malayalam thriller, based on the real-life Nipah virus outbreak that rattled Kerala in 2018. Structured like a docudrama, the film follows not just the science of containment, but the personal stories of those who endured, responded, and risked everything. It’s less about spectacle than the quiet heroism of medical staff, officials, and ordinary citizens.
What stands out is the film’s commitment to realism—the desperation and fear are portrayed with such conviction that it’s easy to forget you’re watching fiction. The sense of urgency never feels forced. Released just before COVID-19, Virus now plays with eerie resonance. But even without hindsight, it remains a thoughtful, restrained portrayal of crisis and collective resilience.
16. Kavaludaari (2019) – Kannada
Kavaludaari, written and directed by Hemanth M. Rao (co-writer of Andhadhun), is a noir-tinged thriller that doubles as a slow-burn character study. It follows a disillusioned traffic cop drawn into an old, unsolved murder case, aided by a retired officer and a sharp-edged journalist. Rao has a good eye for mood and structure, especially in early sequences where the investigation unfolds visually—most notably in a neatly crafted scene involving case files and faded photographs.
The film does lose momentum in its final act, veering into familiar territory with political conspiracies and personal vendettas. Still, for much of its runtime, Kavaludaari remains a tense and well-executed procedural, elevated by its atmosphere, solid writing, and a sense of lingering moral ambiguity.
17. Agent Sai Srinivas Athreya (2019) – Telugu
Swaroop RSJ’s Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya is a welcome detour from the overcooked spectacle of mainstream Telugu cinema—a detective thriller that’s funny, self-aware, and surprisingly sharp. Naveen Polishetty, who also co-wrote the script, plays the wannabe Sherlock of Nellore with infectious energy and deadpan timing. He’s clever, sure, but also just clueless enough to keep things interesting.
Swaroop and Naveen strike a tricky balance between humor and tension, and for the most part, it works. The film does falter with pacing and a tendency to over-explain, a common pitfall in Indian thrillers. But the core mystery holds, and the script sneaks in a pointed critique of blind faith and superstition—making the laughs earned, and the payoff meaningful.
18. Joji (2021) – Malayalam
Joji, directed by Dileesh Pothan and written by Syam Pushkaran, is a loose, modern take on Macbeth, filtered through the eerie stillness of pandemic-era Kerala. Fahadh Faasil plays the youngest son of the wealthy Panachel family—a quiet, cunning outsider with neither strength nor status, but a growing appetite for power. When the family patriarch falls ill, Joji’s impulses take a darker turn.
The film draws unease not from overt violence, but from stillness—long silences, sterile rooms, and the slow corrosion of family ties. It may not be as narratively satisfying as Pothan’s earlier Maheshinte Prathikaram or Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyu, but Joji remains a compelling character study, and a sharp, unsettling meditation on ambition, guilt, and domestic rot.
Watch Joji on Amazon Prime
19. Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (2021) – Hindi
Several critics who’ve reviewed Dibakar Banerjee’s recent film misconceive it as a chase thriller. Of course, the title is partly suggestive. But what Banerjee offers is a gripping character portrait of two characters hailing from vastly contrasting backgrounds. The narrative does have a few flaws, in terms of pacing and writing. But he fascinatingly subverts our expectations throughout the film.
Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra astound us with their grounded performances. The filmmaker’s trademark black humor adds more intrigue to this thriller.
Watch Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar on Amazon Prime
20. Jalsa (2022) – Hindi
Jalsa, Suresh Triveni’s second feature after Tumhari Sulu, is a social drama wrapped in the skin of a procedural. At its center is Maya Menon (Vidya Balan), a high-profile journalist known for her moral clarity. Her domestic world is anchored by Ruksana (Shefali Shah), the family’s cook and caregiver to Maya’s disabled son. But a hit-and-run accident one night fractures this carefully held equilibrium, setting off a slow-burn unraveling.
What follows is a tense moral standoff—less about what happened than who can afford to tell the truth. Triveni threads themes of class, guilt, and maternal loyalty through a story that resists easy catharsis. Even when the script stumbles in the second half, Balan and Shah keep Jalsa engaging with steady, convincing performances.
21. Malyankunju (2022) – Malayalam
Fahadh Faasil delivers yet another finely controlled performance in Malayankunju, Sajimon Prabhakar’s grim and affecting survival thriller. He plays Anikuttan, an electronics repairman in a quiet mountain village, whose bitterness—rooted in caste prejudice and unresolved grief—makes him both unlikable and unmistakably human. After a devastating landslide, Anikuttan finds himself trapped beneath rubble, and what unfolds is less about physical survival than moral reckoning.
Mahesh Narayanan’s dual role as screenwriter and cinematographer gives the film its edge: patient, tightly composed, and unafraid to sit with discomfort. The landscape is intimate, almost suffocating. A.R. Rahman’s score resists grandeur, instead building dread through restraint. Malayankunju doesn’t ask us to forgive its protagonist—but it quietly urges us to understand what it takes to change.
Wrapping Up
And that wraps our list of standout Indian thrillers currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Of course, a few deserving titles may have slipped through—Maachis (1996), Ardh Satya (1983), and Drishyam 2 (2021, Malayalam) come to mind. For those looking to dig deeper, consider Her: Chapter 1 (2023, Telugu) Hit: The First Case (2020, Telugu), Imaikkaa Nodigal (2017, Tamil).
If we’ve missed a gem you swear by, let us know in the comments below—we’re always up for adding a few more twists to the watchlist.
