8 best Indian spy movies on Netflix: From Katrina Kaif-Saif Ali Khan's Phantom to John Abraham's Force 2
Spy is one of the famous genres in filmmaking. Indian filmmakers have been creating a lot of spy movies over the years. Here's a curated list of some of the best in this genre to enjoy on a leading OTT platform.
The spy film is also known as the spy thriller. This is a genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy. Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films. Spy films show the espionage activities of government agents and their risk of being discovered by their enemies. The Cold War era intensified the genre, led by the famous James Bond movies, but it goes beyond just 007.
The best spy movies consist of exciting elements such as fast cars, strong drinks, and mad scientists with real-world dangers like nuclear weapons and scheming politicians. Audiences love them because they tap into our concerns.
Shedding light into this specific genre, Pinkvilla curated some of the best Indian spy movies that you can binge-watch on Netflix.
Here is a list of best 8 Indian spy movies on Netflix
1. Romeo Akbar Walter (2019)
- Running Time: 2h 21min
- IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Thriller
- Movie Star Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Sikander Kher, Pawan Kumar Jagoli, Ashish Chhipa, Shadaab Khan, Rajesh Shringarpure, Sikandar Kher
- Director: Robby Grewal
- Writer: Robby Grewal, Shreyansh Pandey, Ishraq Shah
- Year of release: 2019
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
The story of Romeo Akbar Walter follows a bank cashier named Romeo (John Abraham) who is chosen by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's foreign intelligence service. They think he is an expert at disguising himself and can act as Akbar, India's covert operative in Pok (the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region) during the events building up to the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
2. Khufiya (2023)
- Running Time: 2h 37min
- IMDB Rating: 6/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Crime, Biography
- Movie Star Cast: Tabu, Ali Fazal, Ashish Vidyarthi, Wamiqa Gabbi, Atul Kulkarni
- Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
- Writer: Vishal Bhardwaj, Rohan Narula, Amar Bhushan
- Year of release: 2023
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
Tabu plays R&AW operative Krishna Mehra in Khufiya who is assigned to track down the mole selling India's defense secrets in this Vishal Bhardwaj movie that's inspired by true events and based on Amar Bhushan's espionage novel Escape to Nowhere.It is one of the best Indian spy movies.
3. Mission Majnu (2023)
- Running Time: 2h 15min
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Drama, History
- Movie Star Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Rashmika Mandanna, Ashwath Bhatt, Kumud Mishra
- Director: Shantanu Bagchi
- Writer: Aseem Arora, Sumit Batheja, Parveez Shaikh
- Year of release: 2023
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
In Mission Majnu, Sidharth Malhotra plays the role of a RAW agent who goes to Pakistan for a coveted mission before and during the 1971 war. The film is considered to be one of the famous spy movies on Netflix. It also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Parmeet Sethi, Sharib Hashmi, Kumud Mishra, and Rajit Kapur. The film can be enjoyed on Netflix if you are into spy stories and espionage.
4. Naam Shabana (2017)
- Running Time: 2h 28min
- IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Drama
- Movie Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee, Shibani Dandekar, Danny Denzongpa, Elli AvrRam, Taher Shabbir
- Director: Shivam Nair
- Writer: Neeraj Pandey, Rajshri Sudhakar
- Year of release: 2017
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
Naam Shabana delves into the camaraderie and solidarity within the intelligence agency, highlighting the teamwork and sacrifices that go into safeguarding the nation. With its gripping storyline, well-choreographed action scenes, and strong performances, Naam Shabana offers a blend of suspense and adrenaline that keeps audiences hooked.
5. Code Name: Tiranga (2022)
- Running Time: 2h 17min
- IMDB Rating: 3.3/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action
- Movie Star Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Harrdy Sandhu, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Sharad Kelkar, Rajit Kapur
- Director: Ribhu Dasgupta
- Writer: Ribhu Dasgupta
- Year of release: 2022
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
In Code Name: Tiranga, an undercover agent is on a mission to avenge the terrorist attacks that were committed on Indian soil in 2001. Eventually, the mission leads her to a point of no reason.
6. Force 2 (2016)
- Running Time: 2h 6min
- IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Adventure
- Movie Star Cast: John Abraham, Sonakshi Sinha, Boman Irani, Genelia Deshmukh, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Raj Babbar, Adil Hussain, Freddy Daruwala
- Director: Abhinay Deo
- Writer: Parvez Shaikh, Jasmeet Reen, Parveez Sheikh
- Year of release: 2016
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
ACP Yashwardhan, a responsible and honorable police officer, collaborates with RAW agent Kamaljit Kaur to reveal an insider who divulges confidential information to a foreign agency pursuing RAW agents sums up Force 2.
7. Phantom (2015)
- Running Time: 2h 27min
- IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Drama
- Movie Star Cast: Katrina Kaif, Saif Ali Khan, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub
- Director: Kabir Khan
- Writer: Kabir Khan, Hussain Zaidi, Parveez Sheikh
- Year of release: 2015
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
Phantom goes on to explore themes of counterterrorism, patriotism, and the complexities of international relations. It keeps audiences engaged with its high-stakes plot, intense action sequences, and the protagonists' determination to bring the culprits to justice.
8. Madras Cafe (2013)
- Running Time: 2h 9min
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Drama
- Movie Star Cast: John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, Raashi Khanna
- Director: Shoojit Sircar
- Writer: Somnath Dey, Shubendu Bhattacharya, Shubhendu Bhattacharya, Juhi Chaturvedi
- Year of release: 2013
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
Madras Cafe is one of the most well-made films in the spy genre. The story revolves around the Sri Lankan civil war in the 1980s and 1990s. The film won the National Award for Best Audiography.