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.

Updated on Jan 09, 2024  |  01:41 AM IST |  1.2M
8 best Indian spy movies on Netflix: From Katrina Kaif-Saif Ali Khan's Phantom to John Abraham's Force 2
Image Credit: YouTube, IMDb

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 AbrahamMouni RoyJackie 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.

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2. Khufiya (2023) 


  • Running Time: 2h 37min
  • IMDB Rating: 6/10
  • Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Crime, Biography 
  • Movie Star Cast: TabuAli FazalAshish VidyarthiWamiqa 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.

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4. Naam Shabana (2017) 


  • Running Time: 2h 28min
  • IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
  • Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Drama
  • Movie Star Cast: Akshay KumarTaapsee 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. 

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6. Force 2 (2016)


  • Running Time: 2h 6min
  • IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
  • Movie Genre: Spy, Action, Adventure
  • Movie Star Cast: John AbrahamSonakshi SinhaBoman IraniGenelia 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 KaifSaif 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 
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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. 

ALSO READ: Bollywood Newswrap, Jan 8: Deepika Padukone-Hrithik Roshan's Fighter song Heer Aasmani OUT; Ira Khan-Nupur Shikhare's mehendi look

FAQs

Is Raazi available on Netflix?
Right now you can watch Raazi on Prime Video. You are able to stream Raazi by renting or purchasing on Google Play.

Is Uri: The Surgical Strike part of Netflix's catalog?
You can watch Uri: The Surgical Strike with English subtitles on various streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, or other regional streaming services.

Is the film Kahaani considered a spy movie, and is it on Netflix?
Kahaani is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language thriller film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Sujoy Ghosh. It stars Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi.

Credits: IMDb, YouTube, Netflix
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