7 movies like Badla to keep you on the edge of your seats

Are you searching for more thrilling movies like Badla? Here is a list of Bollywood works that will blow your minds with their suspense and plot twists.

By Apeksha Juneja

Updated on Aug 14, 2024 | 01:35 AM IST | 328.2K

7 movies like Badla to keep you on the edge of your seats (Pic Courtesy: Netflix India)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to murder, which could be triggering for some readers.

The 2019 film Badla, starring Taapsee Pannu and Amitabh Bachchan, is one of the most popular mystery thrillers of recent times. The story revolving around a suspect and lawyer received a lot of love for its mind-blowing twists as well as the intriguing suspense. If you’re interested in experiencing more such murder mysteries that will keep you on the edge of your seats, here are some movies like Badla to add to your watchlist.

7 thrilling movies like Badla that are a must-watch:

1. Murder Mubarak

Running Time: 2 hours 21 mins
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Movie Genre: Mystery/Comedy
Movie Star Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Varma, Dimple Kapadia, Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Tisca Chopra, Suhail Nayyar
Director: Homi Adajania
Writer: Suprotim Sengupta, Gazal Dhaliwal
Year of release: 2024
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix

Murder Mubarak, one of the Badla-like movies, is based on the book Club You To Death by Anuja Chauhan. The film is a blend of mystery, comedy, and romance. The story follows the investigation of a crime that happens in an elite club. A cop suspects seven people, who have quite colorful personalities and their own secrets.

2. Merry Christmas

Running Time: 2 hours 23 mins
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Movie Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Movie Star Cast: Katrina Kaif, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanjay Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Pratima Kannan, Tinnu Anand
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Writer: Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti, Anukriti Pandey
Year of release: 2024
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix

Merry Christmas is another good choice if you want to try more movies like Badla. It marked the first collaboration of Katrina Kaif with Sriram Raghavan and Vijay Sethupathi. In the movie, two strangers named Albert and Maria meet on Christmas Eve and decide to spend the holiday together. But soon, their night takes a mysterious turn.

3. Jaane Jaan

Running Time: 2 hours 19 mins
IMDb Rating: 7/10
Movie Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Movie Star Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vijay Varma, Jaideep Ahlawat, Saurabh Sachdeva, Lin Laishram, Naisha Khanna
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Writer: Sujoy Ghosh
Year of release: 2023
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix

Jaane Jaan is another one of the movies like Badla on Netflix. Helmed by the same director, Sujoy Ghosh, it is about a single mother who gets entangled in a crime investigation and a math teacher who offers to help her. Jaane Jaan is an adaptation of the 2005 Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X.

4. Andhadhun

Running Time: 2 hours 18 mins
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Movie Genre: Crime/Thriller
Movie Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Writer: Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Hemanth M. Rao, Pooja Ladha Surti, Yogesh Chandekar
Year of release: 2018
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: YouTube

Andhadhun, a black comedy crime thriller, is considered one of the best mystery movies in recent times. In the film, Ayushmann Khurrana’s character Akash is a piano player who pretends to be blind. A lot of problems occur in his life when he unintentionally witnesses a murder. The film’s climax is not one to be missed.

5. Drishyam

Running Time: 2 hours 42 mins
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Movie Genre: Crime/Thriller/Drama
Movie Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav, Rajat Kapoor
Director: Nishikant Kamat
Writer: Upendra Sidhaye
Year of release: 2015
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix

Drishyam, one of the most loved movies in the suspense genre, follows the story of Vijay Salgaonkar and his family. When the son of Goa’s IG goes missing, suspicion falls on Vijay and his family. However, he will go to any lengths to ensure their safety. The film’s sequel, Drishyam 2, was released in 2022 and also deserves a special mention on this list.

6. Kahaani

Running Time: 2 hours 2 mins
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Movie Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Movie Star Cast: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Indraneil Sengupta
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Writer: Sujoy Ghosh
Year of release: 2012
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video

If you’re looking for suspenseful Bollywood movies like Badla, Kahaani is a must on your watchlist. It is one of the most acclaimed films made by Sujoy Ghosh and also earned him a National Award. The movie is about Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman, who reaches Kolkata to search for her missing husband. The climax will make your jaws drop.

7. 36 China Town (2006)

Running Time: 2 hours 14 mins
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Movie Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Comedy
Movie Star Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Paresh Rawal, Payal Rohatgi, Johnny Lever, Tannaz Irani, Upen Patel
Director: Abbas-Mustan
Writer: Shyam Goel
Year of release: 2006
Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video/ZEE5

We end this list of entertaining movies like Badla with 36 China Town. It follows the investigation of the murder of Sonia Chang, a casino owner in Goa. All the people who were present at her house on the night of the crime became suspects. They all had their own motives to have committed the murder.

More about Badla

Badla is an official remake of the Spanish 2016 film The Invisible Guest. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, the cast includes Taapsee Pannu, Amitabh Bachchan, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke, Manav Kaul, and more. It is available to watch on Netflix.

Are there any other movies like Badla that you enjoy watching? Let us know in the comments below.

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