13th October 2023,Mumbai: If you are a fan of suspense, mystery, and drama, then you will love these 10 Indian crime thrillers that are streaming on different OTT platforms in India. These shows will keep you glued to your screens with their intriguing stories, brilliant performances, and shocking twists. Here are our recommendations for the best Indian crime thrillers to watch right now.
Sacred Games (Netflix)
Sacred Games is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed Indian web series of all time. Based on the novel by Vikram Chandra, the show follows the cat-and-mouse game between a troubled cop Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) and a notorious gangster Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who warns him of an impending doom that will destroy Mumbai in 25 days. The show explores the dark and complex themes of politics, crime, religion, and history in a thrilling and engaging manner.
Mirzapur (Amazon Prime Video)
Mirzapur is a gritty and violent saga of two families that are locked in a bloody feud over the control of Mirzapur, a lawless city in Uttar Pradesh. The show revolves around the rise and fall of Akhandanand Tripathi (Pankaj Tripathi), a powerful don who runs a carpet business as a front for his illegal activities, and his son Munna (Divyendu Sharma), who is eager to inherit his empire. Their lives are disrupted when two brothers, Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Bablu (Vikrant Massey), join their gang and become their rivals.
The Family Man (Amazon Prime Video)
The Family Man is a spy thriller with a dash of comedy that follows the life of Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee), a middle-class man who works as a senior analyst in the Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), a covert branch of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). While he tries to protect the country from various terrorist threats, he also struggles to balance his personal and professional life, which often leads to hilarious situations.
Paatal Lok (Amazon Prime Video)
Paatal Lok is a neo-noir series that delves into the dark and dirty underbelly of India’s society. The show follows the investigation of a high-profile case involving the attempted assassination of a famous journalist Sanjeev Mehra (Neeraj Kabi) by four suspects who are arrested by a washed-out cop Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat). As he digs deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of lies, deceit, and conspiracy that connects the worlds of politics, media, police, and crime.
Delhi Crime (Netflix)
Delhi Crime is a realistic and sensitive portrayal of the infamous 2012 Delhi gang rape case that shook the nation. The show follows the efforts of the Delhi Police to catch the perpetrators of the brutal crime that left a young woman fighting for her life and sparked widespread protests and outrage. The show focuses on the perspective of the police officers, especially DCP Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah), who leads the investigation team.
Asur (Voot)
Asur is a unique blend of mythology and forensic science that revolves around a serial killer who uses Hindu rituals and symbols to commit his murders. The show follows two former forensic experts, Nikhil Nair (Barun Sobti) and Dhananjay Rajpoot (Arshad Warsi), who team up to catch the killer who calls himself Asur (demon). The show explores the concepts of good and evil, faith and logic, and past and present in a captivating way.
Criminal Justice (Disney+ Hotstar)
Criminal Justice is an adaptation of the British series of the same name that follows the ordeal of a young cab driver Aditya Sharma (Vikrant Massey) who is accused of murdering one of his passengers Sanaya Rath (Madhurima Roy). The show depicts his struggle to prove his innocence with the help of his lawyer Madhav Mishra (Pankaj Tripathi) while facing the harsh realities of the judicial system and prison life.
Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega (Netflix)
Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega is a crime drama that exposes the dark and dangerous world of phishing scams that are rampant in the small town of Jamtara in Jharkhand. The show follows the lives of a group of young men who run a lucrative phishing operation under the guidance of their leader Sunny Mondal (Sparsh Shrivastav). Their business attracts the attention of a corrupt local politician Brajesh Bhaan (Amit Sial) and a determined cop Dolly Sahu (Aksha Pardasany) who try to stop them.
Breathe (Amazon Prime Video)
Breathe is a psychological thriller that explores the lengths that a desperate father will go to save his dying son. The show follows Danny Mascarenhas (R. Madhavan), a football coach whose son Josh (Atharva Vishwakarma) suffers from a rare lung disease and needs an urgent organ transplant. Danny decides to kill the potential donors who are on the waiting list ahead of his son by using their personal details that he obtains from an organ donation website. His actions are tracked by a brilliant but troubled cop Kabir Sawant (Amit Sadh) who tries to catch him.
Jaane Jaan (Netflix)
Jaane Jaan is a mystery thriller based on the Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. The show stars Kareena Kapoor Khan as Maya D’Souza, a single mother who works at a cafeteria in Kalimpong. Jaideep Ahlawat plays Naren Vyas, a reclusive but brilliant mathematics teacher who lives next door to Maya and her daughter Tara. Vijay Varma plays Karan Anand, a cop and Naren’s former classmate who is assigned to investigate the murder of Maya’s abusive ex-husband Ajit. Naren helps Maya and Tara cover up the crime with his genius mind, but Karan becomes suspicious of him and tries to unravel the truth.
These Indian crime thrillers showcase the depth and diversity of storytelling in the Indian entertainment industry. With their gripping narratives, complex characters, and compelling performances, these shows have captured the attention of audiences worldwide. Whether you enjoy intense action, psychological twists, or thought-provoking dramas, there is something for everyone in this list of top Indian crime thrillers. So, grab your popcorn and get ready for a thrilling ride through the intriguing world of crime and suspense.
-by Kashvi Gala