1. Andhadhun (2018)

Director: Sriram Raghavan | Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte | IMDb: 8.2/10

Andhadhun movie poster starring Ayushmann Khurrana

One of the finest Hindi thrillers of the last decade. Andhadhun follows a blind pianist who accidentally witnesses a murder — or does he? Sriram Raghavan crafts a darkly comedic, endlessly twisting narrative where no character is quite what they seem. Ayushmann Khurrana delivers what remains his most accomplished performance, but it is Tabu — icy, calculated, devastating — who steals every frame she is in. The film does not just have twists; it has layers of deception that make you want to rewatch it immediately.

The genius of Andhadhun lies in its ambiguity. Every reveal opens a new question. By the final scene — one of the most debated endings in modern Indian cinema — you will not know whom to trust. That is the mark of a great psychological thriller.

▶ Watch Andhadhun on JioHotstar | Also on Amazon Prime Video

2. Kahaani (2012)

Director: Sujoy Ghosh | Cast: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Indraneil Sengupta | IMDb: 8.1/10

Kahaani movie poster starring Vidya Balan

A pregnant woman walks into a Kolkata police station looking for her missing husband. Nobody has ever seen him. That is the deceptively simple premise of Sujoy Ghosh's masterpiece. Vidya Balan plays Vidya Bagchi — determined, fierce, and heartbreakingly vulnerable — in what is easily one of the most celebrated performances in Indian thriller cinema.

Kahaani builds its suspense not through jump scares or loud music, but through the claustrophobic streets of Kolkata during Durga Puja. Every alley, every face, every bureaucratic dead end adds to the unease. The final reveal is a gut punch that redefines everything you have watched for two hours. If you have somehow not seen this yet, stop reading and go watch it.

▶ Watch Kahaani on Amazon Prime Video

3. Badla (2019)

Director: Sujoy Ghosh | Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Antonio Aakeel | IMDb: 7.7/10

Badla movie poster starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu

A locked-room mystery wrapped in a legal thriller. A young entrepreneur is found in a hotel room with her dead lover. She has no memory of what happened. Enter Amitabh Bachchan as Badal Gupta — a veteran defence lawyer with a quiet intensity that commands every scene. What follows is a cat-and-mouse interrogation that peels back layer after layer of truth, lies, and manipulated memories.

Sujoy Ghosh adapts the Spanish film The Invisible Guest with remarkable fidelity, but the Hindi version stands on its own. Taapsee Pannu matches Bachchan beat for beat, and the final 15 minutes are among the tensest in recent Bollywood cinema. Available on Netflix — and if you have not seen it, do not read any reviews. Go in cold.

▶ Watch Badla on Netflix

4. Haseen Dillruba (2021)

Director: Vinil Mathew | Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Harshvardhan Rane | IMDb: 6.9/10

Haseen Dillruba movie poster starring Taapsee Pannu

A wife under suspicion for her husband's murder — but nothing is what it seems. Kanika Dhillon's screenplay weaves a tangled marriage, amateur detective work, and a plot straight out of a pulp novel into one of Netflix India's most-watched Hindi originals. Taapsee Pannu plays Rani — trapped in a mundane marriage with Vikrant Massey's Rishu — while Harshvardhan Rane's Neel brings the spark that sets everything in motion.

What makes Haseen Dillruba work is its knowing sense of fun. It is a thriller that does not take itself too seriously, yet delivers genuine surprises. The story-within-a-story structure keeps you guessing, and the climax recontextualises everything you thought you knew. The sequel continues the universe, but the original is where the magic lives.

▶ Watch Haseen Dillruba on Netflix

5. Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (2012)

Director: Reema Kagti | Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji | IMDb: 7.2/10

Talaash movie poster starring Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan plays a haunted police officer investigating a film star's mysterious death. On the surface, Talaash is a procedural crime drama. But beneath it — in the quiet exchanges between Khan's Surjan and Kareena Kapoor's Rosie — lies something far more unsettling. Reema Kagti's film operates on two levels: the external investigation and the internal grief of a man who has lost his child.

The supernatural element is handled with restraint, making you question whether what you are seeing is real or a projection of trauma. Rani Mukerji, in a limited but powerful role, grounds the emotional core. The soundtrack by Ram Sampath — particularly "Muskaanein Jhoothi Hai" — adds to the melancholic tension. A slow-burn that rewards patience.

▶ Watch Talaash on JioHotstar

6. Karthik Calling Karthik (2010)

Director: Vijay Lalwani | Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone, Ram Kapoor | IMDb: 7.1/10

Karthik Calling Karthik movie poster starring Farhan Akhtar

What if your own voice on the phone started giving you life-changing advice — and you did not know who it was? Farhan Akhtar plays Karthik, a socially awkward office worker stuck in a dead-end life. Then the calls begin. Mysterious, omniscient, and coming from his own voice. The premise sounds gimmicky, but Karthik Calling Karthik pulls it off with genuine emotional depth.

The psychological angle is surprisingly sophisticated for a mainstream Bollywood film. Is Karthik suffering from a split personality? Is someone playing a cruel game? Or is there a supernatural explanation? Deepika Padukone's Shonali is more than a love interest — she becomes the moral compass the story needs. A film about identity, insecurity, and the stories we tell ourselves.

▶ Watch Karthik Calling Karthik on Amazon Prime Video

Blogs related to "psychological thrillers"

Best Psychological Thrillers on OTT India — Top Movies to Stream on Netflix, Prime Video & Hotstar