7 gripping Bollywood crime thrillers to watch if you’re excited for Mardaani 3

If edge-of-the-seat suspense, disturbing crimes, and morally complex characters are your thing, Bollywood’s crime thriller genre has plenty to offer. 

From fearless cops and investigative journalists to deeply flawed humans caught in horrifying circumstances, these films don’t just entertain—they unsettle, provoke, and stay with you long after the credits roll. 

With Mardaani 3 set to release in February, this is the perfect time to revisit some of the most powerful Hindi crime thrillers that combine strong storytelling with hard-hitting social commentary.

Also Read: Rani Mukerji on Mardaani 3: Balancing motherhood, ageing, and the weight of real stories

1. Mardaani – Netflix

At the centre of Mardaani is Shivani Shivaji Roy, a tough and determined Mumbai police officer played by Rani Mukerji. Her personal and professional worlds collide when Pyaari, a young girl she is fond of, is kidnapped. What begins as a missing-person case soon exposes a deeply disturbing human trafficking racket. Shivani’s investigation leads her to Karan, a chillingly intelligent young criminal who runs the network.

What makes Mardaani stand out is its realism and emotional restraint. The film avoids glamour and focuses instead on the psychological battle between cop and criminal. Shivani is not portrayed as invincible—she bleeds, doubts, and risks everything, including her family life and career. Anchored by a powerful female protagonist and a socially relevant subject, Mardaani set a new benchmark for women-led crime thrillers in Bollywood.

2. Ugly – JioHotstar

Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly is not an easy watch, but it is a brutally honest one. The story begins when 10-year-old Kali goes missing from a car while her father Rahul, a struggling actor, attends a meeting. What follows is less a search for the child and more a disturbing exposure of human selfishness.

As the investigation unfolds, the adults involved—Rahul, Kali’s mother Shalini, and her authoritarian stepfather Shoumik, a senior police officer—descend into blame, manipulation, and ego battles. Everyone has something to hide. The film strips away sympathy and forces viewers to confront the ugliness lurking beneath everyday relationships. Cold, intense, and emotionally draining, Ugly shows how tragedy can reveal the worst in people.

3. Bhakshak – Netflix

Inspired by the 2018 Muzaffarpur shelter home case, Bhakshak follows Vaishali Singh, an investigative journalist in Bihar, played by Bhumi Pednekar. When Vaishali uncovers abuse and exploitation of young girls in a state-funded shelter, she finds herself up against powerful men, political pressure, and systemic corruption.

Unlike cop-centric thrillers, Bhakshak focuses on the quiet courage of journalism. Vaishali has no weapon, authority, or protection—only persistence. With support from senior journalist Bhaskar Sinha, she digs deeper despite threats to her safety and career. The film is unsettling because of its realism, showing how difficult it is to fight the system when the system itself is complicit.

4. Posham Pa – ZEE5

Posham Pa is among the most disturbing crime films in Hindi cinema. Inspired by the real-life case of serial killers Anjana and her daughters Seema Gavit and Renuka Shinde, the film explores how abuse and manipulation can breed monsters.

Mahie Gill plays Prajakta, a deeply manipulative mother who pushes her daughters into crime. What starts as petty theft escalates into the kidnapping and murder of over 40 children. The story unfolds through interviews conducted by documentary filmmakers who try to understand how the sisters became serial killers. Psychological, bleak, and deeply unsettling, Posham Pa forces viewers to confront uncomfortable questions about nurture, trauma, and moral responsibility.

5. Sector 36 – Netflix

Loosely based on the infamous 2006 Nithari serial murders, Sector 36 presents a fictionalised yet horrifying account of systemic failure. Children from a slum go missing for months, ignored by a corrupt and indifferent police force led by Inspector Ram Charan Pandey.

Everything changes when the killer targets Pandey’s own daughter. The investigation leads to a wealthy man’s bungalow and his disturbingly eager servant, Prem. What unfolds is a dark descent into brutality, apathy, and guilt. The film is difficult to watch, especially knowing its roots in real crimes involving kidnapping, organ trafficking, and cannibalism. Sector 36 is less about suspense and more about confronting institutional neglect.

6. Article 15 – Netflix

Article 15 blends crime investigation with sharp social commentary. Ayushmann Khurrana plays Ayan Ranjan, an urban, English-speaking IPS officer posted to a rural village in Uttar Pradesh. His worldview is shattered when three Dalit girls go missing.

While local authorities attempt to dismiss the case as an honour killing, Ayan uncovers a far more horrifying truth—a brutal crime rooted in caste discrimination and exploitation. Inspired by real incidents, the film exposes how caste privilege, bureaucracy, and political pressure obstruct justice. Tense, thought-provoking, and emotionally charged, Article 15 is a crime thriller that forces viewers to confront uncomfortable social realities.

Also Read: 7 gripping crime thriller shows on Amazon Prime Video that will keep you hooked

7. Raman Raghav 2.0 – ZEE5

Dark, disturbing, and psychologically complex, Raman Raghav 2.0 is inspired by the infamous serial killer Raman Raghav. Set in modern Mumbai, the film follows Ramanna, a remorseless killer, and Raghavan, a violent, drug-addicted police officer investigating the murders.

As Ramanna begins to stalk Raghavan, the lines between hunter and hunted blur. Both men are deeply broken, mirroring each other’s violence and moral decay. Rather than offering clear heroes and villains, the film explores the darkness within human nature itself. Unflinching and intense, Raman Raghav 2.0 is a psychological thriller that stays with you long after it ends.