A double-action thriller unlike anything before. A cop investigating a case with a 'killer' twist in the end. A locked room mystery using the Rashomon effect. We've seen some great thrillers in the recent past that haven't quite gotten their due. Use this list to catch up with them over a weekend binge.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
This Tamil-Telugu bilingual starring Samantha Akkineni, is the official remake of Pawan Kumar's Kannada original by the same name. This thriller picks up speed when a budding reporter starts working on a story about commuters who break a traffic rule for a seemingly innocuous shortcut. As she tries to track down these rule breakers, we're told that all of them have ended their lives.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Director Bramma's first film won the 2014 National Award For Best Tamil Film. This drama takes the form and pace of a thriller, when a school teacher uncharacteristically hits one of her students, pushing him into a coma.
Where to watch: ZEE5
One of the few lockdown releases that's really worth watching, this thriller starring Venkat Prabhu and Vaibhav, uses multiple unreliable narrators to tell us different versions of what really happened on the night of a sensational murder. A crime has been committed, everyone's complicit and it's a thin line that separates two police officers from promotion or a life in the lockup.
Where to watch: ZEE5
In what begins like the usual cop glorification drama, we get an 'angry young man' police officer who believes the due course of law is merely a waste of time and money. So, when he 'encounters' a kidnapper instead of taking him in for the crime, he opens a Pandora's box, leading to a group of extremely loyal set of enemies out for revenge.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Starring Vivekh, Vellai Pookal was an under-the-radar thriller that became a surprise sleeper hit. Set almost entirely in the US, the film sees its protagonist use a distant cousin of the 'Raghavan Instinct' to solve a crime you never saw coming.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Starring two very different performances of Arya (including one reminiscent of his Naan Kadavul days), we get an atmospheric revenge thriller that replaces innovation with mood. The plot itself might feel dated, but the treatment saves the day.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
A series of murders across the city follows a similar pattern, confusing the obsessive police officer investigating the case (Bharath). With added pressure and his workaholism, he neglects his family, leading to uninvited guests and a turn you never see coming.
Where to watch: Sun NXT
Arguably the best film on this list is Magizh Thirumeni's double trouble thriller that's quite the head scratcher. Despite being witness to a murder, we, the audience, have no clue as to who has really committed the crime. From playing guessing games to switching our loyalties every 15 minutes or so, this thriller with Korean movie quality needs to be seen more.