I’ve been binge-watching Indian films on Netflix lately, and wow, what a lineup. There’s something special happening right now with these movies. They’re bold, they’re different, and they’re absolutely worth your time.
Let me walk you through ten films that genuinely impressed me.
1. RRR
This movie is completely bonkers, and I mean that as the highest compliment. S.S. Rajamouli made something that throws logic out the window and replaces it with pure spectacle.
Two guys meet. They become friends. They’re secretly on opposite sides of history. The action scenes are ridiculous – one involves a tiger, a motorcycle, and about fifty soldiers. It’s three hours of your life, but honestly, it flies by. Ram Charan and Jr. NTR have this chemistry that makes everything work. You’ll believe a man can literally defy gravity if the cause is righteous enough.
2. Gangubai Kathiawadi
Alia Bhatt owns every single frame of this film. She plays a woman forced into prostitution who eventually becomes a powerful voice for marginalized women in Bombay’s red-light district.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali loves his grandeur. Big sets, dramatic lighting, sweeping camera movements. But Bhatt keeps it grounded. Her Gangubai is tough without being invincible, vulnerable without being weak. There’s a scene where she addresses a political gathering that gave me goosebumps. Real ones. The 1960s setting looks authentic, and the story never shies away from uncomfortable truths.
3. Drishyam 2
Ajay Devgn plays an ordinary guy who’s done something extraordinary to protect his family. The first film set everything up. This sequel pays it off brilliantly.
The investigation reopens. New evidence surfaces. Vijay Salgaonkar stays calm while everyone around him panics. What makes this thriller work is the slow burn. Nothing explodes. Nobody throws punches. Just tension building until you’re leaning forward in your seat. The climax is so satisfying that I immediately wanted to rewatch both films. Smart writing wins every time.
4. Sardar Udham
Vicky Kaushal becomes someone else entirely in this film. He’s Udham Singh, a man who spent decades planning revenge for a colonial massacre.
Shoojit Sircar takes his sweet time telling this story. We jump between London and Punjab, between past and present. The Jallianwala Bagh sequence is brutal. They don’t cut away. They make you witness it. Kaushal barely speaks in some scenes, but his eyes tell you everything. This isn’t a typical biopic with inspiring speeches. It’s quiet, haunting, and stays with you long after it ends.
5. Jawan
Shah Rukh Khan having fun is infectious. This action thriller throws everything at the wall – multiple timelines, social issues, romance, humor, and massive set pieces.
Khan plays a vigilante who hijacks metros and takes hostages to expose corruption. Sounds heavy, right? But Atlee directs it like a crowd-pleaser that happens to have a conscience. The action is stylized and over-the-top. There’s a cameo that made me yell at my screen. And underneath all the entertainment, there are genuine points about farmer suicides and healthcare failures. It’s masala done intelligently.
6. Article 15
Ayushmann Khurrana takes on caste discrimination head-on. He’s a city cop transferred to a village where three girls have vanished.
What starts as a missing persons case becomes an indictment of systemic oppression. Anubhav Sinha doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The film shows you how deeply caste prejudice is embedded in everyday life. Some moments made me angry. That’s intentional. Khurrana’s character is an outsider discovering these realities, which lets the audience discover them too. It’s uncomfortable, necessary cinema.
7. Monica, O My Darling
This neo-noir is stylish as hell. Murder plots, double-crosses, and people constantly outsmarting themselves.
Rajkummar Rao leads a cast of characters who all think they’re the smartest person in the room. They’re all wrong. The film has this retro aesthetic that makes the violence feel almost playful. There’s dark humor throughout, the kind that makes you laugh and then feel slightly guilty about it. The plot twists keep coming. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, nope, there’s another layer.
8. Qala
Tripti Dimri breaks your heart as a singer who can never satisfy her mother’s expectations.
The 1940s setting is beautifully rendered, but the emotional abuse feels timeless. Swastika Mukherjee plays the mother with this perfect mix of coldness and manipulation. You recognize her. We’ve all met versions of this person. Anvita Dutt directs with striking visuals – lots of shadows and muted colors. The music becomes almost a character itself. I cried. Not pretty crying either. The ugly kind where you need to pause and collect yourself.
9. Jalsa
Ninety minutes. No fat. Just two women dealing with the aftermath of a hit-and-run.
Vidya Balan is a journalist. Shefali Shah is her domestic help. An accident connects them in ways neither expected. Suresh Triveni keeps everything tight and focused. The film asks difficult questions about class, privilege, and responsibility without preaching. Both actresses are phenomenal. Watch their faces during conversations – there’s so much happening beneath the surface.
10. Bulbbul
Folk horror that looks gorgeous but carries real anger beneath its beautiful surface.
Tripti Dimri plays a child bride who grows up in a mansion full of secrets. Strange deaths start occurring. Is it a ghost? Is it revenge? Anvita Dutt uses red – so much red – to create this dreamlike atmosphere. But the film is really about what patriarchy does to women. The supernatural elements work as metaphor and as genuine scares. It’s lyrical horror with teeth.
So there’s my list. Ten films that showcase how diverse and exciting Indian cinema has become. Some made me think. Others made me cheer. A couple left me emotionally drained.
Pick one based on your mood. Want spectacle? Go for RRR or Jawan. Need something thought-provoking? Try Article 15 or Sardar Udham. Looking for thrills? Drishyam 2 or Monica, O My Darling have you covered.
The beauty of having these on Netflix is you can explore without commitment. Start one. If it grabs you, great. If not, there are nine others waiting.
Happy watching.
