Saagar Kote
Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, ‘Dhurandhar’ is an Indian action thriller film that follows Hamza Ali Mazari (Ranveer Singh), a mysterious man who arrives in Lyari, a neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan, on a covert mission amid political unrest and shifting power dynamics. In the Hindi-language spy movie, as he attempts to establish himself within the local underworld, Hamza encounters Rehman Dakait (Akshaye Khanna), a feared gangster who wields considerable power in Lyari. At the same time, Indian intelligence chief Ajay Sanyal (R. Madhavan) is working toward penetrating the heart of terrorism in Pakistan, bringing Hamza’s activities into a much larger strategic operation.
Hamza also finds himself navigating the demands of ISI officer Major Iqbal (Arjun Rampal) and the feared police officer Choudhary Aslam (Sanjay Dutt), making his mission increasingly dangerous. When alliances, rivalries, and hidden agendas collide, Hamza must navigate a deceptive game whose consequences extend beyond Lyari and could affect the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan during the 2000s. Featured here are movies on Netflix similar to ‘Dhurandhar’ that depict sensitive covert missions, dual identities, adrenaline-fueled moments, international conflicts, and strategic operations.
12. Extraction (2020)
‘Extraction’ revolves around Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a battle-hardened mercenary hired to retrieve Ovi Mahajan Jr. (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), the kidnapped son of an imprisoned Indian crime lord. Held in Bangladesh by rivals of Ovi’s father, the teenager becomes a bargaining chip in a violent struggle between rival criminal networks. Rake enters the hostile environment expecting a difficult rescue, but the operation quickly spirals as deception and shifting loyalties make it increasingly hard to determine who to trust. With enemies closing in from every direction, he fights to get Ovi out while confronting the personal demons that have left him with little regard for his own survival.
With Sam Hargrave behind the lens and based on the graphic novel ‘Ciudad,’ the action thriller film combines a rescue mission with brutal combat and relentless danger. ‘Extraction’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ unfold in violent criminal underworlds where powerful factions compete for control and influence. Both Tyler and Hamza are placed in dangerous networks populated by criminals and competing interests, making survival dependent on navigating a world where alliances can shift quickly. Access the movie here.
11. Heart of Stone (2023)
‘Heart of Stone’ is a Tom Harper directorial that follows Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot), an intelligence operative secretly working for the Charter, a powerful organization of agents that operates independently of any government. While posing as a technical specialist on an MI6 team that includes Parker (Jamie Dornan), Rachel is actually assigned to protect the Charter’s most valuable asset: an advanced AI system known as the “Heart.” When hacker Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt) attempts to take control of the technology, Rachel is pulled into a dangerous struggle that quickly becomes larger than either woman anticipated.
As their objectives begin to overlap, Rachel and Keya find themselves on opposing sides of a conflict involving secrets, espionage, and a weapon capable of causing enormous damage. The spy action thriller film, akin to ‘Dhurandhar,’ combines spycraft with intense action sequences. In the two movies, secret missions quickly escalate into confrontations with armed enemies, pursuit, and survival, leaving the protagonists little choice but to rely on both strategic thinking and combat skills to complete their objectives. Watch it on Netflix.
10. The Gray Man (2022)
‘The Gray Man’ is the tale of Six (Ryan Gosling), a highly skilled CIA operative whose latest assignment exposes information that powerful figures within the agency desperately want buried. After discovering that another Sierra operative was eliminated because of what he knew, Six becomes a target himself, with a bounty placed on his head and assassins sent after him. His former colleague Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) leads the pursuit, turning the mission into a global hunt as Six fights to stay alive and protect the information he has uncovered. With help from Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) and Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton), Six moves from one dangerous confrontation to another while trying to stay ahead of the people determined to silence him.
Brought to life by Anthony and Joe Russo, the action thriller film is based on Mark Greaney’s novel of the same title. ‘The Gray Man’ strongly connects with ‘Dhurandhar’ through the idea of an operative becoming entangled in a larger power struggle while operating under extreme pressure. The stories place the characters in dangerous networks where intelligence, secrecy, and powerful institutions make it difficult to know whom to trust. Enjoy it here.
9. Munich: The Edge of War (2021)
‘Munich: The Edge of War’ depicts the struggles of Hugh Legat (George MacKay) and Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewöhner), former university friends now working for opposing governments, when they reunite during the tense 1938 Munich Conference. As Adolf Hitler moves towards Czechoslovakia to annex it, and international conflict seems unavoidable, Hugh and Paul become involved in a covert effort to reveal information that could influence the unfolding political crisis. Their personal history is complicated by the positions they now occupy, forcing them to navigate diplomatic circles marked by competing interests and uncertain loyalties.
With the future of Europe hanging in the balance, the two men must decide how far they are willing to go to act on their convictions while navigating a dangerous political environment. Crafted by Christian Schwochow, the historical spy thriller film is based on Robert Harris’ novel ‘Munich’. Both ‘Munich: The Edge of War’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ explore the experiences of men forced to operate in hostile territories when personal beliefs and institutional loyalties pull them in different directions. Hugh and Paul find themselves working for opposing governments despite their shared history, while Hamza navigates competing political, criminal, and intelligence interests. It is streaming on Netflix.
8. Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022)
‘Yaksha: Ruthless Operations’ or ‘Yacha’ is a Korean spy action film that delves into the journey of Ji Kang-in (Sol Kyung-gu), the uncompromising head of a covert NIS team operating in Shenyang, China. Known as “Yaksha” for his ruthless methods, Kang-in is willing to cross almost any line to accomplish his missions. His secretive operations come under scrutiny when Han Ji-hoon (Park Hae-soo), a prosecutor from Seoul, is sent to investigate the team. What initially puts the two men on opposing sides soon draws them into a larger case with consequences extending far beyond their immediate mission.
While the investigation deepens, Kang-in and Ji-hoon find themselves facing a city filled with spies, hidden agendas, and competing interests. ‘Yaksha: Ruthless Operations’ is strongly connected to ‘Dhurandhar’ through its combination of covert missions, espionage, and ruthless operatives working within dangerous criminal and political environments. The main characters are placed inside shadowy networks where accomplishing the mission requires deception and extreme measures. Director Na Hyeon’s engrossing film is available here.
7. War (2019)
‘War’ chronicles the actions of elite Indian intelligence operative Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), whose loyalty comes into question after a mission involving a terrorist goes wrong and he seemingly turns against the establishment. His former mentee, Khalid (Tiger Shroff), is tasked with tracking down Kabir, forcing the two agents into a dangerous cross-country pursuit. As Khalid follows Kabir’s trail, their history as mentor and student adds another layer to the conflict, while Kabir targets high-ranking figures within the Indian establishment. What begins as a mission to capture a rogue operative develops into a much larger confrontation as both men are forced to confront their motivations and come to terms with a larger political game of shadows.
Shaped by Siddharth Anand’s directorial vision, the Indian action thriller film is the third installment in the YRF Spy Universe. ‘War’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ combine espionage with large-scale action gunfights, muscular combat, and deadly pursuits. Whereas Kabir turns against the establishment he once served, Hamza finds himself caught up among intelligence agencies, cops, criminals, and political forces pursuing competing objectives. The Hindi–language movie is available on Netflix.
6. Tiger Zinda Hai (2017)
‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ is the saga of former R&AW agent Avinash Singh Rathore, known as Tiger (Salman Khan), who is drawn out of hiding when Indian and Pakistani nurses are taken hostage in Iraq by the terrorist Abu Usman (Sajjad Delafrooz). To rescue them, Tiger reunites with his former partner Zoya Nazar Jung (Katrina Kaif), a former ISI agent, and the two bring together operatives from both countries for a covert mission. Their objective becomes a race against time as they attempt to free the hostages before an impending American airstrike destroys the hospital where they are being held.
Working together despite their different affiliations, Tiger and Zoya must infiltrate the hostile environment, overcome armed opposition, and get the captives to safety. Penned and helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the Indian action thriller film is a sequel set a few years after ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ and is the second installment in the YRF Spy Universe. ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ connects with ‘Dhurandhar’ through their shared ideas of intelligence operations, terrorism, and dangerous criminal networks. The two films place Indian operatives inside hostile environments where covert missions involve countering powerful enemies and competing interests. You may enjoy the Hindi-language movie on Netflix.
5. The Angel (2018)
Ariel Vromen steers ‘The Angel,’ which tells the story of Ashraf Marwan (Marwan Kenzari), a senior Egyptian official whose position gives him access to sensitive government and military information. Married into Egypt’s ruling family, Marwan becomes increasingly disillusioned with the policies of those around him, particularly as tensions with Israel intensify following the Six-Day War. He eventually begins secretly passing information to Israeli intelligence, placing himself in an extraordinarily dangerous position between two opposing governments. As his activities continue, suspicion begins to surround him from both sides, leaving Marwan increasingly exposed. His decisions have the potential to change the direction of the conflict, but they also threaten to destroy his position and potentially his life.
Based on Uri Bar-Joseph’s book ‘The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel,’ the Israeli spy thriller film is a fictionalized take on real events. Along the lines of ‘Dhurandhar,’ the narrative shows how the actions of a single operative can become entangled with much larger geopolitical conflicts. While Marwan’s intelligence activities take place against the escalating confrontation between Egypt and Israel, Hamza’s mission is connected to the broader tensions between India and Pakistan. It can be accessed here.
4. Tehran (2025)
‘Tehran’ puts ACP Rajeev Kumar (John Abraham) on a dangerous path after a 2012 bombing in Delhi leaves a young girl he knew dead. What begins as a police investigation soon takes him far beyond India, drawing him into an international conflict involving Iran, Israel, and competing intelligence interests. Rajeev becomes increasingly isolated when geopolitical developments force his superiors to withdraw their support and abandon the operation. Refusing to walk away, he continues the pursuit alone, even as Iranian intelligence closes in on him and attempts are made to eliminate him.
Rajeev’s investigation consequently turns into a fight for survival, with Rajeev forced to navigate shifting loyalties, international intrigue, and increasingly dangerous opposition while remaining committed to uncovering the truth. Helmed by Arun Gopalan, the Hindi-language movie is closely linked to ‘Dhurandhar’ through its blend of covert operations, international power struggles, and a protagonist navigating hostile territory. Both films place their central figures within larger geopolitical games where alliances can shift, and personal survival becomes inseparable from the mission’s success. Watch the Indian spy action thriller film on Netflix.
3. She Walks in Darkness (2025)
Guided by the directorial vision of Agustín Díaz Yanes, ‘She Walks in Darkness’ or ‘Un fantasma en la batalla’ depicts the actions of Amaia Mateos Ginés (Susana Abaitua), a young Spanish Civil Guard officer who takes on an extremely dangerous undercover assignment. Her objective is to penetrate ETA, a violent separatist organization active across Spain and France, and uncover information that could help authorities dismantle its operations. To gain access to the group, Amaia constructs a false identity and gradually earns her way into its inner circles.
But the deeper she goes, the harder it becomes to avoid danger, and a single mistake could expose her and put her life at risk. Set during the 1980s and 1990s, the Spanish political thriller film, much like ‘Dhurandhar,’ examines espionage, political extremism, deception, and the consequences of violence. Whereas Amaia has to construct an identity convincing enough to fool ETA members, Hamza must navigate a world where his true objectives are concealed. The movie is available to watch here.
2. Mission Majnu (2023)
In ‘Mission Majnu,’ Amandeep Singh, AKA Aman (Sidharth Malhotra), an Indian R&AW operative, has spent years inside Pakistan under the assumed identity of Tariq Hussain. While maintaining his cover, Aman builds a life there and marries Nasreen Hussain (Rashmika Mandanna), even as his real responsibilities remain tied to Indian intelligence. When India learns that Pakistan is secretly advancing its nuclear program, Aman is tasked with uncovering where the planned test will take place. With Indian intelligence lacking crucial information, he must use his position in the country to gather the answers before Pakistan’s efforts can lead to success.
As his mission becomes increasingly urgent, Aman finds himself caught between the life he has constructed and the dangerous operation he must carry out for his nation. Helmed by Shantanu Bagchi, the Hindi-language spy thriller film is set in the 1970s. ‘Mission Majnu’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ are rooted in the strategic rivalry between India and Pakistan, with espionage set against the backdrop of broader national interests. Aman develops a genuine relationship while maintaining his cover, while Hamza must build his own path inside a dangerous underworld without revealing his true purpose. Stream the Indian movie on Netflix.
1. Khufiya (2023)
‘Khufiya’ revolves around the life of Krishna Mehra, AKA KM (Tabu), a R&AW operative assigned to uncover a mole who is secretly selling Indian defense information. The investigation takes a darker turn after the leak is connected to the death of an undercover agent, giving Krishna an additional personal reason to pursue whoever is responsible. Her search eventually draws her into the lives of former army officer Ravi Mohan (Ali Fazal) and his wife, Charu (Wamiqa Gabbi), whom she begins to observe closely for clues. As Krishna attempts to determine where the threat originates, her professional mission increasingly clashes with the secrets she keeps in her own life.
Set during the post-Kargil period, the Indian spy thriller film examines a world where national security, personal loyalties, and morality are constantly placed in conflict. Written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the Hindi-language movie is based on Amar Bhushan’s novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’. While ‘Khufiya’ questions where security, loyalty, and personal ethics intersect, ‘Dhurandhar’ places Hamza among people whose motives and loyalties are difficult to decipher. In both stories, information and secrecy are central to survival, and individual missions carry consequences beyond the people directly involved in the game. You can watch it here.
Read More: Best Spy Movies on Netflix
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