Sartaj Singh
With Homi Adajania at the helm, ‘Murder Mubarak’ revolves around a murder investigation in a glamorous Delhi club in India, where seven eccentric members are interrogated by an unconventional police officer. ACP Bhavani Singh is investigating a strange murder case at the Royal Delhi Club, keeping track of every move and word of the elites he suspects. As Bhavani delves deeper into the secrets of the club, he comes across the bizarre behaviors of its patrons, which hide their covert agendas and true intentions.
The Netflix murder mystery film is based on Anuja Chauhan’s novel, ‘Club You To Death,’ and features an ensemble cast essaying striking characters. The narrative takes us through a jungle gym of twists and turns, building suspense with further murders while drawing our attention with red herrings. Here are some more movies like ‘Murder Mubarak’ for enthusiasts of the murder-mystery genre.
8. Dhund (1973)
Directed by B.R. Chopra, ‘Dhund’ is a thrilling murder mystery that begins with a speeding Chandrashekhar crashing his car at night, and then heading through the fog to a nearby mansion for help. Upon entering, he discovers the dead body of the owner, and his wife, Rani, standing over him with a revolver. She explains to Chandrashekhar that he had been a cruel man who was about to kill her over an argument. Chandrashekhar believes Rani’s motives to be justified in self-defense and helps cover up her tracks, calling the police and implying that it was a case of theft gone wrong.
As the police look deeper into the case, further details of an affair, mismatched accounts, and past connections surface. ‘Dhund’ is a classic Bollywood murder mystery that thrives in its atmospheric storytelling. Those who liked the convoluting storylines of ‘Murder Mubarak’ are sure to be drawn in by the twists thrown in by ‘Dhund.’
7. Death on the Nile (2022)
Under the direction of Kenneth Branagh, ‘Death on the Nile’ is a movie adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name. The plot revolves around a luxurious river steamer cruising along the Nile that becomes the site of gruesome murders centered on a wealthy heiress. Veteran detective Hercule Poirot is thrown into a murder investigation during his vacation on a river steamer, with a wealthy heiress, Linnet Ridgeway, turning up dead after having asked for his protection.
Everyone aboard the vessel is a suspect, and tension slowly builds up to a boiling point as more passengers are murdered. As the secret relationships and ulterior motives of the eclectic suspects are revealed, fans of ‘Murder Mubarak’ will find themselves following Poirot around every corner of the treacherous steamer, and looking for clues alongside the detective.
6. Ittefaq (1969)
A Yash Chopra directorial, ‘Ittefaq’ spins an intriguing tale of happenstance that sees an unstable man convicted for the murder of his wife, fleeing custody and forcefully taking refuge within a woman’s home, and finding a dead body there as well. Dilip Roy (Rajesh Khanna) is a painter who is accused of murdering his wife after he was heard arguing with her in a fit of rage. He pleads his innocence in court but is unable to clearly remember the sequence of events due to his blinding anger at the time. As he is being held for medical examination, Dilip flees and arrives at the upscale house of a lone woman, Rekha, whom he coerces into providing him asylum.
However, Dilip discovers a dead body at the house and soon finds himself accused of the murder of Rekha’s husband. Based on the 1965 movie ‘Signpost to Murder,’ the Bollywood classic takes us on a mind-bending mystery that leaves one questioning the authenticity of every piece of evidence provided. Those who liked Homi Adajania’s work in ‘Murder Mubarak’ will be enthralled by the suspenseful narrative of ‘Ittefaq’ that calls into question every character within it.
5. Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ presents a murder mystery taking place on a train, with Hercule Poirot being tasked with solving the case before the killer can escape. The world’s best detective, Hercule Poirot, is traveling on the Orient Express when the train is halted during an avalanche, which is quickly followed by a well-planned murder on board.
With suspects ranging from counts and a princess to a governor and a gangster, Poirot will have to prove his deduction skills once more to catch the clever killer. Based on Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name, the movie will appeal to fans of ‘Murder Mubarak’ with its refined setting, outlandish characters, and stunning revelations.
4. Gosford Park (2001)
With Robert Altman in the director’s chair, ‘Gosford Park’ is a riveting murder mystery set in an English countryside estate during the 1930s. The film follows a group of aristocrats and their servants who gather for a weekend hunting party at the opulent Gosford Park. As tensions simmer between the wealthy guests and their loyal staff, the festivities take a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead.
Amidst the intricate social dynamics and hidden agendas, the enigmatic Inspector Thompson arrives to investigate the murder, unearthing a web of secrets and betrayals. With its stellar ensemble cast and layered storytelling, ‘Gosford Park’ will capture the imagination of those who liked similar aspects of ‘Murder Mubarak,’ with a compelling glimpse into the class divisions and power struggles among the British elites.
3. Raat Akeli Hai (2020)
Under the direction of Honey Trehan, ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ transports us to a crime scene in small-town north India, involving the death of a rich politician on his wedding day. The old man was marrying a much younger woman, Radha, who becomes the primary suspect in a case headed by Inspector Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). With emerging information about Radha’s contact with her lover, the case seems cut and dried, yet the inspector suspects that the truth remains obscured behind a curtain of coercion and deception.
Digging into an old investigation involving the politician’s family, Yadav begins to receive intense pressure from his higher-ups to drop the case, and yet the maverick cop forges ahead. The Netflix movie will captivate enthusiasts of ‘Murder Mubarak’ with stellar performances by its leads, a deep-rooted mystery, and an exploration of the socio-political fabric associated with the case.
2. Gumnaam (1965)
The chilling narrative of ‘Gumnaam’ transports us to a remote island where seven castaways are greeted by the ghostly song of an unseen woman and an eccentric butler at an eerie mansion. Anand and Asha travel on a chartered plane with five other winners of a lottery, which leads them to a deserted island. Upon entering the mansion, they are greeted by its butler, who delivers an ominous message accusing them all of having committed crimes leading to the murder of Seth Sohanlal.
One by one, the guests are murdered, with the killer possibly among them and an unknown presence haunting the mansion’s halls. As Anand and Asha rush to solve the mystery behind the killings, enthusiasts of murder mysteries like ‘Murder Mubarak’ will be enthralled by the petrifying atmosphere created in the film.
1. Knives Out (2019)
A Rian Johnson directorial, ‘Knives Out’ centers on the mystery of a wealthy old novelist’s death, and detective Benoit Blanc’s (Daniel Craig) search for the culprit among his self-serving family members who were gathered for his will reading. The acclaimed detective Benoit Blanc receives an anonymous summons requesting his services to investigate the death of novelist Harlan Thrombey.
Blanc is met with a dysfunctional family that seems set to implode over Harlan’s fortune. Diving into the treacherous dynamics between the family members, Blanc begins to close in on a killer who is set to go on a murder spree behind their goals. Much like ‘Murder Mubarak,’ ‘Knives Out’ features a stellar ensemble cast coming together to create colorful characters that drive the plot through gripping twists and turns.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s Murder Mubarak Filmed?
