Top 5 South Indian mystery thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat: Ratsasan to Neru (2024)

From gripping plots to unforgettable characters, discover the best of South Indian cinema's thrilling mystery dramas.

Ratsasan and Neru movie (PC: IMDb/ Suresh PRO x)

The mystery thriller is a universal genre that attracts a huge section of cinema audiences around the world. It is a genre that captivates the audience with unique exciting plot twists and turns. And guess what? South Indian Cinema has some great mystery thriller movies.

South Indian film industry produces a lot of quality thrillers every year. Many South Indian thriller movies have been remade into other languages in recent years such as Drishyam. After a small decline, this genre has re-emerged, with exceptional films from the South.

Here are the best South Indian thriller movies that are sure to appeal to fans of the genre

1. Ratsasan (2018)

Cast: Vishnu Vishal, Amala Paul
Director: Ram Kumar
Rating: 8.3/10
Where to watch: Sun NXT

Ratsasan, a 2018 Tamil film directed by Ram Kumar is a gripping serial killer movie. This movie is one of the best thrillers from South India. Vishnu Vishal leads the cast convincingly as an investigative cop

This film elevates its genre and captivates the audience with its intense plot and keeps them on their toes throughout. the movie. Many thrillers later followed the pattern of Ratsasan and became successful. Ratsasan had set a benchmark for South thrillers.

2. Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya (2019)

Cast: Naveen Polishetty, Bobby Simha
Director: Swaroop R. S. J.
Rating: 8.3/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime

2019 release Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya is a Telugu film is an investigational thriller with a humor element. The film is a tribute to Sherlock Holmes, albeit in a desi (Indian) style, and follows the adventures of a local extroverted private investigator in Nellore. Chhichhore fame Naveen Polisetty performed excellently as the lead role, bringing charm and wit to the character. The film offers a fresh and humor approach to the detective genre, combining elements of comedy with exciting storytelling. Interestingly Naveen Polishetty is one of the co-writers of the movie.

3. Anjaam Pathira (2020)

Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Sreenath Bhasi, Unnimaya Prasad
Director: Midhun Manuel Thomas
Rating: 7.9/10
Where to watch: Sun NXT

Anjaam Pathira, the 2020 blockbuster of the Malayalam film industry, followed the success created by the film Ratsasan. Kunchacko Boban steps into the role of a psychologist in this gripping thriller. The film received widespread acclaim and commercial success, prompting the announcement of a sequel. The director of this movie Midhun Manuel Thomas wrote the blockbuster Turbo which is running in theaters now.

4. Kavaludaari (2019)

Cast: Rishi, Anant Nag
Director: Hemanth M. Rao
Rating: 7.9/10
Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Kannada movie Kavaludaari is a neo-noir investigational thriller from Sandalwood directed by Hemanth Rao. This movie stands out as a well-written mystery drama and is considered one of the best South Indian thrillers. The film successfully fulfils the expectations of the genre by minimising commercial elements, a change from many thrillers. Kavaludaari is rich with mystery and most of its characters in the movie are presented in dark or grey tones, adding depth and complexity to the story.

5. Neru (2023)

Cast: Mohanlal, Anaswara Rajan
Director: Jeethu Joseph
Rating: 7.5/10
Where to watch: Hotstar

The 2023 release Neru is a courtroom mystery thriller with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal as a lawyer. Director Jeethu Joseph, who made Drishyam is the director of this movie. Neru is about the story of a blind girl (played by Anaswara Rajan) struggling to survive after the traumatic incident.

Mohanlal's lead character takes the case upon himself to uncover the truth and defend the girl in court. Apart from the gripping elements in the movie, Neru is emotionally rich and creates a strong connection with the audience through its story. Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph duo made another great thriller after the success of Drishyam franchise.

Which film are you planning to watch on ITT? Let us know in the comment section below.

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