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10 Best Murder Mystery Movies That Will Keep You On The Edge of Your Seat

By Anubha Das

Updated - May 9, 20247 min read

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The suspense, thrill and unexpected twists of murder mystery movies make them such a heavily liked genre. If you’re someone who loves intense chase sequences, dramatic court scenes and mind-blowing revelations, this list of murder mystery movies, with great ratings on IMDb, is for you:

 

1. Murder On The Orient Express

 

Director

Kenneth Branagh

 

Star Cast 

Kenbeth Branagh, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe

 

IMDb Rating

6.5/10

 

Image Courtesy: Koimoi

 

A good old Agatha Christie mystery retold with grandeur. Kenneth Branagh had a heady task in both directing this film and acting in the lead role of Hercule Poirot - the mesmerising and invincible (and in his own words, presumably the world's most famous) detective. The plot revolves around a murder which takes place on a train journey. Kenneth, as the detective, decides to investigate and find the culprit among the passengers aboard. In the process, he also learns the true identity of the victim. It is definitely going to keep you on the edge of your seat.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

2. Drishyam

 

Director

Nishikant Kamat

 

Star Cast 

Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Tabu 

 

IMDb Rating 

8.2/10

 

best-thriller-movies-netflix-india_drishyam

Image Courtesy: IMDb

 

Directed by the critically acclaimed Nishikant Kamat, the plot of Drishyam revolves around a man named Vijay, played by Ajay Devgn, who takes extreme measures to save his family from the clutches of the law after they commit an unexpected crime. Apart from the stellar cast, Drishyam also scores big in terms of cinematography, music and concept. A roller-coaster of emotions, Drishyam is a mysterious, emotional and gut-wrenching murder mystery thriller that you can enjoy with your family.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

 

3. Ugly

 

Director

Anurag Kashyap

 

Star Cast 

Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure

 

IMDb Rating

8.0/10

 

Image Courtesy: Meera's Blog

 

Ugly is deeply pessimistic, cynical, bleak and unsettling. These motifs are rarely explored in Indian cinema with such conviction and audacity, which elevates it as one of the most significant movies of the last decade. The plot is initiated by the kidnapping of a young girl, causing a domino effect that drives the actions of all related characters. As the title suggests, everything and everyone is "ugly" in this story.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

 

4. Maqbool

 

Director

Vishal Bhardwaj

 

Star Cast 

Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapur

 

IMDb Rating

8.1/10

 

Image Courtesy: Vimarsh

 

Maqbool is an outstanding murder mystery movie by Vishal Bhardwaj which is based on Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The film is  directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and written by Vishal Bhardwaj with Abbas Tyrewala. Irrfan Khan is outstanding as the main protagonist, with Tabu, Pakaj Kapur, Om Puri, and Naseeruddiin Shah brilliantly playing their roles. Maqbool is not a perfect adaptation of Macbeth, it has its own tale.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

 

5. The Stoneman Murders

 

Director

Manish Gupta

 

Star Cast 

Kay Kay Menon, Arbaaz Khan, Rukhsar Rehman

 

IMDb Rating

7.4/10

 

Image Courtesy: Reuters

 

The Stoneman Murders has a fairly gripping plot and a class act by Kay Kay Menon. There are some plot points that will give you the chills. And on the whole, it's a good watch. Though the filmmakers took creative freedom to explain the motive and the killer, in reality, it is reported to be unresolved. But even this explanation at the end has an interesting angle.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

6. Gone Girl

 

Director

David Fincher

 

Star Cast 

Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris

 

IMDb Rating 

8.1/10

 

best-thriller-movies-netflix-india_gone_girl

Image Courtesy: Time Magazine

 

Gone Girl is the embodiment of a perfect psychological thriller, packed with engrossing twists, heart-wrenching scenes, and shocking disclosures. It's truly one of the best murder mystery movies in India, one that will surely keep you guessing until the very end. Each twist and turn in the movie is a powerful shove for the viewer, enhanced remarkably by the excellent cast performances. 

 

Watch It Online On Amazon Prime Here

 

 

 

7. Prisoners

 

Director

Denis Villeneuve

 

Star Cast 

Hugh JackmanJake GyllenhaalViola Davis

 

IMDb Rating

8.1/10

 

Image Courtesy: Variety

 

This muder mystery movie is rich with a compelling narrative and stellar performances from the ensemble cast. This movie had me love and hate Hugh Jackman's character, which was so complex to the point of making me question my moral standards because I found myself empathising with his character. On the other hand, Jake Gyllenhaal does a marvellous job of playing the frustrated cop, complete with all the intensity.

 

Watch It Online On Amazon Prime Here

 

 

 

8. Mardaani 2

 

Director

Gopi Puthran

 

Star Cast 

Rani MukerjiVishal JethwaSumit Nijhawan

 

IMDb Rating

7.4/10

 

Image Courtesy: Koimoi

 

Mardaani 2 is disturbing, chilling, heart-wrenching and makes you uncomfortable; and perhaps that’s what the makers intended to achieve through this edge-of-the-seat murder mystery thriller. Written and directed by Gopi Puthran with Rani Mukerji in the lead role, Mardaani 2 highlights gruesome crimes against women, but also delves deeper into issues such as the safety of women, gender inequality, misogyny and toxic masculinity.

 

 

Watch It Online On Amazon Prime Here

 

 

9. The Empty Man

 

Director

David Prior

 

Star Cast 

James Badge Dale, Marin Ireland, Sasha Frolova

 

IMDb Rating

6.1/10

 

Image Courtesy: MUBI

 

The Empty Man: A figure who can be summoned by blowing into a bottle on a bridge. Over a period of a few days, it gains strength and on the third day it strikes. This seems to be another urban legend before a girl goes missing, then her friends commit suicide. This murder mystery movie is definitely a must-watch.

 

Watch It Online On Disney Plus Hotstar Here

 

 

10. Shutter Island

 

Director

Martin Scorsese

 

Star Cast 

Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo

 

IMDb Rating 

8.2/10

 

best-thriller-movies-netflix-india_shutter_island

Image Courtesy: IndieWire

 


Another classic by Scorsese, Shutter Island is a movie that you just won't be able to fathom until the end credits begin to roll. It is an ideal psychological drama, full of beguiling questions that remain largely unanswered until the last couple of minutes of the movie. The twists of this murder mystery movie can give you whiplash, and the entire movie will mess with your mind, but you will love every minute of it!

 

Watch It Online On Amazon Prime Here