My obsession with action thrillers began in 1999, the moment I stepped into a dark cinema hall with my father to watch The Matrix. I walked out completely stunned. From Neo (Keanu Reeves) leaning back in that iconic 360-degree slow-motion bullet dodge, to the stylised chaos of the lobby shootout, and the subway duel where Neo finally stops running and chooses to fight Agent Smith—every frame felt revolutionary. The high-stakes martial arts, gunplay, and razor-sharp hand-to-hand combat left an imprint that never faded.
Ever since that day, I’ve made it a point to chase that same adrenaline rush, watching action thrillers wherever they come from. And over the past few decades, one thing has become increasingly clear: Bollywood’s significant growth in this genre. Today’s Bollywood action movies feature meticulously choreographed fight sequences, impressive stunt work, and cinematic brilliance that can stand shoulder to shoulder with international productions.
The global spotlight on Indian action cinema grew even brighter in 2024 when Lionsgate and 87Eleven Entertainment, the powerhouse studio behind the John Wick franchise, acquired the English remake rights for the Indian action thriller Kill. This was a clear signal that Bollywood’s action renaissance is being noticed worldwide.
With the genre hitting its stride and streaming platforms making these movies more accessible than ever, here are seven Bollywood action thrillers on Netflix that I recommend you add to your watchlist.
GQ OTT Recommendations: 7 Bollywood action thrillers I recommend watching on Netflix (and why)
1. Jawan
Jawan is a quintessential Bollywood masala movie, packed with emotions, drama, and action. Headlined by Shah Rukh Khan (in a dual role), the movie revolves around Azad, the jailer of a women’s prison who becomes a masked vigilante to expose systemic corruption. With the help of a dedicated group of female inmates, he hijacks a metro and targets corrupt ministers to force government reform. The mission becomes personal when he reunites with his father, Vikram Rathore, a former commando who was framed by Kalee (Vijay Sethupathi), a corrupt arms dealer. Together, the father-son duo sets out to reveal Kalee’s truth and avenge their family’s tragedy.