‘Special Ops 2’ to drop soon; here’s 5 Indian spy thrillers to binge in meantime

With the world of spies, secrets, and missions growing increasingly popular on OTT, thrill-seeking viewers are in for a treat.

As Kay Kay Menon gears up to reprise his role as Himmat Singh in ‘Special Ops 2’, arriving on JioHotstar on 11 July, here’s a list of five gripping espionage thrillers you can binge on while you wait.

The new season of ‘Special Ops’ will focus on cyber-terrorism aimed at India’s digital economy, particularly the UPI infrastructure. It will also explore the darker side of AI and its misuse, while giving viewers a deeper look into the personal lives of the characters, including Himmat’s daughter.

Until it drops, these spy thrillers will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Tanaav 

Set against the tense backdrop of Kashmir, Tanaav follows the fierce conflict between a Special Task Group (STG) and a dangerous terrorist group.

The plot centres on Kabir Farooqi, a retired STG veteran who discovers that terrorist Umar Riaz, previously thought dead, is alive and active.

As Kabir and his team infiltrate Umar’s brother’s wedding, things spiral quickly, leading to a high-stakes mission to capture him.

The series stars Manav Vij, Arbaaz Khan, Shashank Arora, and Rajat Kapoor. Watch on: Sony LIV

Adrishyam

This spy drama takes you deep into the secretive lives of Ravi and Durga, two top agents of the Bureau of Investigative Activities (BIA), as they work to protect national security.

The show dives into the morally grey world of espionage, where duty often clashes with conscience.

The cast features Eijaz Khan as Ravi Verma, Divyanka Tripathi as Parvati Sehgal, and Swaroopa Ghosh, Tarun Anand, and others. In season 2, Pooja Gor joins as Durga. Watch on: Sony LIV

Mukhbir

Directed by Shivam Nair and Jayprad Desai, this period drama unfolds during the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

It follows an Indian undercover agent operating in Pakistan, collecting crucial intelligence to thwart an impending attack on India.

The ensemble cast includes Prakash Raj, Zain Khan Durrani, Adil Hussain, Barkha Bisht, Harsh Chhaya, Satyadeep Mishra, and Zoya Afroz. Watch on: ZEE5

Berlin

Berlin tells the compelling tale of Ashok Kumar, a deaf-mute man accused of espionage in Delhi in 1993.

As he’s interrogated by intelligence officials, sign language expert Pushkin Verma is brought in to help interpret the case.

The film delves into themes of guilt, innocence, and moral ambiguity.

Directed by Atul Sabharwal, it stars Ishwak Singh, Aparshakti Khurana, and Rahul Bose. Watch on: ZEE5

Kathmandu Connection

Drawing inspiration from real events like the 1993 Mumbai blasts and the 1999 IC 814 hijacking, Kathmandu Connection explores the web of crime and espionage that links India and Nepal.

It follows a detective, a journalist, and a criminal whose fates are intertwined through a maze of investigations.

Amit Sial plays DCP Samarth Kaushik, with Aksha Pardasany as Shivani Bhatnagar, Anshumaan Pushkar as Sunny Sharma, and Gopal Datt as CBI officer Hitesh Aggrawal. Watch on: Sony LIV