From 'Bell Bottom' to 'Raazi': New and old Bollywood spy thrillers to get your heart racing

The Bollywood spy flick gets more ambitious this year, with top superstars signing up for roles in the genre and shows on the small screen already garnering major viewership. Here are some of the most awaited projects in the spy thriller genre, plus the hits that audiences already love.

Bell Bottom: This Akshay Kumar-led movie is inspired by true events. Set in the 1980s, ‘Bell Bottom’ was one of the earliest Bollywood films to go into production after the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Leaked photos from the sets went viral on social media during its shoot in Glasgow, Scotland, in September and fans were gushing about Akshay’s dapper retro look. The Ranjit M Tewari directorial also stars Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta Bhupathi and Huma Qureshi. It is scheduled to release on April 2.

Dhaakad: Kangana Ranaut recently announced on social media that her forthcoming film ‘Dhaakad’ will be a “world class spy thriller”. The actress is currently shooting for the Razneesh Ghai directorial in Bhopal, which will show her in the avatar of a spy. The film is being shot by award-winning international cinematographer Tetsuo Nagata.

The Family Man: Manoj Bajpayee reprises his role as NIA agent Srikant Tiwari in the much-awaited second season of the hit web series, ‘The Family Man’. Created, directed and produced by Raj and DK, ‘The Family Man 2’ also stars Priyamani, Sharib Hashmi, and Sharad Kelkar, while South Indian star Samantha Akkineni joins the cast in the new season. It releases on February 12.

Mission Majnu: The Sidharth Malhotra-led espionage thriller draws from real life events, and marks the Bollywood debut of South Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna. The film written by Parveez Shaikh, Aseem Arrora and Sumit Batheja narrates the story of India’s mission in Pakistan in the 1970s. The Shantanu Bagchi directorial, which casts Sidharth as a RAW agent, has just begun shooting in Mumbai.

Raazi: This 2018 movie starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal was a major hit also based on a real story and featured a woman as the spy. In it, Bhatt plays Sehmat Khan, an undercover RAW agent, who is married into a Pakistani family to get information. It was one of the highest-grossing Indian films featuring a female protagonist and was a critical hit.

Ek Tha Tiger: This Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif spy thriller was released in 2012 and despite getting mixed reviews, it set multiple box office records. The movie was about a RAW agent named Tiger who is sent to observe an Indian scientist suspected of sharing nuclear secrets. ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ was the first instalment in the Tiger franchise and was followed by ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’.

Baby: Despite the title, this big-budget 2015 movie was no child’s play. It was a spy thriller that was partly shot in the UAE with a massive cast including Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Rana Daggubati, Danny Denzongpa and Anupam Kher. The film, directed by Neeraj Pandey, was about a team of Indian intelligence officers who embark on a mission to thwart an attack on the country.

Naam Shabana: This was another spy thriller that featured a woman in the lead. The 2017 release was a prequel to ‘Baby’, and saw Taapsee Pannu reprise her role as the spy Shabana. It featured Pannu’s character seeking revenge for her lover’s death and eventually joining an intelligence agency to become a spy.