Bollywood has steadily carved out a space for gripping spy thrillers led by strong female protagonists. These films combine high-stakes missions, emotional depth, and clever intelligence work, putting women at the heart of stories about national security, espionage, and undercover operations. From trained field agents to ordinary women drawn into extraordinary circumstances, these narratives challenge stereotypes while keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.
Films like Raazi, Naam Shabana, Baby, Kahaani, and Khufiya prove that female characters can drive espionage stories with courage, wit, and resilience.
Here’s a look at five must-watch female-led spy thrillers on OTT, perfect for a binge or a weekend watch:
1. Kahaani (2012)
Cast: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Saswata Chatterjee, Indraneil Sengupta
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Runtime: 2h 2m
Where to watch: Prime Video
Kahaani features Vidya Balan in one of her most iconic roles — a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband in Kolkata. Set against the backdrop of Durga Puja, the film builds tension with its dark, atmospheric streets and unpredictable twists. Vidya’s performance perfectly balances vulnerability and quiet strength, anchoring a tightly-woven thriller that redefined what female-led spy stories could be in Bollywood.
2. Raazi (2018)
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Soni Razdan, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, Jaideep Ahlawat
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Runtime: 2h 20m
Where to watch: Apple TV
Based on Harinder Sikka’s book Calling Sehmat, Raazi follows a young Indian woman who marries into a Pakistani military family to work as an undercover agent. Alia Bhatt delivers a gripping performance, showcasing the emotional toll of espionage alongside the high-stakes drama of national duty. Meghna Gulzar’s direction ensures the story is suspenseful, moving, and deeply human.
3. Baby (2015)
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, Rana Daggubati, Kay Kay Menon
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Runtime: 2h 55m
Where to watch: JioCinema
A high-octane spy thriller, Baby follows an elite Indian intelligence unit tasked with preventing terror attacks. The film blends covert missions, interrogations, and globe-trotting chases into a fast-paced narrative. Taapsee Pannu’s character stands out as a sharp, fearless operative, making the story as much about female intelligence as it is about action and suspense.
4. Naam Shabana (2017)
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Manoj Bajpayee, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Taher Shabbir, Virendra Saxena
Director: Shivam Nair
Runtime: 2h 27m
Where to watch: Prime Video
A spin-off of Baby, Naam Shabana focuses on Shabana Khan’s transformation from an ordinary woman to a highly skilled intelligence agent following a personal tragedy. The film showcases her training, missions, and rise within India’s covert operations, highlighting Taapsee Pannu’s versatility and grit as an actress capable of carrying a spy thriller on her shoulders.
5. Khufiya (2023)
Cast: Tabu, Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi, Ashish Vidyarthi, Atul Kulkarni, Azmeri Haque Badhon
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Runtime: 2h 37m
Where to watch: Netflix
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Khufiya is a taut spy thriller featuring Tabu as a RAW operative on the hunt for a mole leaking India’s defence secrets. The story weaves duty, deception, and personal emotions into a tense narrative, adapted from Amar Bhushan’s espionage novel Escape to Nowhere. With its female lead at the center, Khufiya highlights how courage, intellect, and moral dilemmas can make for edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
From emotional depth to high-octane action, these films show that Bollywood’s female-led spy thrillers are not just entertaining—they’re bold, smart, and memorable stories where women take the lead.