Key takeaways
- Paatal Lok, Delhi Crime and Kohrra are the strongest Hindi crime thrillers for adult viewers right now.
- Netflix has four of the 10 picks, Prime Video three, JioHotstar two and SonyLIV one.
- Kohrra season 2 and Undekhi season 4 both released in 2026.
- Dahaad season 2 is confirmed by Prime Video but has no release date yet.
The best 18+ crime thriller web series in Hindi right now are Paatal Lok, Delhi Crime, Kohrra, Dahaad, Asur, Breathe, Aranyak, Special Ops, Undekhi and Sacred Games. They stream on Prime Video, Netflix, JioHotstar and SonyLIV at the time of writing (October 2026), and all deal with violence, crime and dark themes meant for adult viewers.
This list sticks to police procedurals, investigations and crime dramas. Shows that are mainly romance or bold drama are left out. For each pick, we have checked the platform, number of seasons and main cast. Ratings shown on apps can differ by platform, so check the age label on the title page before you press play.
Quick list: 18+ crime thriller web series at a glance
| Series | Platform (Oct 2026) | Seasons | Lead cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paatal Lok | Prime Video | 2 | Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh |
| Delhi Crime | Netflix | 3 | Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal |
| Kohrra | Netflix | 2 | Suvinder Vicky, Barun Sobti, Mona Singh |
| Dahaad | Prime Video | 1 | Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma |
| Asur | JioHotstar | 2 | Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti |
| Breathe | Prime Video | 1 + Into the Shadows | R. Madhavan, Amit Sadh, Abhishek Bachchan |
| Aranyak | Netflix | 1 | Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee |
| Special Ops | JioHotstar | 2 + Special Ops 1.5 | Kay Kay Menon |
| Undekhi | SonyLIV | 4 | Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Harsh Chhaya |
| Sacred Games | Netflix | 2 | Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui |
1. Paatal Lok
Created by Sudip Sharma, Paatal Lok follows Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary, a tired Delhi cop who lands a high-profile case far above his rank. Season 1 came out on 15 May 2020 and season 2 on 17 January 2025, both on Prime Video. Jaideep Ahlawat leads, with Ishwak Singh as his junior Imran Ansari.
Season 2 takes Hathiram to Nagaland and adds Tillotama Shome to the cast. The violence is graphic in places, and the language is rough throughout.
Why watch: Jaideep Ahlawat’s Hathiram is one of the best-written cops on Indian OTT.
2. Delhi Crime
Delhi Crime is based on real cases handled by the Delhi Police. Shefali Shah plays DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, with Rasika Dugal and Rajesh Tailang in key roles. Created by Richie Mehta, it has three seasons on Netflix: March 2019, August 2022 and November 2025.
Season 1 won Best Drama Series at the International Emmy Awards in 2020, a first for an Indian show. The subject matter is disturbing, so it is not something to watch with family.
Why watch: It shows the slow, tiring grind of a real investigation without filmy heroics.
3. Kohrra
Kohrra is a Punjabi-Hindi crime drama set in rural Punjab, created by Sudip Sharma, Gunjit Chopra and Diggi Sisodia. Season 1 (15 July 2023) starts with the body of an NRI groom found in a field, with Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti as the two cops on the case.
Season 2 released on 11 February 2026 with six episodes. Barun Sobti returns, and Mona Singh joins as a new officer. Both seasons stream on Netflix.
Why watch: The family drama around the murder hits as hard as the case itself.
4. Dahaad
Dahaad stars Sonakshi Sinha as sub-inspector Anjali Bhaati, who links a string of missing women in Rajasthan to one man. Vijay Varma plays the soft-spoken suspect, with Gulshan Devaiah and Sohum Shah as her colleagues. It was created by Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar.
All eight episodes came out on Prime Video on 12 May 2023. It was the first Indian streaming series to premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. Prime Video announced a second season in March 2026.
Why watch: Vijay Varma is calm and chilling, and the caste angle in Anjali’s story adds weight.
5. Asur
Asur mixes a serial killer hunt with mythology and forensic science. Arshad Warsi plays CBI officer Dhananjay Rajpoot and Barun Sobti plays forensic expert Nikhil Nair. Gaurav Shukla wrote it and Oni Sen directed it.
Season 1 premiered on Voot in March 2020 and season 2 on JioCinema in June 2023. Both seasons are now on JioHotstar. The killings are shown in some detail, so it is strictly for grown-up viewers.
Why watch: Arshad Warsi in a serious role, and a twisty plot that rewards close attention.
6. Breathe
Breathe was Amazon’s second Indian original. In season 1 (2018), R. Madhavan plays Danny, a father who turns to murder to get a donor for his sick son, while Amit Sadh plays the cop Kabir Sawant chasing him.
The follow-up, Breathe: Into the Shadows, began in July 2020 with Abhishek Bachchan, Nithya Menen and Amit Sadh. All of it streams on Prime Video.
Best for: Viewers who like cat-and-mouse thrillers where you know the killer early on.
7. Aranyak
Aranyak is set in a fictional hill town in Himachal Pradesh. Raveena Tandon plays local cop Kasturi Dogra, who teams up with an outsider officer, played by Parambrata Chatterjee, to solve the murder of a foreign tourist. Ashutosh Rana plays Kasturi’s father-in-law.
It has one season of eight episodes, released on Netflix on 10 December 2021. Charudutt Acharya and Rohan Sippy created the show.
Why watch: A slow-burn mystery with a strong lead performance from Raveena Tandon.
8. Special Ops
Neeraj Pandey’s Special Ops follows R&AW officer Himmat Singh, played by Kay Kay Menon, and the agents he runs across countries. Season 1 came in March 2020, a four-episode prequel called Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story in November 2021, and season 2 on 18 July 2025.
Karan Tacker, Vinay Pathak and Saiyami Kher are part of the regular cast, while season 2 adds Prakash Raj and Tahir Raj Bhasin. It streams on JioHotstar.
Best for: Fans of spy thrillers with a cop-drama feel.
9. Undekhi
Undekhi starts with a wedding party video that captures a murder, and a powerful Punjabi family trying to bury the truth. Harsh Chhaya plays Papaji, the family head, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya plays DSP Barun Ghosh. Surya Sharma and Ankur Rathee play family members.
It streams on SonyLIV, with season 1 in 2020, season 2 in 2022, season 3 in 2024 and season 4 on 1 May 2026. Expect heavy violence and strong language.
Why watch: Few Hindi shows build menace as steadily as this one.
10. Sacred Games
Sacred Games was Netflix’s first Indian original series, based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel. Saif Ali Khan plays Mumbai cop Sartaj Singh and Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays gangster Ganesh Gaitonde, who calls Sartaj with a warning.
Season 1 released in July 2018 and season 2 in August 2019. Vikramaditya Motwane created it, with Anurag Kashyap as co-director. Pankaj Tripathi joins as Guruji in season 2.
Why watch: Nawazuddin’s Gaitonde is still quoted in memes years later.
How to pick the right crime thriller to start with
- Short on time: Start with Kohrra or Aranyak. Each season is six to eight episodes.
- Want real-case drama: Go for Delhi Crime.
- Want a twisty whodunit: Try Asur or Paatal Lok.
- Want spy action: Special Ops is the pick.
- Check the subscription: Netflix has four picks here, Prime Video three, JioHotstar two and SonyLIV one. If you have only one app, start with the shows on it.
For more shows that did well recently, see our list of must-watch Indian web series that ruled OTT in 2025. Crime drama fans may also enjoy this piece on the first choice for Munna Bhaiya in Mirzapur.
Are these shows really 18+?
All 10 shows deal with murder, violence and abuse, and use strong language. Under the IT Rules, 2021, OTT platforms in India sort content into U, U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+ and A (adult) categories. Each platform gives its own maturity label, and the same show can carry a slightly different label on different apps. Use the parental controls or profile lock on your app if children share your account.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best Hindi crime thriller web series on Netflix?
Delhi Crime and Kohrra are the strongest picks on Netflix at the time of writing. Delhi Crime won an International Emmy, and Kohrra has two well-reviewed seasons.
Which crime thriller web series are on Prime Video?
Paatal Lok, Dahaad and Breathe stream on Prime Video in India at the time of writing (October 2026).
Where can I watch Asur and Special Ops?
Both Asur and Special Ops stream on JioHotstar at the time of writing.
Is Dahaad season 2 coming?
Yes. Prime Video announced Dahaad season 2 in its March 2026 slate, but no release date had been shared at the time of writing.
How many seasons of Undekhi are there?
Undekhi has four seasons on SonyLIV. The fourth season released on 1 May 2026.
Sources: Amazon India: Prime Video Presents 2026, Delhi Crime (Wikipedia), What’s on Netflix: India slate 2026, Special Ops (Wikipedia).
