Best dark & gritty Kannada movies on ZEE5 in India

By the KyaDekhu team · Updated 23 October 2026 · Availability for India from JustWatch, ratings from IMDb

17 movies on ZEE5 in India match this list, with an average IMDb rating of 6.9. Ranked by vote-weighted IMDb rating and popularity.

1. Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 31m · A · Crime, Drama · IMDb 8.2 (9.6K votes)

MatureDark & grittyEdge-of-seatSerious

Shiva and Hari, two friends who are polar opposites in demeanour, are the terror in Mangaladevi. What happens when ego, ambition and jealousy creeps in between their strong friendship?

ZEE5 · free with ads
2. Mufti (2017)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 26m · Action, Thriller · IMDb 7.7 (3.3K votes)

Cold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seatMature

An undercover cop goes into the big bad world of Ronapura, an place taken over by a don named Bhairathi Ranagal, where his safety may be compromised.

ZEE5
3. Vikrant Rona (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 27m · UA · Thriller, Action · IMDb 6.9 (29.8K votes)

TwistyVisually stunningDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

Almost half a century ago, a remote village in the middle of a tropical rain forest starts witnessing a series of unexplainable events which they attribute to the supernatural. Vikrant Rona, An eccentric police officer, is assigned to solve the mystery. A mysterious game unfolds where everyone in the village is a pote

JioHotstar ZEE5 · free with ads
4. Cyanide (2006)

Movie · Kannada · 1h 40m · A · Crime, Drama · IMDb 8.8 (911 votes)

MatureEdge-of-seatDark & grittyCold & detached

"Cyanide" is about the incidents that occurred in the peripheries of Bangalore after the assassins of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi stepped into the city. The story revolves around a helpless couple who fall into the clutches of the gang and are taken hostage.

ZEE5 · free with ads
5. Kaatera (2023)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 57m · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.1 (3.8K votes)

TwistyFast-pacedVisually stunningDark & gritty

Set against the rustic backdrop of the 1970s, unfolds the tale of farmers confronting challenges that intricately shape the course of their lives.

Prime Video ZEE5
6. MAX (2024)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 12m · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.0 (4.1K votes)

Cold & detachedMatureDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

A maverick senior cop reports for duty at a new police station and soon find himself embroiled in an unexpectedly dangerous turn of events.

ZEE5
7. Rama Rama Re (2016)

Movie · Kannada · 1h 54m · Thriller, Comedy · IMDb 8.2 (781 votes)

Edge-of-seatCold & detachedDark & grittyMature

Story of a convict on death row, who escapes from prison and accidentally ends up with a veteran who is called upon by the authorities to teach the process of hanging a convict to the new staff.

ZEE5
8. Aa Dinagalu (2007)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 16m · Drama, Crime · IMDb 8.4 (360 votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & gritty

Chetan loves Mallika but his father hires an underworld don, Kotwal, to break their relationship. Irked by his father's actions, Chetan approaches Kotwal's rival, Jayaraj, to defeat him.

ZEE5
9. Vedha (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 36m · UA · Action, Drama · IMDb 6.7 (1.8K votes)

TwistyEdge-of-seatDark & grittyMature

Vedha and his daughter Kanaka are on a killing spree. They are being chased by a cop Rama, but they always manage to escape in the nick of time. Can Rama stop the killings?

ZEE5 · free with ads
10. Popcorn Monkey Tiger (2020)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 15m · A · Action, Crime · IMDb 7.2 (569 votes)

TwistyMatureDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

The story narrates details of two characters Seena and Devika experiencing crime in different phases of life by meeting different people who may make them realize human values and emotions or not.

ZEE5
11. Hebbuli (2017)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 21m · Drama, Action · IMDb 6.6 (3.1K votes)

Dark & grittyEdge-of-seatSerious

A fearless commando arrives home at the news of his brother's suicide until he starts to deeply investigate the reason behind his mysterious demise.

ZEE5
12. Shivalinga (2016)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 31m · UA · IMDb 6.9 (722 votes)

TwistyCold & detachedEdge-of-seatDark & gritty

Shivalinga is story weaved around a murder mystery. Who killed Rahim? Why was he killed? Is it murder of Suicide, CID Shivu (Shivrajkumar) investigates the murder mystery. But, what is Shivu's wife's involvement...

ZEE5 · free with ads
13. Bhajarangi 2 (2021)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 2m · UA · Action, Thriller · IMDb 6.4 (2.0K votes)

TwistyVisually stunningEdge-of-seatFast-paced

When a group of lost villagers chance upon a Guruji at a shrine, he begins to narrate the story of two unlikely heroes, Anji and Bhajrangi, who lived across two different timelines.

ZEE5 · free with ads
14. Head Bush: Vol 1 (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 18m · UA · Crime, Action · IMDb 6.0 (1.3K votes)

Dark & grittyCold & detachedEdge-of-seat

Head Bush revolves around Jayaraj, his friends, foes, police officers, and the politicians who changed the course of the political scenario of Bengaluru in the 1970s. The film focuses on the rise and rise of Jayaraj - from a teenager to a rowdy to a mass hero.

ZEE5
15. Chingari (2012)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 28m · Thriller, Action · IMDb 5.5 (471 votes)

Edge-of-seatFast-pacedDark & grittySerious

Officer Parashuram travels to Switzerland to rescue his girlfriend. He only has five days to rescue his girlfriend from her kidnappers.

JioHotstar ZEE5 · free with ads
16. Vritta (2025)

Movie · Kannada · 1h 53m · U/A 16+ · Mystery, Thriller · IMDb 5.0 (2.2K votes)

TwistyCold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

Vritta centers on siddharth a quiet, withdrawn man whose life takes a dark and twisted turn after one impulsive decision.One night. One unexpected phone call. One wrong turn. And that’s all it takes to spiral into the unknown. What begins as a simple night drive unravels into something far more disturbing — a haunting

ZEE5
17. The Villain (2018)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 55m · UA · Action, Crime · IMDb 4.9 (2.3K votes)

TwistyFast-pacedEdge-of-seatCold & detached

Rama or Ravana, whose ideologies work better? Two shrewd minds battle it out in a one-upmanship game. Who will win?

ZEE5