Best mind-bending Kannada movies in India

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

79 movies in India match this list, with an average IMDb rating of 6.5. Newest addition: Munduvareda Adhyaya, added to JioHotstar on 21 Oct. Ranked by vote-weighted IMDb rating and popularity; showing the top 30.

1. Kantara (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 27m · UA · Action, Adventure · IMDb 8.1 (1.2L votes)

TwistyVisually stunningEdge-of-seat

Shiva, a tribal vagabond lives with his mother in hamlet, stays away from the traditional Daivaradhane and Bhoota Kola legacy due to an unforgettable childhood incident. He is happy loafing around with his friends and doing petty jobs for his landlord. When Forest officer Murali enters the scene, it gives a fresh dimen

Netflix Prime Video
2. Kirik Party (2016)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 45m · U · Comedy, Drama · IMDb 8.2 (8.7K votes)

TwistyHeartwarmingFunnyLow-stakes

Karna from a small town has joined this engineering college and he gangs up with his hostel mates Loki, Alexander, Manja and others to fuel a lot of mischief in the college.

JioHotstar
3. Raajakumara (2017)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 28m · UA · Action, Drama · IMDb 7.9 (10.3K votes)

HeartwarmingTwisty

Siddharth, a devoted son and a prince in his father's eyes, encounters numerous challenges while maintaining his pure character. Upon losing his family, he uncovers the hardships they faced and resolves to look after the elderly at an old age home. However, Jagannath attempts to thwart his noble endeavors.

JioHotstar MX Player · free with ads Prime Video · free with ads
4. Dia (2020)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 17m · U · Drama, Romance · IMDb 8.0 (8.4K votes)

HeartwarmingTwistyFamily-friendly

Dia tells the story of a young, introvert girl whose routine life brightens up when she falls for Rohith, one of her fellow college mates. Being an introvert girl and trying to express her love becomes the biggest challenge of her life. This romantic drama will make you lose yourself in the emotional journey of a girl

Prime Video
5. Avane Srimannarayana (2019)

Movie · Kannada · 3h 3m · UA · Fantasy, Action · IMDb 7.8 (9.6K votes)

Visually stunningEdge-of-seatTwistyFast-paced

In the pursuit of solving an ancient mystery of Amaravati, Narayana, a corrupt cop, must battle the dangerous clan of dacoits and it's fierce leader.

Prime Video
6. Bell Bottom (2019)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 20m · UA · Comedy, Thriller · IMDb 8.1 (3.3K votes)

FunnyTwisty

A fun ride to the 80s where a detective solves the mystery of serial police station robbery.

JioHotstar
7. Kavaludaari (2019)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 25m · UA · Thriller, Mystery · IMDb 7.9 (3.7K votes)

TwistyCold & detachedEdge-of-seat

The story follows two Bangalore cops as they investigate an old case. Anant Nag plays Muthanna, a retired inspector while Rishi is Shyam, a sub-inspector working in the Traffic Police. Their search leads them across trails that will put their wit, resolve and morals to the test.

Prime Video
8. Love Mocktail 2 (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 20m · Romance, Drama · IMDb 7.4 (5.9K votes)

TwistyHeartwarmingDialogue-driven

A sequel to Love Mocktail. Revolves around Aadi after the demise of his wife Nidhi. How does he move on from such a loss?

Prime Video
9. U Turn (2016)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 1m · UA · Mystery, Thriller · IMDb 7.4 (4.6K votes)

TwistyCold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

A journalist who intents to write an article on traffic rule breakers gets dragged into a whirlpool of murder cases and deception.

Prime Video
10. 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
11. Birbal Trilogy: Case 1 – Finding Vajramuni (2019)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 22m · U · Crime, Mystery · IMDb 7.7 (1.9K votes)

TwistyEdge-of-seatDark & gritty

A man wrongly accused of murder is helped by Advocate Mahesh Das, despite the increasing threats they face during the investigation.

Prime Video
12. Gultoo (2018)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 27m · UA · Thriller, Crime · IMDb 7.8 (1.7K votes)

Cold & detachedTwistyEdge-of-seat

Struggling to find a foot in the start-up scene, two aspiring entrepreneurs are entangled in a vicious loop of investigative trials following an unprecedented crime.

JioHotstar
13. Toby (2023)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 33m · Action, Thriller · IMDb 7.2 (3.5K votes)

TwistyMatureDark & grittyEdge-of-seat

An estranged man deemed to be a beast vows to break free from the evil world and transform himself for his foster daughter.

SonyLIV
14. Gatha Vaibhava (2025)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 22m · U/A 16+ · Fantasy, Romance · IMDb 8.1 (1.1K votes)

TwistyVisually stunningHeartwarming

Gatha Vaibhava is a fantasy drama that weaves together history, mythology, and destiny. When Purathan and Adhunika meet in the present, they embark on a mystical journey through their past lives from the divine realms of Devaloka to Vasco da Gama's voyage and the coastal lands of pre-independence Karnataka. As echoes o

Prime Video
15. Aa Karaala Ratri (2018)

Movie · Kannada · 1h 45m · Thriller · IMDb 7.9 (1.2K votes)

Cold & detachedDark & grittyEdge-of-seatTwisty

Muthanna and his family, who live in abject poverty, receive a prediction that says their fortune will change overnight. The same day, a mysterious man arrives and requests them to let him stay back.

JioHotstar
16. Drishya (2014)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 34m · U · Crime, Drama · IMDb 8.3 (922 votes)

TwistyEdge-of-seat

Rajendra is a family-oriented man and tries to keep them happy. However, when his family commits an accidental crime, he does everything to keep them out of harm's way.

JioHotstar
17. 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
18. Operation Alamelamma (2017)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 18m · U · Thriller, Comedy · IMDb 7.8 (1.3K votes)

TwistyFamily-friendly

Purmy's life turns upside down when gets framed for kidnapping John, the schoolgoing son of a businessman, after he picks up an abandoned luggage, lying on the street. With the ongoing investigation, a number of twists and turns make the police suspect everyone, including their own kin.

JioHotstar
19. Shakhahaari (2024)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 26m · Crime, Drama · IMDb 7.5 (1.6K votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & grittyMatureTwisty

When the lives of some innocent people start getting intertwined in unforeseen situations they find themselves trapped in a murder mystery. This mysterious butchery infolds in a vegetarian restaurant run by a virtuous Chef Subbanna.

Prime Video
20. Babruvahana (1977)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 40m · U · War, Drama · IMDb 8.9 (559 votes)

Visually stunningTwistyFamily-friendlySerious

Babhruvahana, like Arjuna at the beginning of the Kurukshetra war, faces a moral dilemma. Can he risk harming his parents? While Chitarangada alerts Arjuna to shoot an arrow at their son and take advantage of Babhruvahana’s momentary lapse due to a sense of devotion towards them (as Arjuna did with Karna), Uluci, the N

Apple TV
21. Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare (2023)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 16m · U/A 13+ · Comedy · IMDb 7.2 (2.1K votes)

FunnyTwistyFast-pacedDialogue-driven

When the warden of their hostel takes his own life, a group of students conspire to make it look like an accident for fear that they will be blamed.

ZEE5
22. Shivaji Surathkal: The Case of Ranagiri Rahasya (2020)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 4m · UA · Crime, Thriller · IMDb 7.1 (2.1K votes)

TwistyEdge-of-seatCold & detached

Shivaji Surathkal, who is the Sherlock Holmes of the Karnataka Police Department, is handed over a high-profile case – the murder of the Home Minister's son. This brings him to an eerie resort in Ranagiri, near Madikeri, which seems to throw Shivaji off his game.

ZEE5 · free with ads
23. Blink (2024)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 16m · UA · Science Fiction, Music · IMDb 6.9 (1.8K votes)

Twisty

Apoorva, a 24-year-old in Bengaluru, conceals his failed MA from his mother. Juggling part-time jobs, he relies on his love interest, Swapna, for support. Apoorva's unique ability to control blinking becomes a curse when a mysterious old man reveals his father's survival.

Prime Video
24. Kavacha (2019)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 31m · UA · IMDb 6.8 (2.2K votes)

Edge-of-seatDark & grittyTwistySerious

An unfortunate young girl becomes the target of a vengeful serial killer who is on the loose. The only person standing between the killer and the girl is a visually challenged man who has vowed to protect her at any cost.

JioHotstar
25. Kousalya Supraja Rama (2023)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 27m · Drama, Family · IMDb 7.1 (858 votes)

TwistyDialogue-driven

KSR is a Romantic Comedy Drama which describes the definition of a real man. Directed by Shashank, starring Darling Krishna and Brinda Acharya in prominent roles

Prime Video
26. Dr. 56 (2022)

Movie · Kannada · 1h 45m · UA · Thriller, Science Fiction · IMDb 6.7 (2.5K votes)

Cold & detachedEdge-of-seatDark & grittyTwisty

Arjun is a theater artist who is suffering from an illness and has to take a pill every 56 minutes. Parallel to his misery is a murder investigation of three neurosurgeons lead by CBI officer Priya Krishna. Priya meets Dr Ashwath and the two go on an exposition about the medical mafia and its consequences.

Prime Video
27. Rakkasapuradhol (2026)

Movie · Kannada · 2h 7m · U/A 16+ · Thriller, Drama · IMDb 6.9 (1.0K votes)

TwistyDark & grittyCold & detachedMature

Inspector Shiva an alcoholic officer struggling with schizophrenia, is transferred to Rakkasapura, a seemingly quiet village with a low crime rate. Soon The village’s peace is shattered by a series of gruesome murders. Young women are found dead, dressed in bridal finery with their faces charred beyond recognition. Wit

Prime Video
28. 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
29. 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
30. 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