Karan Johar is finally taking the story of R&AW founder Rameshwar Nath Kao to the big screen. The filmmaker has announced the project, based on Nitin Gokhale’s book R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster, will arrive in theatres in 2028. The film was first announced back in January 2020, when Dharma Productions revealed plans to adapt Gokhale’s biography. Six years later, the project has a release date, although details about the cast and the film’s production are still under wraps.
Dharma Productions is teaming up with Leo Media Collective for a big-scale theatrical feature on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India’s external intelligence agency, R&AW. The makers announced the project on September 21, 2026, marking 58 years since the foundation of R&AW. The 2028 release is also expected to coincide with the agency’s 60-year milestone.
What Karan Johar said
In his Instagram post, he wrote, “He built the invisible…but history remembers his impact. Today marks 58 years of R&AW and we’re thrilled to announce our film on the story of RN Kao, the man who operated in the shadows & brought to light an institution we know today as R&AW – and its first mission. Based on the book Gentleman Spymaster by Nitin Gokhale, his story comes alive on big screens on 11 August, 2028”.
Karan Johar spoke about the project and said in a statement, “Leo media has painstakingly been researching and dramatising this narrative with passion for the past two years, we want this film to be a gripping story based on true facts to pay homage to RAW and honour their milestone year with a solid motion picture … all of us at Dharma are so excited to get going.”
Casting underway
The makers are currently developing the project, with plans to take it on floors by mid-2026. The casting, director and other production details are being kept under wraps for now. However, insiders indicate that an A-list actor will headline the film.
The story will span the period from 1955 to 1971, tracing the circumstances that led to the creation of R&AW and building towards the agency’s first major mission during the 1971 war with Pakistan.
Who was RN Kao?
Rameshwar Nath Kao was the first chief of R&AW, serving from 1969 to 1977. He played a key role in building India’s external intelligence machinery and is widely regarded as one of the country’s pioneering intelligence officers.
Before taking charge of R&AW, Kao served as the head of the Intelligence Bureau’s Aviation Research Centre and had worked closely with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was also involved in several sensitive intelligence operations and played a significant role in the events surrounding the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
The film is adapted from Nitin Gokhale’s 2019 book Gentleman Spymaster, which examines Kao’s life and his role in the formation of R&AW.
Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective reunite
The RN Kao film also marks another collaboration between Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective. The two companies previously worked together on Bad Newz (2024) and Kesari: Chapter 2 (2025). The film is set to release in theatres on August 11, 2028.