Karan Johar is bringing the story of R&AW founder Rameshwar Nath Kao to cinemas, six years after Dharma Productions first announced plans for the project, writes Hindustan Times.
Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective announced the biopic on 21 September, revealing that it will hit theatres on 11 August 2028. The announcement coincides with the 58th anniversary of R&AW, while the release is expected to mark the agency’s 60th year.
According to Hindustan Times, the film is based on journalist Nitin Gokhale’s 2019 book R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster. Johar said the story will focus on Kao, who built India’s external intelligence agency while working largely away from the public spotlight.
“He built the invisible…but history remembers his impact,” Johar wrote on Instagram while announcing the project.
The film will trace events from 1955 to 1971, leading up to R&AW’s creation and its first major mission during the 1971 war with Pakistan.
The makers have yet to announce the cast, director or other production details, although an A-list actor is expected to lead the film.
Kao became the first chief of R&AW and served from 1969 to 1977. Before that, he headed the Intelligence Bureau’s Aviation Research Centre and worked closely with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
He also played a significant role in intelligence operations linked to the events of 1971.
Johar said Leo Media Collective had spent the past two years researching and developing the project, with the aim of creating a fact-based theatrical film.
The biopic marks another collaboration between Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective. The companies previously worked together on ‘Bad Newz’ (2024) and ‘Kesari: Chapter 2’ (2025).
