Karan Johar announces R&AW founder R. N. Kao biopic for 2028

Filmmaker Karan Johar has announced a feature film about Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder and first chief of India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). Produced by Dharma Productions in collaboration with Leo Media Collective, the project is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 11, 2028, coinciding with the agency’s 60th anniversary.

The film is based on Nitin Gokhale’s book, ‘Gentleman Spymaster’, and is expected to chronicle the period from 1955 to 1971. The narrative will cover the strategic necessity behind the creation of R&AW and its early missions, including the 1971 war against Pakistan.

While specific details regarding the cast, director, and screenplay have not been disclosed, reports indicate that an A-list actor is expected to lead the project. Production is slated to begin by mid-2026.