Karan Johar has announced a new feature film based on the life and legacy of Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder and first chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing. The yet-untitled project is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on August 11, 2028.
The film is being jointly produced by Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective. It will draw from Nitin Gokhale’s 2019 book R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster, which explores the intelligence officer’s contribution to India’s national security framework.
Spanning the period from 1955 to 1971, the story will trace the events that led to the need for a dedicated external intelligence agency. It will also explore the establishment of R&AW in 1968 and the organisation’s first major mission during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
The project was announced on September 21, marking 58 years since the formation of R&AW. Its 2028 release will coincide with the agency’s 60th anniversary year, while the August 11 date places the film ahead of the Independence Day weekend.
The team behind the project has spent the past two years researching and developing the story for the screen. The film is being planned as a fact-based tribute to R N Kao and the largely unseen work that contributed to the creation of one of India’s most important intelligence organisations.
The project is currently in development, with details about the director and cast being kept under wraps. Further announcements are expected as the film moves closer to production.
The film also marks another collaboration between Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective after Bad Newz and Kesari: Chapter 2. It is set to release worldwide in cinemas on August 11, 2028.