After Kesari, Raazi, Shershaah and Kesari: Chapter 2, Karan Johar is set to explore the story of another lesser known Indian legend on the big screen. Dharma Productions is teaming up with Leo Media Collective for a yet untitled theatrical film based on the life and work of Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India’s external intelligence agency R&AW in 1968. The project is currently in development and is being planned for a theatrical release on August 11, 2028, during the Independence Day weekend.
The announcement has been made today, September 21, 2026, marking 58 years since the foundation of R&AW. The proposed 2028 release will coincide with the agency completing 60 years. The film is being developed as an espionage action drama and will focus on the events that shaped the creation of R&AW and Kao’s contribution to Indian intelligence.
Speaking about the project, Karan Johar shared, “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.”
The film is based on Nitin Gokhale’s book Gentleman Spymaster. The makers are scheduled to take the project on floors by mid 2026. Details about the director and cast are being kept under wraps at present, although sources indicate that an A Lister will headline the film.
The story will cover the period from 1955 to 1971, showing the developments that led to the need for a separate external intelligence agency, the formation of R&AW and its first major mission during the 1971 war against Pakistan. RN Kao is widely recognised for his role in shaping Indian intelligence and taking it onto the global stage.
The project will also bring Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective together again after their collaborations on Bad Newz in 2024 and Kesari: Chapter 2 in 2025. The film will explore a significant chapter in India’s intelligence history through the story of the man who helped establish R&AW.
