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Karan Johar Announces Film on R&AW Founder R.N. Kao, Sets August 11, 2028 Release!
The espionage actioner is based on Nitin Gokhale’s book and is slated to begin production by mid-2026, with an unnamed A-list actor attached.
On Monday, Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective announced a theatrical feature film about Rameshwar Nath Kao, founding chief of India's Research and Analysis Wing , targeting an August 11, 2028 release.
Based on journalist Nitin Gokhale's 2019 book 'Gentleman Spymaster,' the project chronicles R&AW's origins from 1955 to 1971, culminating in the agency's first major mission during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
Filmmaker Karan Johar described Kao as the man who "operated in the shadows," noting the announcement coincides with R&AW's 58th anniversary as the studio aims to honor the agency's 60-year legacy.
While production is slated to begin by mid-2026, casting details remain undisclosed, though industry insiders report an unnamed A-list actor will lead the project, which has been in development since early 2020.
The August 11, 2028 release aligns with the Indian Independence Day holiday weekend, a slot traditionally favored for large-scale patriotic stories, continuing the studio's shift toward war films and historical dramas.