Karan Johar has announced a new film on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founding head of India’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The announcement came on September 21, marking 58 years of R&AW’s formation.
The yet-to-be-titled film is being produced by Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective and is based on Nitin Gokhale’s 2019 book RN Kao: Gentleman Spymaster. The film is slated to hit theaters on August 11, 2028. Cast and director details are yet to be announced.
The story is expected to cover the period from 1955 to 1971, tracing the events that led to the creation of the R&AW and its early operations.
Who was RN Kao and what role did he play in building India’s intelligence agencies?
Rameshwar Nath Kao, commonly known as RN Kao, was born in 1918 in Banaras. According to reports, he studied at Lucknow University and Allahabad University before entering government service.
In 1940, Kao passed the Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Imperial Police, the forerunner of the Indian Police Service. Around the time of India’s independence, he was posted to the Intelligence Bureau, where he worked on security arrangements involving Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
During the 1950s, Cao held several sensitive intelligence responsibilities. He was involved in helping to establish an intelligence and security organization in Ghana and also worked with Chinese and British authorities in the investigation into the bombing of the Air India flight Kashmir Princess.
From Intelligence Bureau to R&AW
The Indo-China War of 1962 exposed the deficiencies in India’s intelligence capabilities. After the conflict, Cao was named head of the Aviation Research Center, which was part of the Intelligence Bureau. When the government separated the country’s external intelligence operations from the IB in 1968, the R&AW was created and Kao became its first chief.
He headed the R&AW for nearly nine years until 1977, helping to build the organization during its early years.
Cao and the 1971 War
The most significant period in Kao’s career came during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the events surrounding the creation of Bangladesh. The R&AW played a role in supporting the Mukti Bahini during the conflict, including training and arms-related assistance.
Kao’s association with Indira Gandhi
Kao also developed a close working relationship with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After the change in government following the 1977 general elections, he retired as R&AW chief.
When Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, Kao returned to government service and later served as security adviser to both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He was also involved in the establishment of the National Security Guard (NSG) in the 1980s. Cao retired from public life after 1989 and died in 2002 at the age of 83.
Cao’s legacy
Kao’s name is closely associated with the development of India’s external intelligence infrastructure. Sarkar R.N. Kao continues to commemorate his contributions through the Memorial Lecture, an annual lecture series established in 2007 to honor the founder of the R&AW. The 2026 edition It was held on May 15, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah was giving a speech.
Karan Johar’s upcoming film will now bring this behind-the-scenes chapter of India’s intelligence history to the big screen.
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