# Karan Johar’s R&AW founder film set for August 2028 release

2026-09-21T13:06:47+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Karan Johar has announced a theatrical release date of August 11, 2028 for his film on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India's external intelligence agency R&AW. The announcement was made on September 21, 2026, marking R&AW's 58th anniversary. The yet-untitled film is co-produced by Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective, based on Nitin Gokhale's book 'Gentleman Spymaster.' The story will span 1955 to 1971, covering R&AW's formation and its first mission during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, as per Hindustan Times and Times of India reports. Cast and director remain undisclosed. The project was first announced in 2020. Kao, who served as R&AW chief from 1968 to 1977, was a key figure in India's intelligence operations including support for the Mukti Bahini in the Bangladesh Liberation War. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta had also announced an OTT series on Kao in 2022 but has not provided updates since.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All four outlets report the same facts: the release date, the book source, and the 1955-1971 timeline. Bollywood Hungama and Times of India give more detail on Kao's career, while Hindustan Times adds a quote from Johar about Leo Media's research. The coverage is uniform straight reporting with no discernible slant. The project's long gap from announcement to release and the secrecy around cast and director mean the key watch item is casting announcement, expected when pre-production begins in mid-2026.

## Coverage

- bollywoodhungama.com (neutral report) <https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/karan-johar-announces-film-on-raw-founder-r-n-kao-sets-august-11-2028-release/>
  Leads with release date and Johar's social media post, no editorialising.
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/who-was-r-n-kao-inside-the-life-of-indias-first-raw-chief-who-worked-with-indira-gandhi-and-inspired-karan-johars-upcoming-film/articleshow/134384543.cms>
  Straight announcement of film timeline and book adaptation.
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/karan-johar-to-bring-raw-founder-rn-kaos-story-to-big-screen-film-slated-for-2028/articleshow/134384062.cms>
  Straight announcement of film timeline and book adaptation.
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/karan-johar-s-dharma-production-announces-film-on-r-aw-founder-r-n-kao-101789978170907.html>
  Includes Johar quote and notes film is from an automated feed without edits.

Tags: Dharma Productions, Gentleman Spymaster, Karan Johar, Nitin Gokhale, Raw, RN Kao
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