Rameshwar Nath Kao spent much of his life away from public attention, but his work helped shape India’s modern intelligence system. Better known as RN Kao, he founded the Research and Analysis Wing, or R&AW, in 1968 and became the country’s first external intelligence chief.
Now, more than two decades after his death, the secretive spymaster’s life is returning to the spotlight. Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective have announced a feature film based on Kao, with a theatrical release scheduled for August 11, 2028.
FILM ON R&AW FOUNDING CHIEF RN KAO ANNOUNCED – 11 AUG 2028 RELEASE… #DharmaProductions and #LeoMediaCollective unite for a big-screen feature on #RNKao, the founding chief of R&AW.
Based on Nitin Gokhale’s book #GentlemanSpymaster, the large-scale espionage action drama is… pic.twitter.com/2Dgj6Bgjip
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) September 21, 2026
Rameshwar Nath Kao , Spymaster and The Man Who Founded Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW)
He Never Got Bharat Ratna Award But He Is Bharat Ratna In True Sense pic.twitter.com/7mTajvEqao
— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) March 22, 2026
The announcement was made on September 21, 2026, marking 58 years since R&AW was established. The film is based on national security expert Nitin Gokhale’s book R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster and is expected to cover the years from 1955 to 1971.
But who exactly was RN Kao, and why does his name command such respect in India’s intelligence community?
Who was RN Kao?
Rameshwar Nath Kao was born in 1918 and entered the Indian Imperial Police in 1940. He later moved into intelligence work and joined the Intelligence Bureau around the time India became independent.
Over the years, Kao built a reputation for discretion, patience and an ability to operate away from the spotlight. Before R&AW was created, he worked on major intelligence and security assignments, including overseas cases.
One of his best-known early assignments came after the 1955 bombing of the Air India aircraft Kashmir Princess. Kao was involved in the investigation into the explosion, which occurred while the aircraft was travelling towards Indonesia for the Bandung Conference.
He was also sent to Ghana, where he helped the newly independent African nation build its intelligence and security organisation. These assignments helped establish Kao as one of India’s leading intelligence officers long before R&AW existed.