From Hanuman Ansh, Karan Johar's next on RAW, to Operation Sindoor: Book to screen adaptations on the rise

A lot of books are being adapted for the big screen by Bollywood.

Published on: Sep 22, 2026, 19:02:31 IST

By Rishabh Suri

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Filmmaker Karan Johar is all set to make a biopic on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing. The announcement happened on Monday, and it was revealed that its a big screen adaptation of R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster, a book by Nitin A. Gokhale, and being readied for a 2028 release.

Karan Johar is making a film based on a book about RAW's founder; Manoj Bajpayee in a still from Last Man In Tower.

Here's taking a look at more book to screen adaptations in the works, and the ones which released recently:

Operation Sindoor

Directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and produced jointly by Bhushan Kumar and Vivek, Operation Sindoor is based on Lt Gen K J S ‘Tiny’ Dhillon’s book Operation Sindoor: The Untold Story of India’s Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan. It was announced earlier this year in March, and is currently in the production process.

Last Man in Tower

Last Man in Tower, directed by Ben Rekhi, adapted Aravind Adiga’s novel by the same name. Actor Manoj Bajpayee plays Masterji, a retired schoolteacher whose refusal to accept a redevelopment offer leads to friction with his neighbors. Sooni Taraporevala adapted the screenplay. Actors Boman Irani and Divya Dutta were also a part of the cast.

Hanuman Ansh

Released in theatres on August 7, Hanuman Ansh is written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, and centres on Neem Karoli Baba. Shobinaw Satyaa plays the spiritual figure in the film, which traces his journey from Lakshminarayan, a young seeker, to the revered saint. The film has emerged as a sleeper hit, collecting more than ₹200 crores at the box office against a budget of ₹2 crores.

Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two part live-action adaptation based on the Ramayana by Valmiki. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana, Sunny Deol plays Hanuman and Ravi Dubey plays Lakshman. The first part is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on November 6, 2026.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rishabh Suri
Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.Read More

Home/Htcity/Cinema/From Hanuman Ansh, Karan Johar's Next On RAW, To Operation Sindoor: Book To Screen Adaptations On The Rise