Ravindra Kaushik, India's legendary spy, led an extraordinary undercover life that inspired awe and remains largely unknown. Born in 1952 in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar, Kaushik was recruited by R&AW in 1975 for his acting skills and mimicry. He adopted a new identity, Nabi Ahmed Shakir, underwent circumcision, and mastered Urdu and Islamic traditions.
Kaushik infiltrated Pakistan, studied law in Karachi, joined the army, and married a local woman. For years, he sent crucial intel to India, saving thousands of lives, earning the title "The Black Tiger" from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. But in 1983, his cover was blown, leading to brutal torture and a life sentence in Pakistani prisons.
Despite 16 years of imprisonment, illness, and heartache, Kaushik remained hopeful. He wrote secret letters, one poignantly asking, "Is this what people who sacrifice their lives for a big country like India get?" He died in 2001 in Multan Jail, buried behind prison walls, with his sacrifices unacknowledged publicly.
A biopic with Salman Khan was planned, researched over five years by Raj Kumar Gupta, but shelved due to expired rights and overlap with Salman's Tiger franchise. Now, Ranveer Singh's Blockbuster Dhurandhar was made with similar story of Kaushik and brings spy thrillers to the forefront, reminding us of Kaushik's brave, tragic tale.