Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar has everyone talking about the fictional Indian spy, Jaskirat Singh Rangi aka Hamza Ali Mazari. The film shows a spy’s journey into the dark world of espionage and his return to India. While his story has everyone hooked, the true stories of real undercover agents are far more shocking. Even though their stories sound just as cinematic, if not more, people barely know them. Here are some lesser known Indian spy agents whose efforts deserve a big screen tribute.

1. Ajit Doval

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar tells the story of Jaskirat Singh Rangi, but it’s R Madhavan’s Ajay Sanyal, who recruits him as an undercover spy. The character is inspired by real-life Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, who reportedly spent seven years undercover in Pakistan. After India’s 1974 Smiling Buddha nuclear test, Pakistan began building its own nuclear base. As reported by NDTV, Doval went undercover as a beggar to gather intel. He would collect hair samples from scientists at a barbershop, which later showed traces of uranium, confirming Pakistan’s nuclear activity.

In a speech, Doval also shared an incident in which he nearly got exposed while undercover in Lahore. When he was coming out of a mosque, a man questioned his religious identity after noticing his ear piercing. Doval tackled the situation, saying, “Yes, I got that done when I was born, but I converted to Islam later.” The man wasn’t convinced, but later shared that he (the man), too, was a Hindu living under a false identity in Pakistan. Due to Doval’s witty spying techniques, he is popularly regarded as James Bond of India.

2. Ravindra Kaushik

Ravindra Kaushik, also known as the Black Tiger, was one of the most daring Indian undercover agents, yet remains unknown to many. Interestingly, he didn’t set out to join the military. He loved theatre and public speaking. According to the Deccan Chronicle, his life changed during a mono-act performance where he played a tortured Indian soldier. A RAW agent in the audience saw his potential and recruited him. At just 21, Ravindra was trained and sent to Pakistan. His identity was completely erased, and he lived as Nabi Ahmed Shakir.

Ravindra went on to study law at Karachi University and eventually rose to the rank of Major in the Pakistani Army’s accounts department. Without fearing for his life, Ravindra shared vital secrets with India’s intelligence bureau for years. But his cover was blown when another Indian agent, Inayat Masih, was caught and revealed Ravindra’s identity under torture. Ravindra was arrested and brutally tortured for years. He later died in captivity due to chronic illness. A biopic titled Adrishya is based on Ravindra Kaushik’s life, played by actor Sunny Hinduja.

3. Major Mohit Sharma

For a while, the internet was convinced that Ranveer Singh’s character in Dhurandhar was inspired by Major Mohit Sharma. Even though Aditya Dhar has officially denied the claims, Mohit Sharma’s story does have some similarities. He wasn’t only a brave soldier, but a skilled undercover operative too. According to NDTV, Major Mohit Sharma went undercover as Iftikhar Bhatt, pretending to be a man who hated the Indian Army.

He changed his appearance, blended in, and infiltrated a Hizbul Mujahideen group without suspicion. For months, he lived among them, gathering intelligence that helped eliminate key militants. Years later, during a mission in Kashmir, he was critically injured in heavy firing. He still led from the front and neutralised four terrorists before succumbing to his injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra.

4. Neera Arya

When we think of spies, we rarely picture women. History has always had them, yet they are rarely acknowledged. Neera Arya is among such largely unknown Indian agents. Part of the Indian National Army’s intelligence wing, she’s often remembered as its first woman spy. But what makes her story unforgettable is one moment that feels almost unreal. According to Times Entertainment, Neera’s husband was a British intelligence officer. One day, her husband followed her to know Subhas Chandra Bose’s whereabouts and killed Bose’s driver. In that moment, Neera made a choice most people can’t imagine.

She killed her own husband to protect Bose. That wasn’t the end of it. Neera was arrested and sent to the Cellular Jail, where she was brutally tortured for information. Neera was even promised freedom if she betrayed Bose, but she courageously refused to betray her country. To honour her, filmmaker Roopa Iyer has recently directed a biopic titled Azad Bharath. In the film, she plays Neera Arya to pay tribute to her heroic journey.

5. Saraswathi Rajamani

Appointed by Subhas Chandra Bose to work alongside Neera Arya, Saraswathi Rajamani was the youngest Indian female spy. She was only 16 when Bose recruited her. As reported by The Hindu, Saraswathi was deeply inspired by Bose and donated all her jewellery to support the INA before being brought in. Disguised as a boy named “Mani,” she infiltrated British camps, gathering intelligence without raising suspicion. But one of her most daring missions came when a fellow agent was captured.

To rescue him, Rajamani and her team dressed up as dancers, entered the camp, and drugged British officers before freeing him. While escaping, she was shot in the leg, an injury that left her with a permanent limp. She survived by hiding in the forest for days. Despite such bravery, her story faded with time. Like many women in the freedom struggle, Rajamani was largely forgotten, living a quiet life on a pension until her death in 2018.

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