A warrior who chose righteousness over survival — and now, one of Indian cinema's most beloved veterans steps into that legend. Dharma Productions announced on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 that Anupam Kher will play Jatayu in its upcoming Ramayana project, billing the aged eagle-king with a phrase that lands like a promise: 'The Wings of Dharma.'

The studio's announcement framed Jatayu not as a supporting figure but as a moral centrepiece — 'He fought not for victory, but for what was right.' Advance bookings are set to open in eight days, signalling that a release window is imminent even as precise details of the project's format remain unconfirmed.

Why Jatayu, and Why Kher

In Valmiki's Ramayana, Jatayu is the vulture-king who intercepts Ravana mid-flight to rescue Sita, battles the demon king alone, and falls mortally wounded — living just long enough to tell Rama which direction his abductor flew. It is one of the epic's most searing scenes: an old bird, outmatched in strength, refusing to stand aside. The choice of Anupam Kher — a 500-plus film veteran whose screen presence carries both gravitas and warmth — maps precisely onto that archetype.

Kher's casting underlines what Dharma appears to be doing differently here: centering a mythological epic not on its gods or its villains, but on its most human moment of sacrifice.

Dharma Steps into Sacred Territory

For a studio built on contemporary urban love stories and family dramas, this marks a clear genre pivot. Dharma Productions, founded by Yash Johar in 1976 and now steered by Karan Johar, has spent five decades defining a particular flavour of Hindi cinema. Mythological epics are new terrain — and the stakes are enormous.

Indian audiences carry a deep, almost devotional relationship with the Ramayana. The 1987 Doordarshan adaptation directed by Ramanand Sagar became one of the most-watched television events in history, and every major retelling since has been measured against it. Dharma's decision to focus its first announcement on a secondary character — rather than Rama or Hanuman — is a bold statement of storytelling intent.

Eight Days to Booking, and the Bigger Picture

The advance-booking clock is already ticking. Opening ticket sales within days of a character reveal is an aggressive commercial signal, suggesting a theatrical release is close at hand. Whether this is a feature film, a series, or another format has not been confirmed by the studio.

What is confirmed: Dharma wants the audience to see Jatayu first. In a crowded mythological landscape where every production competes for cultural legitimacy, leading with courage over spectacle might just be the sharpest wing in the studio's arsenal.