Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana brings several pivotal moments from the Hindu epic to the big screen. One of them is Jatayu's fight scene with Ravana as he attempts to rescue Sita but gets gravely wounded in the process.
Anupam Kher, who lends his voice to the character, recently spoke about the effort that went into bringing the giant bird's emotional journey to life. The actor revealed that he rehearsed the character's final 'Hey Ram' dialogue nearly 200 times to get the tone and emotion right.
In an interview with Variety, Anupam Kher revealed that he worked closely with director Nitesh Tiwari during the dubbing sessions. The actor explained that the process was different from conventional dubbing assignments, as there was no existing performance he could use as a reference.
The director, on the other hand, had a clear emotional vision for the character. He wanted the bond between Jatayu and Lord Rama to come across as deeply personal, making the bird's failure to rescue Sita even more poignant.
“Especially the ‘Hey Ram' in the end… I must have tried that at least 200 times. Because it's a small line and one has heard it and said it. But the sound and the voice needed to be apt as per the situation,” Anupam Kher said.
“It's a bird who is brave, who is dying, who is old, who has just been in such a spectacular fight with Ravana. So there are some things where you have to involve your soul and heart,” he added.
Speaking about the emotional impact of Jatayu's character, Anupam Kher recalled an anecdote involving Yash's son, Yatharv. The actor revealed that the young boy had questioned his father about killing the bird after watching the film. He said, “The emotional impact can be felt throughout the big fight and the movie at large. Yash's son told him, ‘Why did you kill this bird?' This is why it's important to do a great job.”
Ramayana also features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The film released on November 5. The second part will arrive in theatres in 2028.
Also Read | 'Most Beautiful Certificate': Anupam Kher Shares Mahesh Bhatt's Praise For His Jatayu Act In Ramayana
