After the remarkable success of ‘Hanuman Ansh’, producer Anupriya Nagar has said that the makers do not intend to drastically increase the budget for the sequel merely because the first film became a box office hit. According to her, the next chapter will be mounted on a similar scale unless the story itself demands a larger canvas.In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, Anupriya explained that spending more money does not automatically result in a better film and could even compromise the essence of the story.“My thinking is very clear: I believe the second film should be made on a budget similar to the first. Simply investing Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore would not necessarily make the film better. It could even lead to unnecessary use of VFX or AI, which the story may not require, and that could affect its authenticity.”The producer emphasised that recreating the right atmosphere and staying true to the period depicted in the film is more important than increasing production costs.“In the period we are depicting, the characters are not the only important element. The landscape, visual texture, atmosphere and the world of that time are equally important. That is why authenticity is our priority.”Anupriya also said that the makers are conscious about how they utilise resources, especially after the overwhelming response received by the first film.“The audience has given us so much love and support, so we cannot spend money wastefully. Of course, if the next story genuinely requires a larger budget, we will increase it,” she said.Addressing the speculation around the film’s budget, Anupriya clarified that ‘Hanuman Ansh’ was made on a very modest cost, lower than some reports had suggested.“The film was made for slightly more than Rs 1.5 crore, but it was not Rs 2 crore. The budget remained below Rs 2 crore. There are three producers, and each of us contributed one-third of the investment,” she said.When asked about the sequel’s release plans, Anupriya said it was too early to share a timeline, as discussions on the project are yet to begin in detail.“It would be too early to give a definite timeline. Our director has signed another film, so naturally, it will take some time. Our team has not yet had a detailed discussion about the project either. Until that happens, it would not be right to announce a date,” Anupriya said.‘Hanuman Ansh’, which released on August 7, emerged as one of the surprise successes of the year, earning praise for its storytelling and strong box office performance despite being made on a limited budget.
