Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has given her verdict on ‘Hanuman Ansh’, the devotional drama that has turned into one of the most unexpected box-office success stories of the year.Taking to Instagram Stories on September 2, Ranaut praised the Vishal Chaturvedi directorial and described it as more than just a conventional film. Encouraging her followers to watch it, she wrote, “#Hanumanansh is not a movie it’s a satsang, beautifully woven short stories of people who had first hand experience of #neemkaroribaba. Skip your therapy and go watch it.”Ranaut’s endorsement comes at a time when ‘Hanuman Ansh’ is continuing to perform strongly in theatres despite opening to relatively modest numbers. The film arrived in cinemas on August 7 with an opening of just Rs 10 lakh, but positive word of mouth has steadily pushed its collections upwards.As per trade tracker Sacnilk, the film registered an estimated Rs 8.50 crore nett in India on its 26th day. Its total India nett collection has reached Rs 54.13 crore, while its India gross stands at Rs 63.82 crore.The film, directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, features Shobinaw Satyaa as Neem Karoli Baba and revolves around faith, devotion and the personal experiences of people who have been spiritually connected to the revered figure.What makes ‘Hanuman Ansh’ particularly remarkable is the pace at which its box-office performance has grown. After its low-key opening, the film gradually found an audience and witnessed a substantial surge during its third and fourth weeks in theatres.Its fourth week, in particular, has proved to be exceptional. The film earned Rs 6.25 crore on Friday, followed by Rs 9.25 crore on Saturday and Rs 12.75 crore on Sunday. It then continued its impressive run with Rs 5.50 crore on Monday and Rs 8.50 crore on Tuesday.The Tuesday collection also caught attention as ‘Hanuman Ansh’ managed to earn more than Yash’s ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups’, which recorded Rs 8.20 crore on its seventh day. Although the two films are vastly different in scale and release dynamics, the comparison underlines the unusual trajectory of the devotional film.Made on a reported budget of approximately Rs 1.8 crore, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ has emerged as a genuine sleeper hit. Its sustained theatrical run, fuelled largely by audience word of mouth, has transformed what began as an unassuming release into a major box-office success.
