Vishal Chaturvedi has hit out at what he believes were premature box office verdicts on ‘Hanuman Ansh’. The devotional drama, inspired by the life and teachings of Shri Neem Karoli Baba, has reportedly surpassed expectations despite competing for screens with larger recent releases such as ‘Awarapan 2’ and ‘Toxic’. Speaking to ANI after the film’s theatrical performance gained momentum, Chaturvedi argued that a film should not be labelled a hit or flop while its theatrical run is still underway. He maintained that audience support should ultimately determine a film’s success.“As far as declaring to people that it is a flop film, I feel that there should be some standards in the industry. As long as the film is in a theatre and its run is not complete, then declaring that film a hit or flop is a haste,” Chaturvedi said said.The director added that he had always believed the film would find an audience and complete a substantial theatrical run.“I feel that as long as the public is with you, your film will remain a hit, because so many people are loving it and talking about it. I used to feel that the film will be a hit and it will complete its run in two and a half months,” Chaturvedi said.
‘Hanuman Ansh’ faces screen crunch despite audience response
According to Chaturvedi, one of the biggest challenges faced by ‘Hanuman Ansh’ was maintaining its screen presence after bigger films arrived in theatres. He claimed that theatre owners had to accommodate releases including ‘Awarapan 2’ and ‘Toxic’, resulting in shows for his film being reduced.“The theatre owners had two other big films. They were putting up their shows. Because they were getting pushed from there, and they were taking out our film. They didn’t have any other way, but when all the shows were sold out, a crisis situation was created,” he said.Chaturvedi also described how the team travelled across multiple cities to monitor the film’s theatrical performance and work towards retaining its shows.“At the same time, our team, all the people in our production team, all the people left their places, and we started covering each and every theatre,” he said, recalling their journey through Gujarat and Rajasthan.He further mentioned cities including Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Morbi, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur as part of the team’s extensive theatre visits.
‘Hanuman Ansh’ box office performance: From Rs. 10 lakh opening to Rs. 46.55 crore
The film’s reported box office trajectory has been markedly different from its modest opening. ‘Hanuman Ansh’ opened with around Rs. 10 lakh on Day 1 before recording approximately Rs. 1.08 crore during its first week. The film subsequently earned around Rs. 40 lakh in Week 2. Its reported business then accelerated sharply, with Week 3 contributing Rs. 10.40 crore. By Day 25, the film had reportedly added another Rs. 5.50 crore, taking its total collection to Rs. 46.55 crore, according to Sacnilk.
What is ‘Hanuman Ansh’ about?
Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ is a Hindi devotional drama inspired by the life and legacy of Neem Karoli Baba, popularly known as Maharaj-ji. The story follows Lakshman Das, a 13-year-old boy who leaves his hometown of Braj following the death of his mother. Searching for divine love and a spiritual connection with Lord Rama through Hanuman, he embarks on a journey that takes him through temples, forests, rivers and villages. As he grows older, Lakshman rejects material comforts and conventional religious structures, instead finding spirituality through meditation, nature and selfless service. One of the narrative’s central episodes revolves around his encounter with a railway train, an incident that ultimately leads to the creation of what becomes known as Neem Karori station.Through Lakshman’s journey, the film explores themes of faith, compassion, humility and service, culminating in the philosophy associated with Neem Karoli Baba: “Love all, serve all, say Ram.”
More about ‘Hanuman Ansh’
The film features Chandan Anand and Shobhina W Satyaa in leading roles, with Nikhil Dubey, Udaysinh Rajput, Purnima Tiwari, Mannish Chaudhary, Anil K Rastogi and others forming part of the ensemble. The narrative places its central spiritual journey against the backdrop of early 20th-century India, allowing the film to explore the transformation of Lakshman Das into the revered figure associated with Neem Karoli Baba.‘Hanuman Ansh’ was initially scheduled to release in Indian theatres on July 31, 2026, but the release was subsequently postponed. The film eventually arrived in cinemas on August 7, 2026. The devotional drama was released primarily in Hindi, with subtitles available in regional languages including Braj and Bundeli.
