Showing posts with label Hanuman Ansh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hanuman Ansh. Show all posts
Box office collections jump 17% as Indian films deliver across genres
9:40 AM
Rising footfalls, which touched 378 m during Jan-June, and Hollywood hits add to stellar collections this year so far: Experts
Rajesh N Naidu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 21, 2026)
Mumbai: The performance of Indian films so far in 2026 provides hope of a sustained revival in the industry. Box office collections and footfalls at movie theatres have both posted healthy growth, according to a study by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media. More importantly, according to film industry experts, movies across sizes, languages and genres have done well, in what a trade analyst termed as “revival of range”.
Footfalls at movie theatres increased 5% from a year earlier to 378 million between January and June this year, show Ormax Media data. Footfalls in the last three years had either fallen or stayed flat. Cumulative box-office collection in the nine months ended September grew 17% to Rs. 11,000 crore from Rs. 9,409 crore a year earlier.
The year is also about the returns that films across languages generated relative to their budgets, said producer Anand Pandit. “Audiences have increasingly accepted stories which feel authentic,” he added.
Malayalam film Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, made on a budget of Rs. 25 crore, collected Rs. 192 crore in India alone. Films across sizes and genres have shown similar success. These include Hanuman Ansh (small-budget, devotional), Awarapan 2 (mid-budget, romance), Mirzapur The Movie (OTT, mid-budget), DC (mid-budget, slick action), Irumudi (mid-budget, devotional), Premada Oorali (small-budget, family drama) and Dhurandhar The Revenge (big-budget, franchise value).
Changing audience preferences and tastes are the key reasons behind these successes, said producers. “Theatrical audience is coming in for newer experiences and rejecting ‘sameness’,” said producer Sunir Khetrpal. “Audiences are gradually but definitely becoming agnostic about genres, language or star status.”
Increasingly, regional makers have been focusing on their home territories first. After resonating with their audiences in home states, these films travel to other territories through word-of-mouth recommendations and social media discussions.
These films have demonstrated that theatrical success is more about emotional connection with stories, said producer and film business expert Girish Johar. “Emotional connection with stories is a common aspect in most theatrical successes across languages in 2026,” he said.
A similar story has played out in the India box office performance of Hollywood films as well. Films across scales and genres such as Obsession, Michael and The Odyssey have succeeded in India.
“Social media platforms, especially Instagram, YouTube, shorts and forums such as Reddit, are increasingly building audiences for Hollywood films in India,” said Shaaminder Malik, a distributor and film business expert.
In the remaining period of 2026, Hollywood films such as Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, and Hindi films such as Ramayana and King are expected to boost collection further, said film trade analysts.
They expect Hollywood’s contribution to India’s box office likely to grow to 20-21% from the historical average of 15%.
| Language Share of India Box Office (%) | |||
| Language | 2026* | 2025 | |
| Hindi | 39 | 38 | |
| Telugu | 18 | 20 | |
| Tamil | 13 | 15 | |
| International | 14 | 12 | |
| Malayalam | 8 | 9 | |
| Kannada | 3 | NA | |
| Others | 5 | 6 | |
| Source: Ormax Media, *data till September | |||
Haldiram provided Rs 1.25 cr towards P&A, reveals Hanuman Ansh producer Namrata Singh
5:01 PM
Rajesh Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; October 16, 2026)
In 2026, a film which has debunked many myths around Hindi cinema is Hanuman Ansh. Myths such as increasing aversion among audiences to watch films in theatres, only stars can pull audiences to theatres and small films can not get space in theatres have been broken by the film. Made on a modest budget of less than Rs. 3 crore, the film collected close to Rs. 340 crore (net collection) at the box office (the film is still running in theatres).
ET spoke with one of the producers of the film Namrata G Singh tounderstand the story behind the making of this great blockbuster.
One of the favourite expressions of Singh is Intellectual Property (IP). This expression does not seem out of context or radical. It is in sync with times. IP does not just mean business control. It means creative control. It means preserving the purity of a vision and achieving it. The underlying current throughout the conversation is she is particularly focused on preserving the purity and sanctity of her approach to her creative ventures.
Singh is one of the biggest proponents of adapting, sharing and spreading the Indian experience to the world. This is because this is where lies the foundation of her personality. She wants to share Indian stories rooted in spirituality and the wisdom contained in it. In this interview, Singh also explains how the Genz audiences view spirituality in today’s uncertain times. She also shares how she along with her collaborators overcame the challenges involved in making Hanuman Ansh. Edited excerpts:
Could you talk about the IP studio SacredIP Trans Media Tech?
SacredIP Trans Media Tech aims to take Indian cultural stories to audiences around the world. I grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha comics and spiritual books published by Gita Press. I also once ran a comic-book company called Division 91. My inspiration comes less from the West and more from our own stories, cultural milieu and emotional vocabulary. All of these are reflected in the Navarasas.
The question for me has always been how to take these stories to a global audience. A story can be told through cinema, animation or any other format. Since 2017, I have been actively exploring how to build and reimagine businesses around Indian stories for the global market. My role is to protect intellectual properties (IPs), nurture them, and keep them relevant across formats and generations. I believe Indian stories are global assets. We have a responsibility to keep them alive for successive generations.
Some of the early IPs I developed included The Sufi Route. I collaborated with music director A R Rahman and Shital Bhatia of Friday Filmworks on the IP. Launched in 2017, these were music and event-based IPs. Building intellectual property has been a key thing for me. I worked in various capacities in big media and entertainment companies such as YRF (Yash Raj Films) and Sony. These experiences taught me how to develop and own an IP.
How did you apply these experiences to the film Hanuman Ansh?
My approach is rooted in the belief that creative works require an understanding of emotion and psychology. Owning IP allows you to carry a particular sensibility to audiences across generations. Regardless of a consumer’s age, you must think long-term. You must consider how a story can evolve across different formats. This is an approach found greater visibility in the success of Hanuman Ansh.
I have been a devotee of Neem Karoli Maharaj. Even our film’s director Vishal Chaturvedi is Neem Karoli Maharaj’s devotee. So, our shared devotion to Maharaj ji was the driving force behind the film. Vishal has been Maharaj ji’s devotee for twenty years. I have been a devotee for fourteen years. On my birthday last year, we realized that Maharaj Ji was a common thread between us. We simply asked ourselves what we could do. Then, we mutually decided to tell Maharaj ji’s story. We did not initially decide to make a film.
As we explored the idea, we realized that Maharaj Ji was such a cosmic, larger-than-life figure that cinema was a natural medium for telling his story. We also felt that his story was, in essence, a Ram Katha. It should first reach devotees who could experience it together in groups. These were instinctive and deeply human decisions. At every stage, our intention was to do justice to the story and share it with people. We were guided by that purpose and not by an industry report, an Excel sheet or a numerical model.
Could you talk about the challenges in the making of the film?
We intended to tell a small story and take it to people who love Maharaj ji. In our minds, it was a relatively modest undertaking. However, the process of bringing it to life was extremely difficult. One of the biggest challenges was the production and financing structure. We received what I would call ‘slave contracts’ from prospective co-producers. We were looking for funding. Contracts offered to us were structured as co-production agreements rather than intellectual property (IP) agreements. The industry people do not have sufficient understanding of IP ownership in the way we were trying to approach it. So, I kept asserting that I was an IP owner and that my co-founder, Swambu, owned the IP associated with Hanuman Ansh. This included authorship, ownership and the broader structure required to protect the property. We were offered co-production agreements in which we were expected to effectively give away our rights for a relatively small amount.
These arrangements did not consider the sensitivity of our story, the need to protect its creative integrity, or the emotional and psychological connection to the lived reality of Maharaj ji. I realized that although we often describe ourselves as creative people, we are essentially operating in a trading environment. For authentic storytellers, this transactional mentality can be deeply disappointing. It takes a toll because you are trying to tell a story in a particular way but the people negotiating with you do not necessarily understand or respect that intention.
Vishal and I, as co-founders, understood the film and its sensibilities best. However, our understanding was not given the required importance. This is because Vishal had not directed a film before. Even I had no experience in producing a film. We secured financing through two individuals who also came on board as producers. Ragini Sona supported the production. Anupriya A Nagar, the daughter of the UK-based financier Anshul Nagar, financed the post-production. Their support was important. Today, the film’s IP is fully secured by us.
Are there plans to release the film in other languages and formats?
Yes, we are now expanding the property into other formats. We are working with influencer-investor Vishal Gondal, who built fitness technology company GOQii, on a game called Hanuman Kavach. Vishal is also a Hanuman bhakt. We are developing accessibility features so that the film can be experienced by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. We are also working on different language versions. We do not yet have an English version. We would also like to develop a Sanskrit version of the film. There are also discussions around the animated version of the film. We are also thinking about the live music of the film. These things were possible because we never approached the film as a project. We saw it as an intellectual property through which Maharaj ji’s energy could be carried across formats and age groups. Our responsibility is to preserve that essence. If we can keep it intact, everything else will take care of itself.
Who owns Holy Cow Home Production?
Holy Cow Home Productions is Vishal's (the film’s director Vishal Chaturvedi) company. It is one of the production companies which produced Hanuman Ansh apart from Swambhu Media Network. Swambhu Media Network was founded by Vishal and I. Swambhu Media Network owns the Hanuman Ansh IP. The ownership and authorship of Hanuman Ansh reside within a private limited company because we always envisioned this as a long-term undertaking.
How did you plan to distribute the film and reach as many audiences as possible?
We created this film because we believed there was no other story in the world that explored Maharaj ji's childhood in this way. We understood that it would be a slow burn. We knew audiences will discover the film over time. Even if the film were made available on YouTube across many languages, it could generate revenue over a lifetime. Most people do not think that far ahead. However, for us, this film enterprise was never simply about money. If I want someone in Korea to watch the film, they should be able to watch it dubbed in Korean. Since we did not have the resources upfront, we had to plan for the long term. Many of our decisions were shaped by those constraints.
So far, most of the revenues have gone to distributors and exhibitors. We have yet to explore OTT, satellite television and other distribution avenues. But we were always clear that this was a timeless film that people would continue to watch digitally for generations, across languages and cultural contexts. Our responsibility is to make it accessible to them. Theatrical release was the first step. The non-theatrical distribution will be the second. We also intend to explore different language versions. Besides this, we also intend to explore digital distribution through subscription-based and transactional video-on-demand models.
Do you have any non-traditional ways of making the film available to its audiences?
Yes. Today, a fundamental question for us is: Why should content creators always depend on platforms and intermediaries rather than develop direct-to-audience models?
Therefore, group viewing is another possibility we are exploring for a film like this. All these possibilities were part of the film's DNA because we approached it through the lens of intellectual property (IPs) and not merely as a film. The film was the first step.
We also want to collaborate with some of the best talent in the world. We intend to collaborate with best animators, game designers, non-theatrical technology specialists and direct-to-audience experts. Each of these represents a distinct area of work. For instance, artificial intelligence has not yet been developed with an understanding of the Navarasas and their application to Indian storytelling. Much of the existing AI ecosystem has been shaped by Western perspectives. We lack sufficiently Indianized AI systems that can understand and work with these emotional frameworks. We want to explore this in the context of our film.
If we are talking about an Indian film rooted in our identity and taking stories of our saints to audiences around the world, we should be thinking on a much larger scale and for the long-term. Traders tend to look at a five-to-ten-year horizon rather than in terms of perpetuity, legacy and long-term value of intellectual property.
Could you talk about other producers? How did they come on board?
One of the film’s producers Ragini Sona is Vishal’s friend. They have known each for a long time. They used to recite the Hanuman Chalisa together as part of a Hanuman club they ran. So, when we needed funding, Vishal approached her. She is an experienced producer. Her insights were valuable. When nobody else was willing to invest, Ragini offered to contribute Rs. 50 lakh on the condition that someone else matched the amount. When no one came forward, I invested Rs. 50 lakh from my mutual fund savings. That is how we managed to complete production.
We needed additional funding for post-production. That is when Anupriya Nagar came on board as an investor.
We had a shareholders' agreement. The arrangement was structured around the four of us with each holding a 25% share in the IP along with a three-year lock-in period and other agreed terms.
What was the total budget of the film?
The film was made at a total cost of Rs 1.7 crore. Haldiram provided Rs 1.25 crore towards prints and advertising (P&A) as part of the co-production arrangement. Of the P&A budget, we spent approximately Rs. 65–70 lakh on marketing with the remaining amount going towards the release. We wanted to ensure that the film remained in theatres for three weeks, which involved an additional expenditure of over Rs. 40 lakh. The overall expenditure, including production and P&A, was approximately Rs. 2.95 crore or close to Rs. 3 crore.
Now let us talk about the film. How did you develop the film’s structure?
One of the biggest challenges in telling Maharaj ji’s story is how to portray his leelas. How do you represent these experiences without reducing them to miracles? We wanted to avoid presenting the story simply through the lens of miracles. For us, it is fundamentally about faith. The film has clearly been made with conviction, faith and good intentions. It does not feel as though it was created to cash in on or exploit someone else’s faith. That sincerity comes through.
When we set out to make the film, we had one simple principle: Maharaj ji’s story could only be told through the experiences of his devotees. The nine stories in the film are real. We brought them together within a particular narrative structure and gave the film a central idea.
What was the central idea of the film?
The film’s central idea is an exploration of the Hanuman Chalisa and its Ashta Siddhis (eight powers). We were telling the story of a man who became a saint over time while remaining a grihastha saint. These were our guiding principles: the Ashta Siddhis, the interpretation of the Hanuman Chalisa, his identity as a householder saint, and his journey from the age of 11 until 1942. We had conceived the project as a trilogy from the beginning. The first film tells this part of his journey, the second was intended to explore Kainchi, and the third would focus on a foreign devotee. Ultimately, you are telling a story that you have lived. I could not make a compelling film about Guru’s love if I did not have personal experiences.
Our primary focus was the bhaav or the underlying emotion and essence. His personality emerged well through the storytelling. He is not portrayed to be a perfect man. He is as flawed as any of us. He left home after his mother’s death. He discovered his sanskaras. He became a saint. And then, he married, had children, served as the mukhiya of his village, and built 108 temples during his lifetime. He undertook significant work in the external world. In his internal world, his life remained centred on the constant chant of “Ram Ram,” Ultimately, we wanted to draw attention to that inner experience—to what is happening within him as a person.
What was your approach towards achieving these lived experiences?
For me, storytelling is an act of transferring empathy. That transfer becomes difficult when you have not experienced or understood the reality you are trying to portray. This is also why I see the film as an intellectual property rather than merely a film. I cannot sell my sensibility. I can curate it, protect it and bring it into the world through different forms of storytelling.
Vishal and I are fortunate that we lead relatively simple lives and do not place too much importance on status or material possessions. That gives us the freedom to make certain choices. Once you become preoccupied with money and status, your cost of living rises, and you may begin making compromises that are not true to your work or your larger body of work.
What people may not fully recognize when they assess the film is how the film beautifully marries emotional quality with artistic and technical elements. The bhaava (rasa or emotion) we have drawn upon is Shanta Rasa (the film’s dominant emotional experience: Peace). One experiences peace and tranquillity when one watches the film. These qualities are increasingly absent from today’s world. The feeling of peace that the film evokes can be powerful precisely because it is so uncommon. People have experienced Shanti (peace) through the film.
Throughout the conversation, you have been talking about IPs. It is very evident now. Funders are focusing on IPs which have built-in audiences. The recent Hollywood film Backrooms is a key example. Did you follow a similar approach?
Our response and approach naturally reflect our devotion towards Maharaj ji. Even though I am excited about the possibility of making a trilogy around Maharaj ji, it is not the sentiment that governs our intentions. We made this film with a particular vow and intention. I want to preserve that spirit. Ultimately, we cannot allow these conversations to become transactional or exploitative. Figures such as Maharaj Ji and other saints are not commodities. These are matters of values and responsibility. As storytellers, we are not merely creating content. We are also infusing values through the stories we choose to tell.
How did you navigate the challenge of dealing with exhibitors especially when the film has no known names? How do you convince them?
I didn't convince them. We showed the film to only two people before its release: Anil Thadani (one of the biggest film distributors in India) and Mayank Shroff (head, film programming from Cinepolis). Ultimately, we chose Cinepolis because the terms they offered made the most sense for us.
Vishal and I had initially imagined it as a small film intended primarily for tier-2 and tier-3 cities and rural India. We were not looking to release it exclusively in expensive cinemas. We wanted people to be able to watch it in smaller theatres with tickets priced at around Rs. 100 without feeling that they needed to belong to a particular economic class or dress a certain way to enter a cinema.
Cinepolis had a presence in the kinds of locations we wanted to reach. This was an important consideration. Our devotees come from different economic backgrounds. We did not want the cost of a ticket or the environment of a cinema to become a barrier in their experience of the film. We wanted to create a space where they could recite the Hanuman Chalisa and keep Maharaj Ji on a seat as a mark of devotion. We felt that Cinepolis understood and respected that sensibility.
Even PVR has been one of our strongest supporters. PVR's CSR division subsequently supported us by providing discounted tickets and food for underprivileged children, including children with cancer. We remain grateful for that support.
What convinced Mayank Shroff to back the film?
Apart from the film’s merits, we also benefited from the fact that Mayank is a fellow devotee of Maharaj ji. We didn't really have to sell it.
Today, we are seeing a lot of faith-based films being made. Do you think there is a section among Gen Z audiences which is returning to our roots or has become interested in spirituality? Bhajan clubbing is a case in the point.
I do not necessarily see this as a return to our roots. We need to understand that today there are three generations living alongside one another. Also, nearly 70% of India’s population is below the age of 30. Today, we are consuming spirituality through our phones. Earlier, one would get spiritual knowledge or understanding primarily through a temple visit, a book, a religious scholar or the wisdom passed down by our grandparents.
For younger people, this accessibility can spark curiosity and encourage them to explore these subjects more deeply. They do not necessarily accept every subjective experience at face value. They look for objectivity within subjectivity. Spirituality is inherently subjective. The sheer volume of information now available allows people to explore the relationship between science and spirituality.
I often describe the three generations in this way: our parents were thinkers and doers; we are thinker-doers; and the generation after us is a generation of imagination. I believe this younger generation is increasingly drawn to India's eternal beings: deities, spiritual teachers, gurus or saints.
But there are many young people in the audience who have liked the simplicity of the film. They are neither followers nor devotees. How do you respond to that?
Yes. Today, I think the pursuit of external markers of success—whether becoming a CEO, a footballer or achieving fame and wealth—is not necessarily bringing people peace. Many are experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. They are beginning to question whether these conventional aspirations can provide the fulfilment they seek. This generation is therefore realigning itself with fundamental human values. The stories that resonate with them increasingly revolve around human endeavours. Cinema, which once focused on narratives at the scale of entire population, is now also exploring stories at a deeply human level.
Maharaj ji's story is an example of this kind of connection. It allows people to engage with his life and experiences at a personal level. The story has a global relevance because its appeal is human rather than geographically or culturally restricted. Not everyone can travel to Vrindavan or live in a temple town, so people are looking for other ways to experience spirituality and connect with these traditions.
I believe this generation is increasingly interested in contributing to society rather than pursuing only individual success. They have grown up with relatively greater access to basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. Many are now asking what they can do with the opportunities available to them. If they choose to pursue something, they want it to have meaning. Today’s young generation is a generation of imagination. They are increasingly drawn to human endeavour and fundamental values. There is a common thread that connects us all: we are looking for peace of mind, meaning and purpose. I think this explains the growing interest among younger people in practices such as bhajan clubbing. We have grown up listening to kirtans and attending Satsangs, but this generation is finding its own way of engaging with these traditions.
I disagree with the idea that people turn to spirituality only when they are broken or looking for solace or an escape from their problems. I think that is a limited understanding of spirituality. Spiritual practices and rituals offer us a moment to pause in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information. Our minds are burdened by cognitive overload.
When you stand in a temple or participate in bhajan clubbing, your senses align with something deeper and greater than yourself. There is a certain loss of the individual self as you move from an ‘I’ to a ‘we’. That experience can make you feel good because it connects you to a shared sense of humanity. Any sensory experience that brings you closer to that common humanity is good for the soul. It reminds you that you are not merely a human being but a spiritual being having a human experience.
Our spiritual traditions are deeply rooted in respecting people for who they are rather than expecting everyone to be alike. We are not meant to be cookie-cutter versions of one another. The current young generation is discerning. This generation can see through performance, pretence and public relations. If you offer young people something genuinely positive, they will recognize its value and embrace it. They do not necessarily need to be experiencing a problem to appreciate what spirituality has to offer. We should give this generation credit for its ability to distinguish what is meaningful from what is merely performative. Ultimately, much of the film’s success can be attributed to the growing word-of-mouth communications and recommendations.
World Tourism Day special: When tourists are not just travelling, but also chasing film sets
3:41 PM
Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; September 27, 2026)
A visit to Pangong Tso in Ladakh may seem incomplete to many without recreating 3 Idiots scenes. A Paris itinerary may not be complete without a photograph and a hashtag inspired by Emily In Paris. Manali is synonymous with Bunny and his antics for many movie buffs.
Be it Shah Rukh Khan dancing with Rani Mukerji in Greece or Barfi! with its Darjeeling backdrop, films and TV shows are often our first window to a location when captured well on screen.
While Ted Lasso may bring you bits of London, The White Lotus has put Sicily in front of a whole new audience. From Goa’s Chapora Fort in Dil Chahta Hai to Spain in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Udaipur and Manali in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and the lanes of Old Delhi in Delhi-6, travellers have often planned their itineraries around films and shows.
On World Tourism Day, we take you on a little tour of some of these shooting locations and how travellers plan trips around the places they have first seen on screen.
‘A location on screen does not remain just geography’
At the 8th Global Film Tourism Conclave organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in Mumbai earlier this year, film tourism emerged as a key part of India’s destination branding and tourism strategy. “A location on screen does not remain just geography; it becomes an aspiration, memory and a dream people wish to experience for themselves,” said Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India, in a video message.
‘Screens are increasingly shaping where people travel’
Many travellers plan their itinerary because they want to witness or recreate the magic of a scene or a song shot at a particular location.
“Screens are increasingly shaping where people travel. According to Great Indian Travel Index report, released last year, YoY bookings on ixigo to cities across the Northeast grew sharply, Dimapur +77%, Agartala +48%, and Guwahati and Imphal +44% each, with shows like The Family Man helping bring these destinations into the spotlight. We are seeing the same internationally. Sicily, featured in The White Lotus, The Odyssey and Cocktail 2, is a great example. Since Cocktail 2 was released, bookings on our site to and from Italy are up 38% YoY,” explains Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, ixigo.
People who visit sites shown in films are looking for more than geographical sights. “They want to recreate the scenes and backgrounds from their favourite frames, buy souvenirs, transfer emotions and see every detail related to the film’s production in this very location,” says Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).
Sanjeev Kumar, General Manager, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – IHCL SeleQtions, shares, "The interest around Hanuman Ansh, Neem Karoli Baba and Kainchi Dham has renewed attention on the spiritual landscape of Kumaon. Film-led interest can encourage travellers to look beyond the screen and discover the local culture, faith, food, people and landscape. That is when storytelling becomes meaningful for a destination – when a film sparks curiosity and leads to a more personal journey."
‘Cinema & television have a unique ability to make a destination feel familiar long before someone visits it’
We have seen this play out in India over the years, with films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Salaam Namaste and Bachna Ae Haseeno bringing Australia’s cities and landscapes into the homes and imaginations of Indian audiences, points out Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia.
“We have been an early believer in the power of the television screen, including through our integration with the popular television show Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. These associations matter because the impact of entertainment can extend well beyond the original broadcast or theatrical release. A film or television programme can introduce a place to an audience at one point in their lives, with those images and emotions staying with them until they are ready to travel,” explains Nishant Kashikar.
Manmeet Ahluwalia, CMO, EaseMyTrip, comments, "Pangong Lake in Ladakh became associated with 3 Idiots, while Chapora Fort in Goa continues to be linked with Dil Chahta Hai. Internationally, locations across New Zealand have become part of The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit tourism experience. In these cases, the location moves beyond being a backdrop. It becomes part of the story’s identity."
Indian destinations that owe a chunk of their popularity to specific films
- Ladakh, especially Pangong Tso – before 3 Idiots was released in 2009, that lake saw a few hundred visitors a season. It’s now one of the most photographed spots in Indian domestic travel, largely because of one closing scene. Vendors there still rent out the scooter and the yellow raincoat from the film
- Spain, via Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – it’s become something of a case study in Spanish tourism circles for how one film reframed a destination for an entire outbound market
- Kashmir, Goa, and Rajasthan – less tied to one film each, more a cumulative effect of decades of being Bollywood’s default backdrop for romance and drama
- Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad – this one’s slightly different since it’s a studio, not a “real” location, but it’s proof of concept for how far this can go: the Baahubali sets alone turned into a paid tourist attraction
– Prashant Daroch, founder, Atravelq
New Zealand and The Lord of the Rings remain the global reference case
“Hobbiton is now a standalone paid attraction with its own economy. Scotland and Northern Ireland saw a similar effect from Game Of Thrones. Iceland’s landscape-driven tourism boom over the last decade has also been helped by its frequent use as a backdrop for international productions,” adds Prashant.
New Zealand’s experience offers some useful numbers. Tourism New Zealand’s visitor research for the year ending December 2025 found that 12.4% of international visitors surveyed said The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings films influenced their decision to visit the country.
Prashant Daroch, founder, Atravelq, adds, "In our experience curating these trips, the location is the entry point, not the whole ask. What people are really chasing is recreating a specific scene or character moment, not just visiting the town."
A Booking.com spokesperson, says, "The influence of film and entertainment is becoming evident, our Travel Trends 2026 data shows that 37% of Indian travellers credit movies and TV shows for inspiring their trip choices…From Bollywood in Mumbai and anime in Tokyo, to K-drama in Seoul and fantasy realms in Wellington, these destinations have become vibrant cultural touchpoints."
I converted my house into a studio and conducted Hanuman Ansh recordings at home-Dhirendra Mulkalwar
9:13 AM
Komal RJ Panchal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 21, 2026)
For Dhirendra Mulkalwar, turning composer with Hanuman Ansh is nothing short of a divine experience. After composing nearly 500 jingles and working as a music producer on films, taking the leap into music direction with a film about spiritual guru Neeb Karori Baba — who Mulkalwar is a follower of — seemed fitting. Having created the film’s background score and composed Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai, he tells mid-day how surrendering to Neem Karoli Baba helped him find the movie’s melody. Excerpts from the interview.
What was the brief given to you for Hanuman Ansh’s music?
Neeb Karori Baba is a [renowned] figure. People across the world, including Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, have spoken about his impact. So, as a music composer, the responsibility became huge because this film would not be limited to India; it would be seen all over the world. The good thing was that I surrendered myself to Babaji. It took me two-three months to crack the first theme. [Before that] I would try, reject, try again, but I was not happy [with the results]. Then, one day, I remembered Babaji. Within five to 10 minutes, the melody started floating. It was a divine experience for me.
Did director Vishal Chaturvedi know you were a follower of Neeb Karori Baba, when he approached you?
No. When Vishal ji asked me if I would compose the score, he had no idea about my connection with Babaji. He had undertaken a 43-day ritual before the film started, and I went there to perform the Hanuman Chalisa. When he asked me to do the film, I said yes in a fraction of a second. I also told him that I had gone to Chitrakoot a few months earlier after trying to visit it unsuccessfully for four years. I went in April, and by July, he had offered me a film on Babaji.
You worked as a music producer on other films. Why is Hanuman Ansh significant?
On those movies, I worked as a music producer. With Hanuman Ansh, I am the music director and have done the background score, so the roles are different. Seeing my name on the big screen as a music director has been a special moment for me. The fact that it happened with Babaji’s film makes it even more special.
How different was the experience of scoring for this movie?
Hanuman Ansh was made on a limited budget. We did not even have the budget for marketing or recording. So, I converted my house into a studio and conducted all the recordings at home. On earlier films, we could afford to go to an orchestra in Vienna, but here that wasn’t possible. I knew the challenges the makers were facing, so it became like a family. I took my friends’ help. We didn’t want to compromise on quality.
Will you be scoring for Hanuman Ansh 2?
I don’t know of any official announcement. The first film is still running in theatres. Once that is complete, the team will discuss the sequel.
I did Hanuman Ansh without any remuneration. How could I ask for money?-Purnima Tiwari
4:19 PM
The actor, who plays Neem Karoli Baba’s wife in the devotional drama, opens up on how the project touched her deeply
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 19, 2026)
Actor Purnima Tiwari, who essays the role of Ram Beti Devi wife of Neeb Karori Baba, popularly known as Maharaj Ji in the devotional drama Hanuman Ansh, calls it “universe’s planning” to get her on board.
Speaking to us, Tiwari says, “It was in 2024 that I got myself an idol of Baba when I had visited Kainchi Dham, also known as Neem Karori Ashram. Since then, it has been part of my everyday prayers at home. In 2025, I was shooting for the television show Pyar Ki Raahein and I got this script, auditioned nahin de pa rahi thhi, but then I read the script and had that instant connection. I couldn’t believe for a while that within a year’s time I got to be part of a film that is about Baba himself.”
“That same day, I made my audition tape and shared it with the team. I went near Baba’s idol and questioned myself, ‘Kya main is role ko karne ki paatr bhi hoon?’ The answer was within me that this is your karma, just do your job, send the tape, and leave the rest to God. And then I got a nod from the director to join the shoot in a day’s time” she adds.
On doing the role entirely without any remuneration, she shares, “I didn’t want to mention it, but I strongly felt it was a call from Baba, so how could I ask for money? I did it without any remuneration. Other than that, yes, the team paid for my travel and stay, so that too was enough for me because I don’t know—bas mujhe yeh role karna tha. After over ten years in the industry, I got to do a film that is all about devotion and something that had my heart. On the day of my shoot, I was just on set without any food, just staying on water, because in my head it was about completing my job to my best, khana peena hota rahega,” concludes the actor, known for projects like Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, Choona, and Raat Akeli Hai.
Musicians Sadhu Tiwari, Rishi Pathak, Dr Vishal Chaturvedi credit ‘honest and rooted music’ for Hanuman Ansh success
9:47 AM
Singer-composers Rishi Pathak, Sadhu Tiwari and Dr Vishal Chaturvedi (Photo: HT)
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 17, 2026)
Feature film Hanuman Ansh, based on the journey of saint Neeb Karori Baba, is hogging limelight due to its blockbuster collection, and one of the major pillars behind it has been its viral music.
Debutant director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi, a trained musician and also a singer-composer of the track Hriday Mein Jinke Sita Ram, says, “The stars of the success are musicians and their honest and rooted compositions.”
The film’s composers include Sadhu Tiwari, Rishi Pathak, Dhirendra Mulkalwar, Shreyas Dharmadhikari and visually impaired singer-composer Suneel Lodhi (Maine Tere Hi Bharose), and they have used two tracks of American vocalist Krishna Das.
Speaking to HT City, Tiwari, who composed five viral tracks including Parvati, Bajrang Banka and Aavagaman, says, “I composed multiple tracks but knew which would suit the film and they got selected. They were composed with minimal music and regional flavour. I was not here just as a singer-lyricist-composer; we all worked owning the project. What happened thereafter is Baba’s blessings. I knew they would be liked but such virality is just magical.”
Sadhu and Vishal’s association dates back to Gulaab Gang (2014), where he sang Mauj Ki Malhare while Vishal was working in Anubhav Sinha’s production.
“That day I decided that I will use this voice, and we have also collaborated for another indie project. I honestly believe he is one of the top 10 voices in the Indian film industry.”
Singer-composer Rishi Pathak, who has also doubled as line-producer in the film and is part of three songs, says, “I am associated with the project from the start, and with Vishal ji have worked together for years and musically jammed too for his Hanuman Chalisa Club. I co-wrote and composed Jai Hanuman, sung and recomposed Vaishnav Jan To and wrote-composed Ram Bhajan Ki Or. Nothing in the film is due to personal relations, and probably due to this professionalism the film and its music connected with people.”
Hailing from Sitamarhi, Bihar, he has done multiple indie projects and wrote lyrics for R Madhavan’s Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, but in the end all songs were taken out from the film.
Himself a singer, Vishal says the rawness of the musician and language played a big role. “The songs are in Awadhi, Braj and Bundeli boli and part of culture. Its mithas (sweetness), mitti ki khushboo and soul probably reached the heart. Sadhu’s raw voice, Rishi’s khuli awaaz and deep composition, Suneel’s full of life voice, Krishna Das’s soaked in devotion compositions which we used as it is, and Dhirendra’s background music and song – that we used last moment – all are the hero of the film,” says Vishal.
He recently sung Parajay and Dhain Dhain in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film Ghamasaan. He has received musical training from Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Lucknow.
People hardly know me, want to remain that way, says Hanuman Ansh's Shobhinaw Satyaa
10:26 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 10, 2026)
With Hanuman Ansh emerging as one of the year’s surprise box-office successes, its 31-year-old lead Shobhinaw Satyaa has found sudden fame playing spiritual guru Neem Karoli Baba.
But the actor would rather remain an enigma: “People hardly know anything about me, and I want to remain like this and about my personal life details. I have a reserved nature! Now, I use Instagram somewhat, but before the film’s teaser release I had hardly 2-3 posts and about 200 followers (now 225K). I prefer staying away from my mobile for hours.”
Satyaa says he takes inspiration from late actor Amrish Puri. “I am a big fan of Amrish sir for how he kept his real life and voice hidden from public glare and kept it for the screen. I will keep following the path that Hanuman ji shows – jahe vidhi rakhe Ram, tahe vidhi rehiye!”
'Trailer started 10 years back'
His casting in Hanuman Ansh, directed by Dr Vishal Chaturvedi, was itself unexpected. On his magical journey he says, “Everyone knows that from an assistant director, I landed in this role after the actor fell ill but the magic started 10 years back. I was assistant director in a student film Dhai Kalo by Vivek Kelkar in FTII, Pune and the lead actor got stuck and I did the lead role. Hanuman ji ne then tab trailer dikhi thi ab puri picture dikha di.”
Shobhinaw knew he had a career in acting but had no idea how to go about it. “I just wanted to do something big and now my friends say you manifested it but I did not realise it then. It has been 10 years and I kept my promise to myself that kuch chota-mota role nahi karoonga!”
No to abuse and voilence on screen
He reveals that not been approached by anyone till now. “I am not even thinking about it right now and focusing on how this film and Baba’s name can reach everyone and everywhere. I will surely experiment but apni maryada ka khayal rakhonga my whole life – any saint, culture or great Indian personalities. I can’t abuse and do violence on screen as in real life too. I don’t speak such language, nor do I smoke or drink and live a satvik life. So, I will not do what I am not as I won’t be able to do justice to it!”
He feels that actors don’t get typecasted anymore like during the days of old Ramayana, Mahabharata and Sai Baba shows. “Now, things have changed. Earlier, people used to get stuck in one image but now industry and audience both accept actors, thanks to the Internet and social media.”
About Shobhinaw:
Shobhinaw was born in Khairabad, Sitapur and then after class VII shifted to Lucknow after hiis father’s posting and studied from Brightland Inter College.
“I joined Lucknow University but man nahi laga so did graduation from Faizabad University and simultaneously did acting course from Opulent School of Acting & Films in Lucknow and a small course at FTII, Pune. My father retired from the education department, mother has been a teacher, and I have a younger sister. They watched the film and had tears in their eyes. But, they roasted me in an interview saying ‘yeh ansoon baba ke liye hain, Shobhinaw ke liye nahi’.”
‘Please don’t touch my feet’
“When people touch my feet, I get very embarrassed as mere liye paap hai yeah. I tell them to hug and go touch the feet of Baba’s Shrimurti as I am only his daas and I have done this role on his direction,” he says and adds, “I first got introduced to Baba in 2009 when I was in High School when my friend Shubham Mishra showed my Baba’s story and his grandfather has done seva of the Baba so I heard many stories of him and since then I have become his follower.”
Some other actor was playing Ram Nandan Bhosle; he didn't turn up and I entered-Chandan K Anand
10:23 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 8, 2026)
Actor Chandan K Anand reflected on the unexpected success of the film Hanuman Ansh, noting how it surpassed even the team’s wildest aspirations, “We were convinced that it would be liked, but we were unaware that it would become so big; nobody in the team, including the makers, was expecting this turnaround, that too after it ran for two weeks of release. Kaun soch sakta hain yeh? I feel abhi shuru hua hain; it will go far because the festive season is around the corner.”
Addressing the initial struggle of securing screen space against major releases, Anand noted the reality of the industry: “It’s no secret, we all know small films get less shows, less screens. It’s difficult to find a place, but this film found its way and proved that conviction in your story, characters can do wonders, magic,” he adds.
The actor, who appears as the narrator, also shared the serendipitous story of how he landed his role: “It was a small role I was initially offered. I arrived from Mumbai, but within a day of joining, it turned out that I got to be a full-fledged character of Ram Nandan Bhosle. I had no idea who was playing [it] earlier, but that actor didn’t turn up and I entered the shoot—no idea how we managed my dates and availability. It’s one of those roles that stays throughout the film and sets the narrative, and I am happy my work is reaching that far. That was my karma; Baba wanted this from me after giving acting years of hard work.”
Filming the story of Neem Karoli Baba required a unique atmosphere, with strict adherence to discipline and spirituality on set. “Yes, it was a completely sathvik atmosphere, prohibiting abusive language, arguments, and fights, as well as keeping non-vegetarian food and any type of alcohol completely off the sets, was strictly enforced by the team for everyone. And that’s what it was, and we all didn’t even feel that it was so sab apna kaam kar rahe thhe; we were moving with the flow,” concludes Anand, who has since resumed shooting for his next project.
Gaiety-Galaxy closure: Why Mumbai’s iconic Bandra theatre complex has shut down
9:46 AM
V Narayan (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 8, 2026)
Mumbai: Following an FIR registered by the Bandra police against the management and owner of the iconic Gaiety Galaxy, DCP (West Zone-2) Mohit Garg said action was taken after police learnt that management had violated Maharashtra Cinemas (Regulation) Rules and had not renewed the licence for five years.
The FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 223 for disobedience of an order promulgated by a public servant.
Under the rules, cinema halls and public performance venues receive a permanent operating permit, often called Form C, valid for one year. Annual renewal requires payment of fees of about Rs 2,000 and inspections and safety clearances, including a fire safety NOC, structural stability certificate, electrical and PWD clearances, and approval from Mumbai Police's local licensing branch. Failure to pay fees or obtain certification can result in immediate suspension of shows.
Section 223 provides for up to six months' simple imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 2,500 if disobedience causes or risks obstruction, annoyance or injury to lawfully employed persons. If it causes or risks danger to human life, health or safety, punishment may extend to one year and a Rs 5,000 fine.
Co-owner Manoj Desai disputed the claim in comments to an online news outlet, saying burnt or damaged theatre cables had caused the shutdown rather than a licensing dispute. He did not respond to TOI's repeated calls and text messages on Monday.
Gaiety Galaxy, opened in 1972, is a prominent single-location Mumbai cinema with longstanding links to Bollywood audiences.
---------------------------------------
Madhulika Ram Kavattur (MID-DAY; September 8, 2026)
Moviegoers were shocked to learn on Monday that Bandra’s iconic G7 Multiplex, commonly referred to as the Gaiety-Galaxy cinema complex, on 30th Road had been shut by the Mumbai Police’s Special Branch after the previous day’s last show, with about 12 small notices pasted to the walls of the premises announcing the closure. The messages read in Marathi, “This cinema hall has not renewed its licence. Hence, further shows are cancelled.”
According to Bandra police sources, karyakartas from a political organisation had arrived at the theatre and created a ruckus over the non-premiere of the devotional superhit Hanuman Ansh. Following repeated arguments, the karyakartas allegedly tore down posters of Mirzapur The Movie, after which the police were called. After reaching the theatre, the police registered a case against those involved.
As part of the procedure, the police also checked the theatre’s documents and found that its licence had not been renewed since 2021-22. Therefore, the police directed the theatre management to shut the premises for non-compliance.
“Given that the theatre did not have a valid licence, we ordered the management to shut it down immediately,” a senior police official told this newspaper. Another senior officer told mid-day, “All theatres need an entertainment licence to function. It is issued by the Mumbai Police Headquarters near Crawford Market in Fort. Gaiety-Galaxy’s licence had not been renewed since 2021-22, which is why a notice was served.”
Asked about the informal appearance of the notices posted on the walls of the theatre, the official said, “We only issued the formal notice to the theatre; we are not the ones who have put the notices on the walls. The management of the theatre has put those up.”
Theatre management speaks
Manoj Desai, the executive director of G7 Multiplex, told mid-day, “Some of the cables in the theatre got burnt, so we need to replace them before we can resume our shows. We are arranging for new cables from Lohar Chawl in South Mumbai, and until the work is completed, the screens will remain shut. The timing is certainly unfortunate, especially with the kind of films currently playing, but maintenance of the screens is paramount. We have to ensure that everything is functioning properly and safely before we reopen. It is purely a technical shutdown and nothing more than that.”
Trade talk
Girish Wankhede, trade analyst, told mid-day, “Gaiety-Galaxy has around seven screens, so the loss can be quite substantial. On an average, one screen can do around 1 to 1.5 lakh from a show, of which the cinema’s share would be roughly 50,000. So, for a day, you are looking at a loss of around 2.5 lakh per screen. Across seven screens, that can work out to around Rs 17 to Rs 18 lakh a day, and if the shutdown continues for seven days, you are looking at a loss of over Rs 1 crore. What makes this particularly unfortunate is the timing. It has happened at a bad time of the week, when films like Toxic and Mirzapur The Movie, which are very mass-oriented, are playing. Gaiety is the kind of cinema where these over-the-top potboilers and mass films draw a strong crowd, so the owner is losing out on an important period of business.”
Nostalgia hits
While news of the theatre closing slowly spread via word of mouth and the internet, a few people who were clueless showed up to the theatre around noon on Monday.
Mandira Das, who had come from Bhayander with her husband and their son, said, “I had checked the ticket booking platforms before leaving from my home, but it wasn’t showing any available shows, so I thought it was a glitch. But when I showed up here and saw the building and the street in front of it was so silent, I realised something was off, and then I saw the notice which was posted on the walls.”
Das and her family have a very specific ritual while going to the theatre in Bandra. She explained, “Most of the fancy multiplexes have strict rules about kids and A-rated movies, and we wanted to watch Mirzapur, so we came here to our go-to theatre. We usually buy some fast food, sneak it in, and enjoy the movie. Afterwards, we go to Bandstand to enjoy the breeze, but today our plans have been derailed. I just hope they resolve the issue soon.”
A Bandra resident who had been living in the area for years now, Rohinton Polishwala, said, “Gaiety-Galaxy is a very strong memory for me from my childhood. I used to go there often till 12 or so years ago. Now that I have a family and everything, we prefer PVR; but back in the day, the theatre was an essential part of any Bandra resident’s life. I hope that they are back in business soon.”
History behind the theatre
G7 Multiplex started with three theatres — Gaiety, Galaxy, and Gemini. The two biggest screens, Gaiety and Galaxy, have a combined capacity of around 1800 seats.
In the late 1990s, four more theatres were added to the complex — Grace (a preview theatre), Gem (next to Galaxy's stall), Glamour (between Galaxy's stall and balcony), and Gossip, which has a separate entrance at the back.
Inputs by Aishwarya Iyer and Mohar Basu
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 951
11:42 PM
WILL HAIWAAN SURPRISE AT THE BOX OFFICE?
The box office is rocking right now thanks to two unexpected hits. Hanuman Ansh refuses to slow down. After collecting just Rs. 90 lakhs in Week 1 and a paltry Rs. 47 lakhs in Week 2, it collected Rs. 10.13 crores in the third week. It then jumped to Rs. a whopping Rs. 57.98 crores in the fourth week. The fifth week is even better. The devotional film is expected to collect around Rs. 80-82 crores in Week 5. Hence, the film’s collections have crossed the Rs. 150 crore mark. The beauty is that there’s still a lot of gas left in the tank and therefore, it won’t be a surprise if Week 6 is more than Week 5!
Mirzapur The Movie, too, sprang a surprise. It was expected to collect Rs. 10-15 crores or Rs. 20 crores at the most on the day of its release. However, it ended up earning Rs. 25.50 crores on day 1. The collections jumped to Rs. 31 crores and Rs. 35 crores on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. On Monday, films usually fall by 50% compared to Friday. But Mirzapur The Movie collected Rs. 16.25 crores on Monday and Rs. 14.75 crores on Tuesday. The first week collections are expected to be around Rs. 140-145 crores. Like Hanuman Ansh, it’ll also cross the Rs. 200 crore mark.
Now, all eyes are on this week’s big release, Haiwaan. It stars Akshay Kumar and is directed by Priyadarshan. But unlike their past outings, Haiwaan is a thriller. This time, they are joined by Saif Ali Khan, who plays a blind man. Meanwhile, Akshay plays a villain after ages.
Sadly, the trailer hasn’t left the desired impact and hence, audiences have adopted a wait-and-watch strategy. It means that most of them will book tickets if the reports are encouraging. Hence, if all goes well, the film’s collections may see a jump on Saturday. There’s a Ganesh Chaturthi holiday on Monday in Maharashtra, which will prove to be an advantage. However, if the word of mouth is not up to the mark, the film will face an uphill task.
The box office is rocking right now thanks to two unexpected hits. Hanuman Ansh refuses to slow down. After collecting just Rs. 90 lakhs in Week 1 and a paltry Rs. 47 lakhs in Week 2, it collected Rs. 10.13 crores in the third week. It then jumped to Rs. a whopping Rs. 57.98 crores in the fourth week. The fifth week is even better. The devotional film is expected to collect around Rs. 80-82 crores in Week 5. Hence, the film’s collections have crossed the Rs. 150 crore mark. The beauty is that there’s still a lot of gas left in the tank and therefore, it won’t be a surprise if Week 6 is more than Week 5!
Mirzapur The Movie, too, sprang a surprise. It was expected to collect Rs. 10-15 crores or Rs. 20 crores at the most on the day of its release. However, it ended up earning Rs. 25.50 crores on day 1. The collections jumped to Rs. 31 crores and Rs. 35 crores on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. On Monday, films usually fall by 50% compared to Friday. But Mirzapur The Movie collected Rs. 16.25 crores on Monday and Rs. 14.75 crores on Tuesday. The first week collections are expected to be around Rs. 140-145 crores. Like Hanuman Ansh, it’ll also cross the Rs. 200 crore mark.
Now, all eyes are on this week’s big release, Haiwaan. It stars Akshay Kumar and is directed by Priyadarshan. But unlike their past outings, Haiwaan is a thriller. This time, they are joined by Saif Ali Khan, who plays a blind man. Meanwhile, Akshay plays a villain after ages.
Sadly, the trailer hasn’t left the desired impact and hence, audiences have adopted a wait-and-watch strategy. It means that most of them will book tickets if the reports are encouraging. Hence, if all goes well, the film’s collections may see a jump on Saturday. There’s a Ganesh Chaturthi holiday on Monday in Maharashtra, which will prove to be an advantage. However, if the word of mouth is not up to the mark, the film will face an uphill task.
Hanuman Ansh's 21-yer-old producer Anupriya Nagar says, "I put in all my savings"
9:48 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 7, 2026)
At 21, Anupriya Nagar invested all the money she had earned and saved from three years of part-time jobs in the UK into her first film, Hanuman Ansh, despite having no filmmaking experience. A graduate of economics from the University of Bath, she had even got a job in Zurich before returning to India in 2025 and eventually getting involved with the film as a co-producer.
“I feel like age is just a number,” she says. “My only focus was to bring Maharaj ji’s (Neem Karoli Baba) stories to the younger audience, to Gen Z. We get to know about such things through foreigners. I myself got to know about him through a foreigner and, being the youth of India, I was ashamed that I was not getting to know about him through his own story.”
For her, backing Hanuman Ansh was never about financial returns. “This was the risk I was willing to take. I earned this money in the three years that I studied in the UK, doing part-time jobs. When I came across Maharaj ji at a beautiful juncture of my life, I just wanted to get into this project. I didn’t know what I could contribute because I had not done filmmaking, but I was ready to give my heart and soul to it. The project needed some investment at that particular time, so I said, ‘Whatever I have, I’m ready to give you guys.’”
Her family initially worried about the decision. “My father was protective. He said, ‘You don’t know much about filmmaking and you know how the industry is. You’re so young.’ But when I told him I was making a film on a noble saint and narrated the story, he was fine. They’ve been with me through thick and thin. In fact, I think they do more publicity for the film than I do!”
The film’s box office journey has since surprised everyone. After opening on 300 screens and dropping to just 30 on its eighth day, it eventually expanded to over 1,500 screens, and now releasing internationally. It has also touched the Rs. 100 crore figure.
“My box office is people knowing about Maharaj ji,” she says. “But the collections reassure me that people are interested in this kind of content. People are making an effort to get his darshan in theatres.”
The film ends with a promise of a sequel, and Anupriya confirms it will happen, “We are not going to dishearten our viewers. Maharaj ji has given us so much in abundance regarding the box office, so we don’t have a choice but to make this.”
More importantly, she wants the sequel to retain the simplicity of the first film. “Our film was supposed to be made in Rs. 2 crore. If we had made the same film in Rs. 10 crore, it wouldn’t have come out this way. The rawness and simplicity came from the low budget, and we will definitely keep that in mind,” Anupriya ends.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 950
4:25 PM
TOXIC CRASHES AND HOW; HANUMAN ANSH SCORES AND HOW!
The last week has been very dramatic for the industry and those following the box office. Toxic, which released with loads of expectations, has emerged as a huge debacle. Meanwhile, Hanuman Ansh has become an out-of-syllabus blockbuster that no one saw coming.
Toxic’s Hindi version opened at Rs. 53.50 crores. Hence, it broke the record of the Hindi version of KGF - Chapter 2’s Hindi version, which was Rs. 52.50 crores. But the word of mouth was very poor and its effect was visible on the second day. On Thursday, August 27, the film collected just Rs. 22 crores. The collections were expected to grow on Friday, Raksha Bandhan. Instead, the film further fell and earned Rs. 18.50 crores. The Saturday and Sunday collections were Rs. 14.75 crores and Rs. 14 crores respectively.
On Monday, Toxic’s Hindi version crashed as it collected Rs. 4.25 crores. It got a limited advantage of the discounted Tuesday offer, when it collected Rs. 4.50 crores. Until Tuesday, the film has collected Rs. 131.50 crores and its extended first week earnings should be around Rs. 137 crores.
Toxic faces competition not just from Hanuman Ansh, but also from Mirzapur The Movie, which arrives tomorrow, and which has strong advances. Hence, it’ll struggle to collect even cross the Rs. 150 crore mark.
As for Hanuman Ansh, it released on August 7 and collected a mere Rs. 90 lakhs in its first week. The earnings dropped to Rs. 47 lakhs in Week 2. However, it began to miraculously jump from its third Friday. The week 3 collections were a solid Rs. 10.13 crores.
Then, there was no looking back. It earned Rs. 6.25 crores on its fourth Friday, that is, on August 28. The collections jumped to Rs. 9.25 crores on Saturday and Rs. 12 crores on Sunday. The film was rock-steady on Monday with collections of Rs. 5 crores. On Tuesday, the discounted ticket effect was significant, as it accumulated Rs. 8 crores. On Wednesday, films see a sharp drop as so many viewers ended up watching films on Tuesday to take advantage of the cheap tickets. But Hanuman Ansh did the unthinkable. It collected Rs. 7 crores, which was more than its Monday earnings.
The fourth week collections are expected to be around Rs. 52-53 crores. For a film that collected just Rs. 1.37 crore in the first two weeks, this is historic. The total collections will be around Rs. 64.50 crores at the end of this week.
It now remains to be seen where Hanuman Ansh goes from here. The coming weekend will also be strong. At the same time, it’ll face competition from Mirzapur The Movie. Though it belongs to a different genre, it’ll take away shows and that can impact the devotional film’s run to some extent.
The last week has been very dramatic for the industry and those following the box office. Toxic, which released with loads of expectations, has emerged as a huge debacle. Meanwhile, Hanuman Ansh has become an out-of-syllabus blockbuster that no one saw coming.
Toxic’s Hindi version opened at Rs. 53.50 crores. Hence, it broke the record of the Hindi version of KGF - Chapter 2’s Hindi version, which was Rs. 52.50 crores. But the word of mouth was very poor and its effect was visible on the second day. On Thursday, August 27, the film collected just Rs. 22 crores. The collections were expected to grow on Friday, Raksha Bandhan. Instead, the film further fell and earned Rs. 18.50 crores. The Saturday and Sunday collections were Rs. 14.75 crores and Rs. 14 crores respectively.
On Monday, Toxic’s Hindi version crashed as it collected Rs. 4.25 crores. It got a limited advantage of the discounted Tuesday offer, when it collected Rs. 4.50 crores. Until Tuesday, the film has collected Rs. 131.50 crores and its extended first week earnings should be around Rs. 137 crores.
Toxic faces competition not just from Hanuman Ansh, but also from Mirzapur The Movie, which arrives tomorrow, and which has strong advances. Hence, it’ll struggle to collect even cross the Rs. 150 crore mark.
As for Hanuman Ansh, it released on August 7 and collected a mere Rs. 90 lakhs in its first week. The earnings dropped to Rs. 47 lakhs in Week 2. However, it began to miraculously jump from its third Friday. The week 3 collections were a solid Rs. 10.13 crores.
Then, there was no looking back. It earned Rs. 6.25 crores on its fourth Friday, that is, on August 28. The collections jumped to Rs. 9.25 crores on Saturday and Rs. 12 crores on Sunday. The film was rock-steady on Monday with collections of Rs. 5 crores. On Tuesday, the discounted ticket effect was significant, as it accumulated Rs. 8 crores. On Wednesday, films see a sharp drop as so many viewers ended up watching films on Tuesday to take advantage of the cheap tickets. But Hanuman Ansh did the unthinkable. It collected Rs. 7 crores, which was more than its Monday earnings.
The fourth week collections are expected to be around Rs. 52-53 crores. For a film that collected just Rs. 1.37 crore in the first two weeks, this is historic. The total collections will be around Rs. 64.50 crores at the end of this week.
It now remains to be seen where Hanuman Ansh goes from here. The coming weekend will also be strong. At the same time, it’ll face competition from Mirzapur The Movie. Though it belongs to a different genre, it’ll take away shows and that can impact the devotional film’s run to some extent.
Faith can move mountains, also fill up seats at cinemas
8:32 AM
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; September 3, 2026)
Mumbai: Amid the din created by big-budget Indian and Hollywood movies, several faith-based films that amalgamate personal stories with cardinal ideas of deities and saints have scored strong success at the box office. These include films such as Laalo - Krishna Sada Sahaayate (Gujarati, 2025), Hanuman Ansh (Hindi, 2026) and Irumudi (Telugu, 2026), all of which were made on small budgets and feature faith-based but non-mythological stories.
Made on budgets ranging from Rs. 2 crores to Rs. 35 crores, these films have collected Rs. 45-Rs. 140 crores from the box office. Critically, some of the films have weathered stiff competition from big-budget movies such as Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-ups, Dhurandhar The Revenge and Hollywood spectacle films in India.
These films drive the importance of community experiences, faith and spirituality in bringing audiences to theatres, producers, distributors and exhibitors told ET.
A key aspect that binds these films is that they are not devotional in the traditional sense. They are about existential problems and how fundamental teachings of a saint, or a deity, help people to deal with these problems.
"These films weave faith into mainstream storytelling elements such as family, emotion, mythology and culture, thereby extending their appeal beyond believers," said Suniel Wadhwa, cofounder and director of film production and distribution firm Karmic Films.
Irumudi is the story of an alcoholic father. On his daughter's request, he performs a 41-day Ayyappa Deeksha by abstaining from alcohol. After dealing with big challenges, he gets reformed. Laalo features an auto-rickshaw driver who is guided by Lord Krishna to come to terms with his past and mistakes. Hanuman Ansh tells the legendary stories that occurred in the life of the saint Neem Karoli Baba.
In India's vast cinematic history, there are many examples of successful faith-based films. Jai Santoshi Maa, which was released a few months before Sholay in 1975, stood up to the competition and collected close to Rs. 5 crore on a budget of Rs. 30 lakh.
"Faith has always been part of our storytelling. As the world becomes more uncertain and complex, people often return to faith for comfort and strength. That is also why films like Laalo, Irumudi and Deool Band 2 connect with audiences," said film producer Naveen Chandra.
According to a 2025 study by the Pew Research Centre, 82% of Indian adults describe religion as very important in their lives. Also, a 2026 study across 180 countries reported in the academic journal Wellbeing, Space and Society found that chances of people reporting stress nearly doubled in the past eighteen years. Audiences have appreciated the simplicity of these faith-based films, said exhibitors.
"These films have been made with the right intentions. Audiences who value culturally rooted stories rewarded it," observed Vishek Chauhan, chief executive of Roopbani Cinema, a single-screen theatre in Bihar.
Producers increasingly believe that faith-based films can be a sustainable genre given their favourable economics of low budget, no reliance on stars, community experience and high word-of-mouth communications.
The audience played the role of PR for Hanuman Ansh-Vishal Chaturvedi
9:21 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 2, 2026)
Starting at 250 theaters and coming down to 25 in a week and now running in 1,200 screens in the fourth week, doctor-turned-debutant writer-filmmaker Dr Vishal Chaturvedi’s Hanuman Ansh on Neem Karoli Baba is doing wonders at the box office.
Calling it “magical, divine and driven by the audience,” he says, “At Rs. 1.7 cr, we just wanted the audience to watch and the investment to return but it did wonders (according to data Rs. 45 Cr only in India and counting). We have stopped looking at collections and counting the blessings, appreciation and love.”
Vishal is himself surprised with the “grace.” He says, “I guess what worked in the film primarily is Baba’s divine story (played by actor Shobhinaw Satyaa), music and the actors and makers who are very emotional about the subject. We hardly did any promotion and PR as we did not have any budget, but the audience played the role of PR with word-of-mouth and posting on social media. The audience have driven the film on their shoulders.”
He recalled how August 15 big releases hit them. “Due to the big films (Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2,) our shows were reduced to just 25 screens but they kept running well. The audience wanted to watch but there were no shows, so people travelled 200-250 kms and posted on SM. There were videos that even after the film ended, the audience were so emotional that they did not get up from their seats. Probably that all worked which no PR can do.”
They did bhandaras instead on PR exercise. After the shows were reduced, they did a road trip from Mumbai. “We went to Rajkot, Surat, Ahmedabad and even small towns where we met the audience, local media and cinema owners. We did not have funds, so we amplified it on social media, and it was boosted by content creators and users with very emotional reels. It organically became viral and shows increased,” he says.
The film has been shot in Chitrakoot and has used Braj, Awadhi and Bundeli language to connect with the wider audience, he says.
A Lucknowite, Vishal completed his MBBS from Gorakhpur in 2006 and in the same year was posted in Haldwani when he got introduced to Baba and went to his ashram in Kainchi Dham (Uttarakhand) where he became a bhakt.
“In 2011, I stopped medical practice and came into writing and assisting in film. I have also worked with Anubhav Sinha for a few years and have assisted in films Hurdang (2022), Dedh Bigha Zameen (2024) and some shows too. My medical profession helps me a scientific and skeptical approach,” says the writer of TV series Fauji 2.
He also runs a Hanuman Chalisa Club which has 12,000 members.
As per Sacnilk, after 25 days it has earned gross collections to ₹53.82Cr and net collections to Rs. 45.63Cr so far.
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