Our Bureau
Mumbai
Vishal Chaturvedi’s devotional drama Hanuman Ansh, based on the life and philosophy of spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba, has entered the Rs 100-crore club at the domestic box office, emerging as one of the year’s most unexpected theatrical successes.
The film crossed the milestone on its fifth Sunday, taking its India net collection to around Rs 100 crore. According to trade estimates, the film had collected Rs 99.38 crore by the end of Saturday before adding further revenue on Sunday. Its success is particularly striking given its reported budget of less than Rs 2 crore and the absence of a major star in the cast.
Starring Shobhinaw Satyaa as Neem Karoli Baba, Hanuman Ansh released on August 7 with little initial fanfare. It opened on just 25 screens and earned approximately Rs 10 lakh on its first day. Its first week ended with Rs 1.08 crore, while collections slipped to about Rs 40 lakh in the second week.
The film’s fortunes changed dramatically in its third week, when word-of-mouth began drawing larger audiences to theatres. It earned Rs 10.40 crore in its third week before recording an extraordinary Rs 61 crore in its fourth week — more than 57 times its opening-week collection. The rising footfall also led to a significant expansion in its theatrical footprint.
The film has continued to perform despite competition from Mirzapur: The Movie, which opened to substantially higher collections. Hanuman Ansh nevertheless maintained momentum during its fifth weekend.
With its Rs 100-crore milestone, the film has become a notable example of a low-budget, content-driven release finding a strong audience through sustained word-of-mouth. Hombale Films has also acquired its international distribution rights, with a worldwide release planned for September 11. A sequel is reportedly also being considered.