‘Hanuman Ansh’ Crosses Rs 205 Crore In India As Overseas Release Begins

‘Hanuman Ansh’, the low budget film based on the life and teachings of spiritual leader Neem Karoli Baba, has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark in India, turning into one of the biggest surprise box office successes of 2026.

The Vishal Chaturvedi directorial earned Rs 12.41 crore gross on Friday, September 11, its 36th day in theatres, taking its total domestic gross to Rs 205.73 crore. Its India net collection stands at Rs 173.63 crore, according to trade tracking figures. The film recorded around 38 per cent overall occupancy on Friday.

The milestone is extraordinary considering that ‘Hanuman Ansh’ was reportedly made on a budget of just Rs 2 crore. The film opened on only 250 screens and earned around Rs 10 lakh on its first day. It remained slow during its first two weeks before positive word of mouth triggered a sharp turnaround. The film has since expanded to around 2,000 screens across India.

The film's Friday gross was also more than the opening day collection of ‘Haiwaan’, the Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan thriller directed by Priyadarshan. ‘Haiwaan’ reportedly earned around Rs 3 crore net in India on its opening day, highlighting the remarkable staying power of ‘Hanuman Ansh’.

Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ follows a grieving young Lakshminarayan who begins a spiritual journey in search of God after the death of his mother. His journey across North India eventually leads to his transformation into Neem Karoli Baba, whose teachings centred on love, service and compassion.

Shobhinaw Satya plays the lead role, with Vihaan Shedge, Chandan K Anand, Purnima Tiwari, Anil Rastogi, Gulshan Pandey and Bhagvandas Patel also featuring in the film.

The film has now begun its international theatrical release, with Hombale Overseas taking it to markets including the US, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific. Since the overseas rollout began only on September 11, the Rs 205.73 crore figure refers to the domestic box office and should not be described as the film's worldwide collection.

The makers are also preparing to take the film to Telugu audiences. ‘Hanuman Ansh’ will be released in the Telugu states on September 18, with filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas presenting the Telugu version. The release is timed to coincide with Neem Karoli Baba's Mahasamadhi Day.

The unexpected success has prompted plans for a larger franchise. Producer Namrata Singh has revealed plans for ‘Hanuman Ansh 2’ and a third instalment, with the story expected to explore Neem Karoli Baba's spiritual journey and his influence in India and abroad. Reports have also raised speculation about possible cameos by Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, both of whom have been associated with the saint's legacy, but their involvement has not been officially confirmed.

The franchise plans extend beyond films. The team is developing a game and comic book based on the film's themes and world.

Despite its extraordinary performance, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ will not be India's official Oscar entry this year. The producers said they missed the submission deadline, citing the limitations of their small production team and the tight schedule surrounding the film's overseas release.