Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Hanuman Ansh Producer Says Bollywood Apologised After Box-Office Turnaround
Hanuman Ansh is a devotional film about Neem Karoli Baba.
At first, very few people watched it in cinemas.
Its number of screens fell from about 300 to only 30.
The team feared it might leave theatres completely.
Anupriya Nagar worked to promote the film by speaking with leaders, devotees and podcasters.
Then the film’s earnings began to improve quickly.
It eventually earned much more money than its production budget.
Some producers who had doubted the film later congratulated the team and apologised.
Co-producer Anupriya Nagar said Hanuman Ansh’s screen count fell from about 300 to 30 by its eighth day.
The devotional drama’s collections rose 22% over the following two days, reversing its early theatrical decline.
Made for under Rs 2 crore, the film reportedly earned Rs 331.70 crore gross domestically and Rs 366.45 crore worldwide.
Nagar said she promoted the film herself by meeting leaders, devotees, podcasters and interviewers in Delhi.
She said producers who previously declined to invest later congratulated the team and apologised.
- Who
- Anupriya Nagar, co-producer of Hanuman Ansh, and the film’s team; the article also mentions producers who initially declined to support it.
- What
- Nagar described the film’s early theatrical struggle, her promotional efforts and its subsequent box-office turnaround.
- When
- The screen-count crisis occurred on the film’s eighth day; the article does not provide a release date.
- Where
- The film’s theatrical performance was discussed in relation to the domestic and worldwide box office; Nagar said she travelled to Delhi to promote it.
- Why
- The film initially struggled because audiences did not appear to be watching it, while investors reportedly hesitated because of its small budget, first-time director and relatively new cast.
Industry Doubts
Producer-Team Belief
Investment potential
Industry Doubts
Many potential investors reportedly viewed the film as too small and risky because it had a low budget, a first-time director and relatively new actors.
Producer-Team Belief
Nagar and the supporting team believed the film deserved backing and continued trying to bring it to audiences.
Response to the early box-office decline
Industry Doubts
Some team members thought the theatrical run was effectively over and considered seeking an OTT deal to recover the money.
Producer-Team Belief
Nagar continued promoting the film, while the team maintained its belief after the film’s collections rose 22% over two days.
- Production budget
- Less than Rs 2 crore
- Domestic gross
- Rs 331.70 crore
- Domestic net
- Rs 280.93 crore
- Worldwide gross
- Rs 366.45 crore
- Screen-count decline
- From around 300 screens to 30 by the eighth day
- Collection increase
- 22% over the two days after the screen-count crisis
- Inspiration
- The life of Neem Karoli Baba