Hanuman Ansh has turned out to be one of the year's biggest sleeper hits, despite having an extremely slow start at the box office. Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the devotional biographical drama opened with just Rs 10 lakh but has now crossed the Rs 222 crore mark in India after 39 days. The film stars Shobhinaw Satyaa and Chandan Anand in the lead roles.
According to Sacnilk, the film earned a net collection of Rs 8.25 crore on Day 39 from 9,198 shows. With this, its total India net collection stands at Rs 222.88 crore, while its India gross collection has reached Rs 263.30 crore.
The film has also maintained a strong presence overseas. Hanuman Ansh added Rs 2 crore to its overseas gross on Day 39, taking the total overseas collection to Rs 16.50 crore. Its worldwide gross collection now stands at Rs 279.80 crore.
From A Slow Start To A Major Turnaround
The film's current numbers are particularly surprising considering how slowly it performed during its opening weeks. Sacnilk data shows that Hanuman Ansh earned only Rs 1.08 crore in its first week. The second week added another Rs 40 lakh, taking its 14-day total to just Rs 1.48 crore.
However, the film witnessed a dramatic turnaround in its third week, collecting Rs 10.4 crore. Day 17 alone contributed Rs 2.2 crore, while Day 19 brought in Rs 2.35 crore.
The momentum became even stronger in the fourth week. The film earned Rs 6.25 crore on Day 22, followed by Rs 9.25 crore on Day 23 and a massive Rs 12.75 crore on Day 24.
Interestingly, Hanuman Ansh earned more on Day 24 alone than its entire first two weeks combined, highlighting the extraordinary turnaround at the box office.
Word Of Mouth Appears To Be Driving Hanuman Ansh
The film's delayed success appears to have been fuelled by word of mouth. While it did not attract a large audience initially, those who watched the film seem to have helped generate curiosity among viewers.
Its subject has also worked in its favour. Neem Karoli Baba has a significant following in India as well as overseas, giving the film access to a dedicated audience beyond regular mainstream Bollywood moviegoers.
Hanuman Ansh is a biographical devotional drama based on Vishal Chaturvedi's book Divine Detour: That Changed My Life, which chronicles the life of Neem Karoli Baba. The film is written, directed and produced by Chaturvedi and is the first instalment of a planned trilogy based on the book.
