Hanuman Ansh Nears Rs 50 Crore Box Office Milestone

The low-budget devotional film Hanuman Ansh has emerged as a surprise box office phenomenon in India, transforming from a slow starter into a sleeper hit that is now approaching the Rs 50 crore milestone. Made for less than Rs 2 crore, the biopic on the spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba has earned over Rs 47 crore gross worldwide after more than three weeks in theaters, according to recent reports. The film's commercial success is matched by an unusual casting story. Shobhinav Satya, who delivers a praised performance as Neem Karoli Baba, was not originally slated for the lead role. Satya was working as the second assistant director on the project when the actor initially cast fell ill. Director Vishal Chaturvedi then decided to test Satya for the part. "One day I was an assistant director on the film, and the next morning I was playing the lead character," Satya told India Today. He admitted to feeling anxious about audience acceptance, but Chaturvedi reassured him that the responsibility for the film's reception was the director's alone. Chaturvedi noted that Satya's physical resemblance to Neem Karoli Baba was a factor in the decision.