New Delhi, Aug 31: Devotional drama Hanuman Ansh has emerged as one of the surprise box-office stories of 2026, gaining momentum several weeks after its theatrical release despite a modest opening.
Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the film is inspired by the life of spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba, popularly known as Maharaj-Ji among his devotees. The story focuses on faith, spirituality and the journey of a young seeker whose life becomes closely associated with devotion and service.
The film opened on August 7 with a reported collection of around ₹10 lakh. Its first two weeks were relatively slow, but the movie gradually began attracting more viewers. Positive audience response and word of mouth helped its collections accelerate during the third and fourth weeks.
By Day 24, Hanuman Ansh had recorded around ₹40.13 crore in India net collections and approximately ₹47.33 crore in gross collections, according to trade estimates reported on Monday. Its Day 24 earnings were estimated at ₹12.75 crore net, marking a substantial jump from its initial performance.
The film’s late surge is particularly notable because it entered theatres without the kind of large-scale promotional campaign normally associated with major commercial releases. Instead, growing audience interest appears to have played a major role in bringing more viewers to theatres.
Its devotional theme has also helped the film connect with audiences interested in spiritual and faith-based stories. The subject of Neem Karoli Baba has a strong following, giving the film a distinctive appeal beyond conventional mainstream entertainment.
The performance of Hanuman Ansh highlights how audience recommendations can change the trajectory of a film even after a weak opening. Its journey from a low-key release to a film nearing the ₹50-crore gross milestone has made it an unexpected success story at the box office.
The film’s growing collections also point to continued audience interest in content-driven devotional cinema, particularly when a story develops a strong emotional and spiritual connection with viewers.