Hanuman Ansh Director Recalls ‘Derogatory’ OTT Rejection Before Film’s Success
Hanuman Ansh has emerged as one of the surprise success stories at the domestic box office, collecting an impressive Rs 61 crore in India within 27 days of its theatrical release. However, before the spiritual drama found its audience, director Vishal Chaturvedi faced rejection while attempting to pitch the story to an OTT platform.
Released on August 7, Hanuman Ansh began its journey with a modest opening of Rs 10 lakh. The film collected Rs 1.08 crore during its first week, while the second week brought in around Rs 40 lakh. Its performance changed significantly after positive word-of-mouth started spreading among audiences. The third week proved to be a major turning point, with the film earning Rs 10.40 crore and eventually reaching a reported India net collection of Rs 61 crore by the end of its fourth week.
Reflecting on the film’s journey, Vishal Chaturvedi revealed that he had approached an OTT platform with the story before the project went into production. During his conversation with India TV, the filmmaker recalled narrating the story of Neem Karoli Baba, also known as Maharaj Ji, and described the emotional experience of presenting a deeply personal story.
According to Chaturvedi, the manner in which the project was rejected left a strong impression on him. He felt that the language and approach used during the rejection were somewhat derogatory. Rather than discouraging him, the experience strengthened his determination to bring the story to the screen and challenge the perception that such narratives may not have a wider audience.
The director also pointed out that rejection is a familiar part of a filmmaker’s journey. However, this particular experience convinced him that the story and teachings associated with Neem Karoli Baba deserved to be presented to audiences in a meaningful way.
Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh is a spiritual drama inspired by the life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba. Shobhinaw Satyaa portrays Neem Karoli Baba, while Vihaan Shedge plays Maharaj Ji during another phase of the narrative. The supporting cast includes Chandan Anand, Purnima Tiwari, Anil K Rastogi and Gulshan Pandey.
With strong audience support and an unexpected box-office run, Hanuman Ansh has turned an early rejection into a remarkable success story.