Despite Hanuman Ansh’s ₹400 crore success, sequel won’t get bigger budget; producer Anupriya Nagar reveals why
Here's the latest box office buzz making the rounds:
This year, Bollywood saw another small-budget movie surpass the collections of big-budget releases and emerge as a massive success on the back of positive word-of-mouth. The ₹ 2 crore rupees movie Hanuman Ansh has collected over ₹ 400 crore rupees worldwide and continues to attract audiences even after a 50-day theatrical run. Now, in an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, the movie’s producer Anupriya Nagar has revealed whether the sequel’s budget will increase significantly following the first movie’s massive success.
Adding to this, Hanuman Ansh's sequel to not have a higher budget. Hanuman Ansh sequel to have a higher budget? Anupriya shared, “My thinking is very clear: I believe the second movie should be made on a budget similar to the first. Simply investing ₹ 10 crore rupees or ₹ 20 crore rupees would not necessarily make the movie better. It could even lead to unnecessary use of VFX or AI, which the story may not require, and that could affect its authenticity.”
Meanwhile, She stressed that maintaining the authenticity of the world being depicted is more important than increasing the movie’s budget. “In the period we are depicting, the characters are not the only important element. The landscape, visual texture, atmosphere and the world of that time are equally important. That is why authenticity is our priority. The audience has given us so much love and support, so we cannot spend money wastefully. Of course, if the next story genuinely requires a larger budget, we will increase it.”
Notably, Helmed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh is a biographical movie based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba. The movie stars Shobhinaw Satyaa and Chandan Anand in the lead roles, while Anil Rastogi, Purnima Tiwwari, Sugandha Malhotra, Bhagvandas Patel and Neha Paranjpe appear in supporting roles. The movie follows the early life of Lakshmi Narayan, a young boy in pre-Independence India who leaves home after his mother’s death in search of God. It traces his subsequent journey through northern India and his transformation into Neem Karoli Baba.
As per the latest buzz, The movie was rolled out in theatres on August 7 and opened to a slow start at the ticket-window, collecting only ₹ 10 lakh. However, it picked up pace in its second week following positive word-of-mouth. Since then, Hanuman Ansh has collected ₹ 414 crore rupees worldwide and over ₹ 300 crore rupees net in India. Amid the movie’s success, the makers revealed a sequel.
In further updates, Not only this, the movie’s success has also prompted Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV to announce a new series based on Neem Karoli Baba’s life. The makers shared the promo for the series, which offered a glimpse into the spiritual world surrounding Neem Karoli Baba and appears to focus on the stories and miracles associated with him. The voiceover shared, “Jis insaan ki kahaaniyon ne desh ko mantramugdh kar diya, ab saamne aayengi unki zindagi se judi chamatkari gaathayein (The miraculous tales from the life of the man whose stories captivated the nation are now set to be revealed).”
On top of that, The makers have not yet revealed the cast, premiere date or episode count.
Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting widely shared pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical rollout or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times