After a successful theatrical run, Hanuman Ansh is now heading to OTT. The film, based on the life and teachings of Baba Neem Karoli, will premiere on Sony LIV on November 27. The film reportedly earned over Rs 450 crore at the global box office, making it one of the biggest hits of the year.
Hanuman Ansh to release on OTT
Interestingly, Hanuman Ansh did not have an impressive start at the box office. Made on a small budget of Rs 2 crore, it struggled to attract audiences during its initial weeks. However, word of mouth helped it gain momentum, and it went on to enjoy a 90-day theatrical run.
Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh tells the story of Baba Neem Karoli, whose birth name was Lakshman Narayan Sharma. The film’s Hindi streaming and satellite rights have been acquired by Sony. The rights for other languages are still available.
Namrata G Singh, co-founder of Swambhu Media Network, IP owner and producer of the film, spoke about its journey and the upcoming digital release. “Hanuman Ansh has found the place in history, not just as a film but as an IP with a story which transcends languages and geographical boundaries.” She added, “We are delighted to have found such empathetic partners for the Hindi-language film with a global media leader like Sony.”
Talking about the remaining language rights, she said, “While the Hindi streaming and satellite rights are now locked, all other languages remain open, and we look forward to partnering with the best in the business across Indian and global markets. Maharaj ji’s story is truly larger than life, and we believe it deserves to reach every corner of the world.”
The film stars Shobhinaw Satya alongside Vihaan Shedge, Chandan K Anand, Purnima Tiwari, Anil Rastogi, Gulshan Pandey and Bhagvandas Patel.
Director Vishal Chaturvedi also spoke about taking the film to a wider audience through its OTT release. He said, “We are taking Hanuman Ansh to audiences who cannot access theatres for various reasons, to those who weren’t satisfied with watching the film just once or twice, and to people in small towns and across the world.”
What is Hanuman Ansh about?
Hanuman Ansh follows the journey of a young Lakshmi Narayan, who is devastated after losing his mother. Searching for answers about God, he sets out on a spiritual journey across North India. His experiences and encounters eventually lead him to become Neem Karoli Baba, the revered saint known for his teachings of love, service and compassion.
Baba Neem Karoli was born around 1900 in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district. He passed away in 1973. He was married at a young age before choosing the life of a wandering hermit.
Over the years, several well-known personalities have been associated with the saint. His devotees include Julia Roberts, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg also reportedly visited his ashram at Kainchi Dham in Uttarakhand.
Hanuman Ansh received appreciation from several celebrities during its theatrical run. Varun Dhawan, Hema Malini, Sanjay Dutt, Kangana Ranaut and Preity Zinta were among those who praised the film.
The film is produced by Vishal Chaturvedi, Ragini Sona, Namrata G Singh and Anupriya A Nagar.
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