Hanuman Ansh (transl. Fragment/Descendant Of Hanuman) is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language biographical devotional drama film written, directed and produced by Vishal Chaturvedi under his banner, Swambhu Media Network. Serving as the first instalment of a trilogy, it is based on his book "Divine Detour: That Changed My Life", based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba. It stars Shobhinaw Satyaa and Chandan Anand in the lead roles while Anil Rastogi, Sugandha Malhotra, Bhagvandas Patel, Neha Paranjpe and other. The first film follows the early life of young boy Lakshmi Narayan, in pre-Independence India, who leaves home after the death of his mother in search of God, and his subsequent journey through Northern India and transformation into Neem Karoli Baba.
Vishal Bawa handled the cinematography, while Shankh Rajadhyaksha handled the editing. The sound was designed by Shishir Chousalkar and Mayur Mohanan, while the visual effects were handled by Pankaj Vashisht. The film was released theatrically on 7 August 2026. It opened with low opening at the box office, nevertheless the film garnered positive reception through word of mouth from the third week of release and emerged as a huge surprise blockbuster. It is one of the most profitable Indian films of all-time, as it was made with a shoe-string budget of ₹2 crore. It is the 3rd highest-grossing Hindi film of 2026 as well as the 9th highest grossing Indian film of 2026.
Plot
Lakshminarayan Sharma, aged thirteen, leaves his hometown of Akbarpur in the Braj region after the death of his beloved mother, believing that only Shri Rama can reunite them. Inspired by the Hanuman Chalisa, he seeks union with Rama through Hanuman. At a Vaishnava temple in Rajkot, Gujarat, the old Mahant recognises his spiritual inclination and tests him. Lakshminarayan remains quiet and unassuming, rejecting comfort and praise before leaving, suggesting that institutions themselves can become forms of bondage.
For years, Lakshminarayan wanders, meditating beneath trees, sleeping beside rivers and living on alms. He develops his spirituality through nature and encounters several ascetics, particularly those of the Nath Sampradaya and Naga sadhus. On one occasion, he remains underwater so long that villagers believe he has drowned before he resurfaces. At twenty-five, he boards a passenger train to Britain in first class without a ticket. A colonial official orders him off the train, but it mysteriously refuses to move despite officials finding no mechanical fault. The railway manager concludes that Lakshmandas, one of the names he later adopts, is responsible. The officials seek his forgiveness, and he miraculously produces four first-class tickets, causing them to recognise their misconduct. At the officer's family's urging, the officials apologise and ask him to return. Lakshmandas says he needs nothing, as Hanuman ji provides for him, but demands that no saint in India be removed from trains for lacking a ticket and that a station be built there for local residents. The officer agrees, after which Lakshmandas forgives them and boards the train.
The station, later known as Neem Karori Station in present-day Farrukhabad district, becomes associated with him, and Lakshmandas thereafter becomes known as Neem Karoli Baba. A villager recognises him as a former resident of Braj and informs his father, who finds him and asks him to return home, revealing that he was customarily married in childhood to a girl named Rambeti. The film notes that child marriage is now illegal and the custom has been abolished. Reluctantly accepting his responsibility, like Lord Ram, Lakshman returns home and formally remarries Rambeti. After ensuring that she has sufficient food, he leaves to visit Neebkarori, but later departs following a dispute with the landowner of the temple site and travels to Kainchi mountain near Nainital.
There, he helps a frightened man who has lost his way at night. After the man recites the Hanuman Chalisa, Maharaj ji appears and guides him safely. The film ends by hinting at a sequel.
Production
The film is the first instalment of a planned trilogy series inspired by director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi's own spiritual memoir, "Divine Detour: That Changed My Life". In an interview, Chaturvedi said that his research began informally around 2009 and became more systematic in 2016–17, before expanding further during 2022–23, and took to various places associated with Baba, including Vrindavan, Akbarpur, Neeb Karori, and Lucknow. The final screenplay primarily drew upon stories he collected and accounts documented in books and other sources. It was officially launched with the theatrical poster being unveiled at Kainchi Dham, which happens to be the main ashram of Neem Karoli Baba, sometime in the beginning of 2026.
The film was made on a budget of ₹2 crore , though some reports place the production cost at ₹1.8 crore. Principal photography took place in November 2025, mainly in Chitrakoot including the opening scene, which was shot in Punjabi Baba Ashram in Chitrakoot, as well as key sequences like the installation of a Hanuman idol and the construction of Baba's cave. Some of the shooting also took place in Mumbai. In the first schedule itself, the original unnamed actor for the leading role fell ill. Shobhinaw Satyaa, who was the film's second assistant director at the time, auditioned for the role and was subsequently cast in the leading role of Neem Karoli Baba, replacing the original unnamed actor.
Music
The soundtrack of Hanuman Ansh consists of multiple devotional tracks. Key songs released include:
Release
Hanuman Ansh was scheduled to be released in theatres in India on 31 July 2026, but it was postponed and released on 7 August 2026. The film was released in Hindi, with subtitles in the Braj and Bundeli languages. Cinépolis India is the film's distributor in India. The first-look posters and teaser were released through the film's official social media accounts. The official trailer was released on 18 July 2026 on the Times Music YouTube channel.
The film was released in overseas markets on 11 September 2026, with Hombale Films handling its international distribution.
Reception
The film had a weak initial theatrical opening alongside Awarapan 2 and Batwara 1947., as it opened in approximately 250 theatres and made Rs 90 lakh in the first week. However, subsequently, it gained audiences primarily through word of mouth and the face competition from Toxic, and after 3 weeks, the film was declared a "surprise box office success." The film opened on approximately 250 screens, which reduced to around 40 screens in its second week. Gradually as the audience demand increased, distributor Cinepolis India progressively expanded its release to over 2,000 screens across India. By 1 September, the film's domestic total had risen to ₹48.78 crore net and ₹57.54 crore gross. On September 3, Hombale Films acquired the international distribution rights for the film, with its overseas release scheduled for 11 September 2026.
Hanuman Ansh has become the highest theatrical return on investment of all time, along with another devotional film, Jai Santoshi Maa (1975). The film was made on a budget of approximately ₹2 crore; the film crossed ₹100 crore at the domestic box office, earning more than 50 times its production budget, making it the most profitable Indian film of all time. The film earned over ₹48 crore in its fifth weekend and became the highest earner, beating Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
On September 5, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami watched the film in Dehradun, and subsequently the film was made tax-free in the state.
Sequel
The film was planned as a trilogy, and the first film ends with an indication that the story of Neem Karoli Baba will continue. In September 2026, Chaturvedi confirmed that work on the second installment had already begun, which will cover the periods associated with Agra and Mathura, while the first installment covered Neem Karoli Baba's early life, starting in Firozabad until his youth.
See also
Kainchi Dham
Sankat Mochan Temple
External links
Hanuman Ansh at IMDb
Hanuman Ansh at Bollywood Hungama
Hanuman Ansh at Rotten Tomatoes
