Hanuman Ansh has grown from a ₹2 crore film with a ₹10 lakh opening day into a box office surprise with ₹222.88 crore nett in India after 39 days. The film’s music, built on Awadhi, Braj and Bundeli sounds, has become a big reason audiences kept coming back. Director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi and composers Sadhu Tiwari and Rishi Pathak say the soundtrack worked because it stayed honest and close to its roots.
A devotional film that found its audience through word of mouth
Hanuman Ansh released in theatres on August 7, 2026, based on the life and spiritual journey of saint Neem Karoli Baba . Made on a reported budget of ₹2 crore, the film opened with just ₹10 lakh on its first day and earned only ₹1.48 crore in its first two weeks .
The turnaround began in the third week. The film earned ₹10.40 crore in week three alone, then ₹6.25 crore on its fourth Friday and ₹12.75 crore on Sunday, August 30 . By Day 39, the film had collected ₹222.88 crore nett in India, with a worldwide gross of ₹279.80 crore . It is now the third-highest-grossing Indian release of 2026, behind Dhurandhar: The Revenge and Border 2 .
Sadhu Tiwari composed five songs with minimal music and regional flavour
Sadhu Tiwari contributed five tracks to the film, including the viral Parvati, along with Bajrang Banka and Aavagaman . The Gwalior-based singer, lyricist and composer built these songs around simple arrangements and regional sounds.
“I composed multiple tracks but knew which would suit the film and they got selected. They were composed with minimal music and regional flavour. I was not here just as a singer-lyricist-composer; we all worked owning the project. What happened thereafter is Baba’s blessings. I knew they would be liked but such virality is just magical.”
Tiwari’s connection with Dr Vishal Chaturvedi goes back to Gulaab Gang (2014), where he sang Mauj Ki Malhare while Chaturvedi was working on Anubhav Sinha‘s production . Chaturvedi has said he decided back then that he would use Tiwari’s voice in his own project. “I honestly believe he is one of the top 10 voices in the Indian film industry” .
The Parvati song alone has crossed 100 million views on YouTube, becoming one of the most used devotional tracks on Instagram Reels . The song tells the story of Goddess Parvati’s determination to marry Lord Shiva, with lyrics in the Bundeli dialect .
Rishi Pathak worked on three songs and also served as line producer
Rishi Pathak, who hails from Sitamarhi, Bihar, contributed to Jai Hanuman, Vaishnav Jan To and Ram Bhajan Ki Or . He also worked as a line producer on the film, handling production duties alongside his musical work .
“I am associated with the project from the start, and with Vishalji have worked together for years and musically jammed too for his Hanuman Chalisa Club. I co-wrote and composed Jai Hanuman, sung and recomposed Vaishnav Jan To and wrote-composed Ram Bhajan Ki Or. Nothing in the film is due to personal relations, and probably due to this professionalism the film and its music connected with people.”
Pathak’s journey to Hanuman Ansh came after a difficult phase. He had composed a song for R. Madhavan‘s Rocketry, but the track was removed from the final film before release . He then taught music to children in Chennai before reconnecting with Chaturvedi for Hanuman Ansh.
Dr Vishal Chaturvedi says rawness and regional languages played a big role
Dr Vishal Chaturvedi, a trained musician who also sang and composed Hriday Mein Jinke Sita Ram, believes the soundtrack worked because of its honesty. The director, who left the medical profession 14 years ago to make films, has consistently credited the musicians for the film’s musical success .
“The songs are in Awadhi, Braj and Bundeli boli and part of culture. Its mithas (sweetness), mitti ki khushboo and soul probably reached the heart. Sadhu’s raw voice, Rishi’s khuli awaaz and deep composition, Suneel’s full of life voice, Krishna Das’s soaked in devotion compositions which we used as it is, and Dhirendra’s background music and song – that we used last moment – all are the hero of the film.”
The soundtrack also features Suneel Lodhi, a visually impaired singer from Bundelkhand whose traditional Hanuman hymn Maine Tere Hi Bharose became an organic driver of the film’s momentum . American vocalist Krishna Das contributed two tracks, and Dhirendra Mulkalwar composed the background score and one song .
How the music travelled from theatres to social media
The film’s music found a second life online. Parvati became a trend on Instagram, with dancers, singers and creators making their own versions . Content creators used AI tools to build visual stories around the song’s lyrics .
A social media user wrote, “Addicted to this bhajan in the most peaceful way” . Classical dancer and researcher Nitya shared her choreography with the caption, “The song Parvati from the movie Hanuman Ansh truly touched my heart, and I simply couldn’t resist creating my own choreography for it”.
The film’s reach went beyond its core audience. A video of a Muslim man watching the devotional drama barefoot in a theatre went viral, with users commenting “This is real India” and “India without politics” . Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut called the film a “Satsang,” while filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar wrote that he was “completely glued to the screen” . Hema Malini called it a superhit, and Preity Zinta posted “Sita Ram” and “Wow” after watching it .
The film’s box office journey and global release
Hanuman Ansh began with 350 shows across India but saw its count drop to 25 as bigger releases took over screens . The team travelled to Surat, Vadodara and Aligarh to meet audiences directly, which helped shows increase again .
The film received a worldwide release from Homale Films on September 11 and has since made ₹236.50 crore gross worldwide . A Telugu dubbed version is scheduled for release on September 18 . Reports of a ₹100 crore OTT deal have been denied by producer Ragini Sona, who said, “It’s nothing like that. It’s all rumours. Please don’t pay attention to it”.
What the music team says about the film’s connection with people
Dr Vishal Chaturvedi has said the success belongs to the musicians and their honest work. Sadhu Tiwari calls the response “Baba’s blessings.” Rishi Pathak credits the professionalism and teamwork behind the soundtrack. The film’s music, built on regional dialects and simple arrangements, has become a case study in how rooted sounds can reach a mass audience without losing their cultural identity.
Also Read: Actor Sonu Sood Reacts to Hanuman Ansh ₹220 Crore Success: It Is About Content, Not Budgets
For more updates on the music and cinema shaping conversations across India, stay tuned to VvipTimes.
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