Hanuman Ansh earns Rs 200 cr: Singers reveal home recordings, zero fee behind divine hits - The Indian Express

Hanuman Ansh is the recent box-office wonder with almost everyone talking about the film. Made on a budget of under Rs 2 crore, the film has crossed Rs 200 crore at the box office and is now releasing globally, sparking conversations around the actor, director and producer’s efforts in bringing the project to life. However, if it wasn’t for the songs and background music of the film, it arguably would not have been as impactful as it has become today.

Exploring the music of the film, SCREEN exclusively spoke to two of its singers — Shreyas Dharmadhikari, the voice behind “Jai Hanuman”, and Dhirendra Mulkalwar, the singer and composer behind “Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai.” Interestingly, the beauty of Hanuman Ansh lies in the fact that it ditched the traditional approach of having one musician associated with the entire film. Instead, it brought together different singers and composers for different songs, giving the soundtrack a variety of voices and musical textures.

What makes the songs, and the film itself, even more interesting is the repeated reference to the divine energy that brought everyone together. Both Shreyas Dharmadhikari and Dhirendra Mulkalwar had their own associations with Neeb Karoli Baba and Lord Hanuman when they were approached for their respective songs.

A Maharashtrian born in Gwalior, Shreyas Dharmadhikari came to Mumbai in 2014 with the dream of becoming a singer after completing his graduation in engineering. Back home in Gwalior, Shreyas has a Hanuman temple in his house, and the song heard in Hanuman Ansh was originally written by him for the deity at that very temple.

Speaking about his experience, Shreyas said, “I was always spiritually inclined as there is a small Hanuman temple in our house in Gwalior. When I came to Mumbai, I used to think about fame a lot, but my meeting with my Guru, from whom I learn classical music, changed my perspective. I realised that there is so much to music and how it can also connect one to the divine. And my journey on that path began, to connect with God.”

His story bears some resemblance to that of the protagonist in Hanuman Ansh — a child on an adventure to find God, who eventually becomes Neeb Karoli Baba.

To sustain himself in the city, Shreyas took up all kinds of jobs, big and small. These experiences helped improve his composition skills, while he simultaneously began focusing on classical music.

Recalling how he became a part of Hanuman Ansh, Shreyas Dharmadhikari said, “I had gone to ISKCON temple to attend a concert where I came across Vishal Chaturvedi. We knew each other for a long time. We had once collaborated on his short film Diwali. He called me to his office, spoke about Hanuman Ansh and how they had finished shooting the film, but were still looking for a song that would go with the whole Neem Karoli Baba wanting to carve the Hanuman idol to establish a temple in the village. He asked me if I had something around it.”

“I had written a song for the Hanuman temple that is in our house in Gwalior. I made him listen to it and he was taken aback. Things aligned so well, as if it was pre-planned,” he recalled. He, however, revealed that he initially tried to give the song a grand treatment, until Vishal Chaturvedi asked him to keep it as raw as possible.

Just like several members of the team who either reduced their fees or waived them altogether, Shreyas too contributed to the film. “I just took the bare minimum fee that was needed to be paid to the musicians who helped me compose the song. I too haven’t taken any fees,” he said.

The singer admitted that the team was initially hurt when the film failed to take off at the box office.

“We were hurt when it didn’t run at the box office, mostly because people were unaware. However, as they became aware of it, it became a box-office surprise with pure good word-of-mouth. It simply felt like it had divine intervention. We are not used to so much praise. It is all very overwhelming.”

Asked why he believes the film is working at the box office, Shreyas said, “It is connecting with people because it is showing rural India, who live a very raw life. We never followed any formula. We were told to follow the situation of the film. Hence, these songs are very relevant. It is not a filtered song. There may be faults in the songs and their technicalities, but it is made with purity, which is resonating with people.”

While Shreyas found Hanuman Ansh on his journey to connect with God through music, Dhirendra Mulkalwar came in contact with Vishal Chaturvedi when he was going through a rough phase and had just returned from Kainchi Dham.

Speaking to SCREEN, Dhirendra said, “When Vishal sir offered me the film, I immediately told him that it will be my divine pleasure. My reply was such because I had gone to Kainchi Dham last year in April. And within two months of that visit, I was offered this film. Before that, I was going through a rough patch. The way this film was offered to me was inexplicable, I will call it divine.”

The sense of divinity didn’t end with the film’s offer. There were several instances that made Dhirendra and the entire team believe that a special force was guiding them through the journey.

“Despite all the difficulties and budget constraints, we still managed to complete the film. It didn’t work for the first two weeks, and in the third week, a miracle happened. This is why the entire team is repeatedly calling it divine because none of us can explain the performance,” he said.

Explaining the budget constraints, Dhirendra said, “We didn’t have the budget to reach out to publications or put up hoardings. However, at least one member of the team often went to each and every show in Mumbai to see people’s reactions. I think it was the film’s simplicity and divinity that connected with people, and the shows which were reduced to 25 increased into thousands eventually.”

Speaking about the impactful music in the film, Dhirendra said the team was determined not to compromise despite the financial limitations.

“Budget constraints were there, but at the same time, we didn’t want to compromise on any aspect of the film. We wanted to keep the background music as cinematic as possible. At the same time, it shouldn’t take away from the soul of the film, which is very rooted. It connected to our culture. We first had to believe in the divinity and rootedness,” he said.

To overcome the budget challenge, Dhirendra turned to his network of musicians.

“A lot of my friends, who are phenomenal musicians, helped me. They never expected anything in return. Most of them did it due to their inclination towards spirituality, while others did it purely because of their friendship with me. We didn’t have the budget to book a studio to record the song, so we converted my home into a studio where we recorded the songs. That’s how we could deliver.”

Elaborating on how he ended up at Kainchi Dham, Dhirendra said, “I wanted to visit Kainchi Dham for four years, but it panned out only last year. Within two months, I met Vishal, who had started this 43-day Hanuman Chalisa anushthan for the film. I attended one of those sessions, when he asked me if I could compose this song. It was an unbelievable, unexplainable scenario for me, because I had just visited Kainchi Dham and now I was being offered a film being made on him. He also didn’t know my connection with Babaji, despite me knowing him before he started to make the film. This is why it is divine. Every member of the team has similar stories.”

“We never spoke about money with each other. The bare minimum we needed to bring things together was used. We didn’t think about the commercial aspect or resources of the film, but surrendered because every time we were caught in issues, they would often get solved by themselves.”

Apart from “Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai”, Dhirendra is also the man behind the background score of the film. He has also worked in the films Article 15 and Uri: The Surgical Strike, among others.

Jyothi Jha is an incisive Copy Editor and multi-platform journalist at The Indian Express, where she specializes in high-stakes entertainment reporting and cinematic analysis. With over six years of diverse experience across India’s leading media houses, she brings a rigorous, ethics-first approach to digital storytelling and editorial curation. Experience & Career Jyothi’s career is characterized by its breadth and depth across the media landscape. Before joining the editorial team at The Indian Express, she honed her expertise covering the entertainment beat for premier national broadcasters, including NDTV, Republic Media, and TV9. Her professional journey is not limited to digital text; she has a proven track record as an on-air anchor and has successfully managed production teams within the high-pressure segments of Politics and Daily News. This 360-degree view of newsroom operations allows her to navigate the complexities of modern journalism with veteran precision. Expertise & Focus Areas Guided by the Orwellian principle that "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want you to do," Jyothi focuses on transparent, accountability-driven reporting. Her core areas of expertise include: Cinematic Deconstruction: Analyzing the social subtext of mainstream Bollywood and South Indian cinema (e.g., Kantara, Masaan, Dabangg). Toxic Masculinity & Gender Studies: A vocal critic of regressive tropes in Indian cinema, she often highlights the industry's treatment of women and social progress. Box Office & Industry Economics: Providing data-backed predictions and analysis of film performance and superstar fee structures. Exclusive Multimedia Coverage: Conducting deep-dive interviews and long-form features that bridge the gap between archival history and modern pop culture. Authoritativeness & Trust Jyothi Jha has established herself as a trusted voice by prioritizing substance over PR-driven narratives. Her background in hard news and political production provides her with a unique lens through which she views the entertainment industry—not merely as gossip, but as a reflection of societal values. Readers rely on her for "Journalism of Courage," knowing her critiques are rooted in a deep respect for the craft and a refusal to settle for superficiality. Her ability to pivot between daily news and specialized entertainment analysis makes her a versatile and authoritative pillar of The Indian Express newsroom.   ... Read More