Hanuman Ansh finally slows down in Week 8 as Drishyam 3 fever grips

Hanuman Ansh, which turned into one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year after a muted start, is finally beginning to feel the heat of a major theatrical release. The spiritual drama, based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba, has seen its show count drop sharply since Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 3: The Conclusion arrived in theatres on October 2. Yet, even with significantly fewer shows, Hanuman Ansh has managed to retain decent occupancy and continues to attract audiences in its ninth week.

The contrast is particularly striking because the two films operate on completely different scales. Drishyam 3 opened to a massive response, while Hanuman Ansh took several weeks to find its audience. The spiritual drama, made on a reported budget of Rs 2 crore, has now completed eight weeks in theatres and is continuing its run well into its second month.Hanuman Ansh loses shows after Drishyam 3 release

Hanuman Ansh completed its eighth Thursday on October 1 with an impressive Rs 2.90 crore India nett (gross minus taxes). The film recorded 4,345 shows and an occupancy of 19 per cent, taking its Week 8 collection to Rs 29.20 crore.

However, the arrival of Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 3 the following day had an immediate impact on its theatrical footprint. On October 2, Hanuman Ansh's show count plunged from 4,345 to 1,166. Its India nett collection also dropped to Rs 2.25 crore.

Interestingly, the sharp reduction in shows did not translate into a collapse in occupancy. Hanuman Ansh recorded 54 per cent occupancy on October 2, indicating that the film continued to find an audience despite losing a significant number of screenings.

The film remained steady over the next two days. On October 3, it collected Rs 2.10 crore from 1,339 shows at 39 per cent occupancy. On Sunday, October 4, it witnessed a noticeable recovery, earning Rs 3 crore from 1,399 shows at 57 per cent occupancy. The Sunday jump suggests that there is still sustained interest in the film, even as newer releases take away a large chunk of its theatrical space. Drishyam 3 dominates the box office

While Hanuman Ansh has been fighting to retain its screens, Drishyam 3 has been adding shows after its release. Ajay Devgn's film opened across 15,759 shows on October 2 and collected a massive Rs 62 crore in India nett on its opening day. The film's show count increased to 16,868 on Day 2 and further rose to 17,323 on Day 3.

Drishyam 3 collected Rs 53.50 crore on Saturday before recording growth on Sunday. The film earned Rs 61 crore on Day 3, taking its three-day India nett collection to Rs 176.50 crore.

The performance has given the franchise a commanding presence at the box office, with the film benefiting from the established popularity of the Drishyam series, Ajay Devgn's star power and the extended Gandhi Jayanti weekend.Drishyam 3 vs Hanuman Ansh: Two very different box-office stories

Putting the two films against each other purely on collections would be misleading. Drishyam 3 is a big-scale franchise film headlined by established stars, including Ajay Devgn and Tabu. Hanuman Ansh, on the other hand, is a spiritual drama led by Shobhinaw Satyaa, with a cast that does not have the same theatrical pull. Their box-office journeys have also been almost opposite.

Drishyam 3 arrived with considerable anticipation and immediately translated that into footfalls. Hanuman Ansh opened quietly before witnessing a sudden increase in audience interest during its second and third weeks. What began as a modest theatrical run eventually turned into a remarkable sleeper-hit story.

For a film reportedly made on a budget of Rs 2 crore, completing eight weeks in theatres and entering its ninth week is an achievement in itself. Its continued performance, even after losing a substantial number of shows to Drishyam 3 further underlines the film's unusual staying power.advertisementHanuman Ansh still refuses to disappearThe biggest challenge for Hanuman Ansh now is screen availability. Its show count has fallen dramatically since Drishyam 3 arrived, and the film is competing for space against a major franchise release enjoying a strong extended weekend.

Yet its occupancy figures tell a different story. Even with fewer shows, the film recorded 54 per cent occupancy on Friday and 57 per cent on Sunday. That suggests the audience base it developed over the past few weeks has not disappeared.

Drishyam 3, meanwhile, is still only at the beginning of its theatrical run and has the advantage of the extended Gandhi Jayanti weekend. Its performance after the holiday period will be crucial in determining whether it can sustain the momentum of its opening weekend.- EndsALSO READ | Drishyam 3 box office Day 2: Ajay Devgn film races towards Rs 180 crore worldwide