It's all rumours: Hanuman Ansh producer dismisses Rs 100 crore OTT deal rumours
Producer Ragini Sona has denied reports that Hanuman Ansh has received a Rs 100 crore OTT deal, saying the claims are rumours as the film continues its successful run in theatres. Her comments come as the Vishal Chaturvedi-directed devotional drama, based on the life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, continues to post strong box office numbers.
In a recent interview, Sona said the focus at present was on audiences watching the film rather than on any reported digital offer. She said the team had not finalised any OTT plans and that any decision on the film’s digital release would be taken together and announced officially at the appropriate time.
Addressing the speculation in an interview with NDTV, Sona said, “It’s nothing like that. It’s all rumours. Please don’t pay attention to it. Today, how many people are watching the film matters. What offer we are getting or what offer the platform is giving, nobody cares about it. We want you guys to watch the film in theatres and praise it and love it.
"Darshak hi prachar kar rahe hain. Aisa kabhi maine suna nahi hai aur na dekha hai. Yeh Neem Karoli Baba ka hi chamatkar hai. (It is the audience itself that is spreading the word. I have neither heard of nor seen anything like this before. This is nothing but a miracle of Neem Karoli Baba,)” Sona continued.
She further said, “Numbers will come and go, and I want to make it clear on my team’s behalf that we don’t have any such offer, and we don’t want any such offers either. Whatever we decide, we will discuss it within the team and take a call. You’ll get to know this soon. Watch the film in theatres because even we don’t know when the film will come on OTT.”
Sona’s remarks come against the backdrop of earlier comments by director and producer Dr Vishal Chaturvedi, who said an OTT rejection had pushed him to bring the film to the big screen. In an interview with India TV, Chaturvedi said he had gone to pitch the story to an OTT platform, where he was asked if he had an Indian story with international relevance. He said he narrated Maharaj Ji’s story in such a way that he broke down.
Chaturvedi said the way the story was rejected did not sit well with him. He said the language used was derogatory, not because he was rejected, but because of what it reflected. He said filmmakers are used to rejection, but the way it was said made him feel that those rejecting it had a certain narrative in their minds, and that it was important to break that narrative.
He also said this made him feel even more responsible for making the film. According to Chaturvedi, the way India’s saintly mindset was being viewed from such a large platform made him feel that these platforms were not really working for the country. He said it became necessary to tell the story, and that was why he became determined to make the film.
After the film’s sleeper-hit success, Chaturvedi also questioned why the Hindi film industry had not earlier told the story of Neem Karoli Baba. He said it was important for the world to know the story and for Indians to know that a 20th-century saint had changed the 21st century. He added that major founders and conglomerates had been influenced by Neem Karoli Baba, and said that, arguably, even the Apple logo was inspired by him. He asked Bollywood why it had not told this story before him.Strong theatrical run continues
The film has officially entered the Rs 200-crore club and has returned 100 times its reported Rs 2-crore budget. Rooted in the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, the release has outperformed titles including Mirzapur: The Movie and Haiwaan at the box office.
In its sixth week, Hanuman Ansh registered its highest single-Friday collection since release, earning Rs 10.50 crore on Day 36, according to box office tracker Sacnilk. The film moved to the number-one spot across Indian theatres, ahead of Mirzapur: The Movie, which earned Rs 9.50 crore, and Haiwaan, which opened at Rs 3 crore nett. As of Day 37, the film was running across 2,637 shows and had collected a nett of Rs 2.25 crore, according to Sacnilk.
The current run follows an unusual theatrical trajectory. Hanuman Ansh opened to Rs 10 lakh on Day 1 and collected a nett total of Rs 1.48 crore over its first fortnight. Word-of-mouth picked up from Day 16, leading to a surge in later weeks, including Rs 61 crore in week four and Rs 90 crore in week five. Its domestic nett haul now stands at Rs 175.88 crore, translating to a Rs 207.81 crore worldwide gross ahead of its overseas rollout.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Sep 12, 2026 16:44 ISTALSO READ | Beyond star power: Is Hindi cinema entering a film-first era?
