How Devotional Films Defy Bollywood’s Box Office Formula

Mumbai: "Hanuman Ansh", which slipped quietly into theatres last month with takings of Rs 1.08 crore in a near-invisible opening week, is now the year's most unlikely box office hit, the success of the small budget biopic on the late Baba Neem Karoli recalling the phenomenon that was "Jai Santoshi Ma" 51 years ago. Directed by doctor-filmmaker Vishal Chaturvedi, the film features the relatively unknown Shobhinaw Satyaa in the lead. Released on August 7, it has gone from 250 screens to 2,000 this week and its earnings from a day one opening of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 200 crore (gross) in India.

"Hanuman Ansh" is a retelling of the life of Uttarakhand's revered saint Baba Neem Karoli, whose devotees include famous names such as Julia Roberts, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg also reportedly visited his ashram in Kainchi Dham in the hill state.

Neem Karoli Baba, whose real name was Lakshman Narayan Sharma, was born around 1900 in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district and died on this day in 1973. He was married early and became a wandering hermit.

His devotees believe he was an avatar of Lord Hanuman and could perform miracles.

The unexpected success of the film -- according to industry tracker Sacnilk collections after the modest first week slipped further in week two and then turned around dramatically in week three -- has industry insiders analysing how and why.

"No one saw this coming. 'Hanuman Ansh' is a case study, a film which was about to be taken off in its third week, took off in the third week and turned out to be a blockbuster in the fourth and fifth week. This doesn't happen too often," Kamal Gianchandani, chief business planning & strategy, PVR INOX Limited, told PTI.

According to several industry executives and film historians, faith-based cinema across languages has always appealed to audiences, right from "Jai Santoshi Maa" in 1975 and "Shirdi Ke Sai Baba" in 1977 to "Mahavatar Narsimha" about two Lord Vishnu avatars, Varaha and Narsimha in 2024. "Mahavatar" earned over Rs 300 crore globally.

The phenomenon around such films isn't new, said film historian and archivist S M M Ausaja. In his view, devotional films have been a key contributor to the Indian box office since Dadasaheb Phalke's "Raja Harishchandra" (1913), the first full-length Indian feature film.

He also cited examples of hits across decades, including "Ram Rajya" (1943), V Shantaram's "Shakuntala" (1943) and "Jai Santoshi Maa", which ran alongside "Sholay" and was a major blockbuster.

Up ahead is the ambitious "Ramayana", directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi. It is set for a Diwali release.

"People are looking forward to 'Ramayana' because it has a top studio funding (Prime Focus Studios and DNEG) it and a top star leading it," Ausaja said.

"There has always been a genre called mythology in Indian cinema and it has always done well. But the scale is much greater, and several A-grade actors have been roped in to be part of such films," he added.

Spiritual figures like Baba Neem Karoli command a universal following that transcends religious boundaries, making their stories relatable to a wider audience, the film historian noted.

According to Gianchandani, the trend, which became more noticeable in the theatrical landscape post COVID-19, is positive.

"People are coming out in big numbers and they're supporting faith-based films. This augurs well for exhibition because you've another segment or genre to lean on... this is good news for theatres," he said.

Cinepolis India Managing Director Devang Sampat said the performance of "Hanuman Ansh" demonstrates the audience's "appetite" for devotional cinema.

"The audience is not walking in because a film is devotional. They are walking in because people they trust have told them it is worth their time. It had no star, no big campaign and no opening weekend, but it had an audience that came out and told other people to go. That is the only thing that grew this film," Sampat told PTI.

He cited recent successes such as "Kantara", "Mahavatar Narsimha", and "Laalo", saying they share a deep-rooted cultural resonance rather than a repeatable formula.

"Each of these films is rooted in something the audience carries with them, and the film respects that rather than borrowing it. That is why they work, and that is also why it will not become a cycle you can manufacture. The moment the industry treats it as a template, the audience will know," he said.

Miraj Entertainment Ltd Executive Director Deepak Adwani said he would "hold back from calling it a genre cycle yet", but acknowledged a meaningful change in audience behaviour.

"The common thread across these films is not mythology alone. It is authenticity, cultural relevance and storytelling that gives audiences something real to hold on to emotionally. Their success shows that audiences are increasingly open to diverse Indian stories," Adwani told PTI.

"Hanuman Ansh", he pointed out, pulled in both the old and young to theatres.

"What stands out is that this appeal is not limited to one age group," he said.

According to exhibitors, what's interesting is that "Hanuman Ansh" is enjoying a steady run amid big releases such as "Toxic", "Awarapan 2", and "Batwara 1947".

Gianchandani said the contrasting performances of "Toxic" and "Hanuman Ansh" reflect the diversity of India's theatrical market.

"They are two very different films. India is such a heterogeneous market, where you've such a large number of moviegoers with varied tastes. So, I think these films can easily coexist without a problem," he added.

The screening of "Hanuman Ansh", for instance, is accompanied by Hanuman Chalisa playing in the backdrop in some theatres like Miraj Cinemas to build a devotional atmosphere.

Sampat recalled instances of patrons voluntarily removing their footwear before entering the halls, while some remained seated in silence as the end credits rolled.