Vishal Chaturvedi's devotional drama Hanuman Ansh has achieved a remarkable box office milestone.
What's Happening
The Neem Karoli Baba Film has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in India, despite releasing with a budget of less than Rs 2 crore.
The film reached the milestone during its fifth weekend.
After collecting Rs 16.50 crore on its fifth Saturday, Hanuman Ansh stood at Rs 99.38 crore at the end of Day 30.
It subsequently added Rs 82 lakh on its fifth Sunday, taking its India nett collection to Rs 100.20 crore.
The Saturday jump was particularly significant. The film's Rs 16.50 crore collection came from 6,055 screens, marking a 65% increase over its fifth Friday collection of Rs 10 crore from 5,055 screens.
A day earlier, it had earned Rs 11 crore on its fourth Thursday.
Background
Hanuman Ansh opened in theatres on August 7 with little promotional buzz.
The film began its theatrical journey on just 25 screens and earned Rs 10 lakh on its opening day. Its first week ended with Rs 1.08 crore, while the second week added only Rs 40 lakh.
The film's fortunes changed dramatically in its third week.
It collected Rs 10.40 crore during the week and continued to gain momentum despite competition from new Independence Day releases, including Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2.
The biggest turnaround came in the fourth week. Hanuman Ansh collected Rs 61 crore, more than 57 times what it had earned in its opening week.
The film will face another major release on September 11, when Priyadarshan's Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, arrives in cinemas.
September 11 will also mark another important phase for Hanuman Ansh.
Hombale Films has acquired the film's international distribution rights and is set to release it worldwide on the same day.
Meanwhile, director Vishal Chaturvedi has also indicated the possibility of a sequel. After starting its theatrical journey with a modest opening, Hanuman Ansh has now established itself as one of the most unexpected box office success stories of the year.
