Muslim man watches Hanuman Ansh barefoot in theatre, internet says ‘This is real India’. Watch

Hanuman Ansh has struck a chord with audiences weeks after release, with a video of a Muslim viewer watching the devotional film drawing attention online.

A devotional film without a conventional Bollywood superstar at its centre, Hanuman Ansh has quietly become one of the biggest talking points at the box office. After opening to just ₹10 lakh, the film has found a strong audience through word of mouth and has continued to draw viewers weeks into its theatrical run. Now, a video of a Muslim man watching the film in a theatre has surfaced online.

Muslim man watches Hanuman Ansh in theatre.

Muslim man watches Hanuman Ansh

An X user shared a video of a Muslim man watching Hanuman Ansh barefoot in a theatre. The man is seen wearing a white kurta-pyjama and a white skull cap. He appears to be fully engaged with the film, which is based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba. The video has prompted reactions online, with several users praising the film for bringing audiences from different communities together.

One fan commented, "They failed to pollute his mind by political polarisation rampant for decades." Another wrote, "India without politics." A third user said, "I am Muslim but I love this movie because in this film a particular religion has not been targeted. It was quite good." Another comment read, "This is real India, respect every religion."

About Hanuman Ansh

Deep Dive

What is the storyline of the film Hanuman Ansh?

Why has Hanuman Ansh gained popularity despite initial poor box office performance?

How has the portrayal of religious themes in Hanuman Ansh impacted its audience reception?

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Hanuman Ansh follows Lakshman Das, a young boy who loses his mother and begins a spiritual journey in search of answers about life, death and God. He leaves home and travels across North India, meeting saints and devotees while gradually moving away from worldly attachments. His journey eventually leads to his transformation into Neem Karoli Baba, whose teachings centre on love, compassion, seva (service) and devotion.

Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the film is based on the book Divine Detour: That Changed My Life. It stars Shobhinav Satyaa and Chandan Anand in the lead roles, along with Purnima Tiwari and Vihaan Shedge in key roles. Released on August 7, the film took a slow start, collecting ₹10 lakh at the box office. However, positive word of mouth helped the film pick up pace in its third week. It went on to record its highest single-day collection of ₹12.75 crore on its 24th day. So far, the film has collected ₹72.88 crore net in India.

The film's director said in a podcast that Bollywood initially did not support the film. However, after its success, he was flooded with congratulatory calls and messages from some of the same people. Meanwhile, production banner Hombale Films has announced that it will take Hanuman Ansh to international audiences with a worldwide release on September 11. The film is also set to get a sequel after emerging as a sleeper hit.