What began as a modestly budgeted film has turned into one of the year’s biggest box-office surprises. Hanuman Ansh director Vishal Chaturvedi reportedly took no upfront fee, while producer Anupriya Nagar says her eventual share could reach ₹50 crore after the film’s theatrical and other revenue streams are accounted for.
Hanuman Ansh has become an extraordinary box-office success story, particularly when its reported production budget is compared with its theatrical earnings.
The devotional film, directed by Vishal Chaturvedi and led by Shobhinaw Satyaa, has reportedly collected ₹366.45 crore worldwide in its first 47 days, according to figures cited from Sacnilk.
The film was reportedly made on a budget of just over ₹1.5 crore, making its reported theatrical performance many times larger than its initial production investment.
One of the film’s producers, Anupriya Nagar, has now revealed details about the project’s financing, profit-sharing arrangement and the unusual decision by Chaturvedi to work without an upfront directing fee.
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Anupriya Nagar Invested ₹50 Lakh in Hanuman Ansh
Speaking with Siddharth Kannan, Anupriya said she personally invested ₹50 lakh in the film, which she described as roughly one-third of the reported production budget.
According to Nagar, the film’s overall budget was slightly above ₹1.5 crore.
She explained that the producers and director have an equal partnership in the company behind the project. Once the distributor’s share, taxes and other expenses are deducted, the remaining profit is to be divided among the four partners.
“I will get one-fourth of the profits,” Nagar said, while explaining that the final amount cannot yet be calculated because the film still has additional revenue streams to monetise.
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Producer Says Her Share Could Reach ₹50 Crore
With Hanuman Ansh reportedly earning ₹366.45 crore gross at the worldwide box office, Nagar was asked about the potential return on her investment.
She said her current estimate is that she could eventually make around ₹50 crore, but stressed that the figure remains theoretical.
“So far, it seems like I will be making Rs 50 crore. But all of this is theoretical. We are yet to make an OTT, music and satellite deal,” she said.
That distinction is important because a film’s worldwide gross does not translate directly into the producers’ profit. Exhibition and distribution arrangements, taxes, production and marketing expenses, revenue-sharing agreements and other costs all affect the final amount received by producers.
The film is also yet to conclude its reported OTT, satellite and music deals, meaning its overall revenue picture could change further.
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Vishal Chaturvedi Worked Without an Upfront Fee
One of the more unusual aspects of Hanuman Ansh‘s production was director Vishal Chaturvedi’s decision not to take a fee while the film was being made.
Nagar explained that the project’s budget was extremely limited, and Chaturvedi agreed to defer his remuneration.
“Our budget was very minimal, so he said that he won’t take any fee during the making,” she said.
However, the director was not excluded from the film’s eventual upside. According to Nagar, Chaturvedi is an equal partner in the company, alongside the three producers.
“So if we are doing well, then the four of us will be doing well,” she said.
The arrangement effectively linked the director’s financial return to the film’s eventual profitability rather than providing him with a conventional upfront directing fee.
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Director Had Been Trying to Make the Film for 14 Years
Nagar also revealed that Chaturvedi had spent 14 years trying to bring the story to the screen.
According to her, the filmmaker had presented the project to multiple OTT platforms before finding producers willing to back the film.
She credited Ragini Sona and Namrata Singh, who were involved as co-producers, with helping move the project forward after believing in the script.
Nagar herself joined during the post-production stage, when the team required additional financing.
For a first-time director, the theatrical response has subsequently provided a dramatic turnaround from the project’s lengthy development period.
Anupriya Nagar Wants to Launch a Production House
The unexpected success has also influenced Nagar’s plans for the future.
When asked what she intended to do with the potential ₹50 crore return, she said she was considering using the money to support new storytelling ventures and contribute to society.
Nagar said she wants to establish a production house that can develop regional films and web series.
Rather than immediately moving toward large-scale productions, she intends to continue working with relatively modest budgets.
“I want to make films on small budgets because I know that Hanuman Ansh became possible only because of its small budget,” she said.
Her experience with the film has therefore shaped her approach to future projects, with an emphasis on controlling costs and setting aside money to build the production company.
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Hanuman Ansh‘s Unusual Box-Office Journey
The film’s reported ₹366.45 crore worldwide gross is particularly striking because its theatrical journey did not begin with the kind of opening normally associated with major commercial successes.
Its collections accelerated substantially after its initial weeks, eventually turning it into a long-running theatrical performer.
The film’s seventh-week run has further extended its box-office journey, while the makers are yet to monetise its reported digital, satellite and music rights.
That combination—an exceptionally low reported production budget, deferred compensation for the director and a substantial theatrical run—has made Hanuman Ansh one of the more unusual success stories of the year.
For Nagar and Chaturvedi, however, the final financial outcome will only become clear after distribution settlements, taxes, expenses and the film’s remaining non-theatrical deals are completed.
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