Spiritual Leader's Caution to Filmmakers
Vrindavan-based spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj has spoken about the film 'Hanuman Ansh', which depicts the life of the revered saint Neem Karoli Baba, calling it a potential form of service while cautioning the filmmakers against distorting the saint's life for entertainment or popularity.
During a satsang, director Vishal Chaturvedi reportedly asked Maharaj about making a film on the life of Neem Karoli Baba and whether bringing the life of such a revered saint to the screen, while remaining committed to the spiritual path, could itself be considered a form of service. Maharaj gave an encouraging response, saying, "Yes, this can also become a form of service."
His answer came with a larger message about the responsibility involved in portraying saints and great spiritual personalities on screen. Maharaj explained that the life of a spiritually accomplished figure such as Neem Karoli Baba cannot be treated like an ordinary fictional story. According to him, those attempting to portray such personalities need to exercise caution.
According to a report in News 18 Hindi, he pointed out that people cannot compare their own spiritual state with that of highly detached and God-realised saints, and for that reason filmmakers need to be particularly careful when recreating their lives through performances and cinematic storytelling. The concern, he suggested, is that creative decisions made to increase entertainment value or attract a larger audience could end up creating a false impression of the saint.
Advice Against Worldly Elements
Premanand Maharaj advised the filmmakers against introducing fictional or worldly elements simply to make the story more commercially appealing. He stressed that a saint's life should be presented with sincerity and without compromising its spiritual essence.
According to India Today, producer Anupriya Nagar approached Premanand Maharaj before taking the story of Neem Karoli Baba to audiences. During their interaction, she asked whether making a film while following a spiritual path could itself be considered a form of service. Premanand Maharaj responded by highlighting the responsibility that comes with depicting the lives of great saints. He said, "Keep in mind that following the lives of great spiritual personalities is difficult. There should be no worldliness."
He explained that audiences watching the life of a spiritual master should ideally be encouraged towards devotion, knowledge and detachment rather than being presented with unnecessary worldly elements.
Maharaj particularly cautioned the team against altering the saint's story for dramatic impact or commercial success. According to his advice, the filmmakers should rely on what has genuinely been read, heard and understood about Neem Karoli Baba. He also pointed out that portraying a spiritually realised person is not simply a matter of copying their external behaviour. The inner state of such a personality, he suggested, cannot be easily replicated through performance alone.
The spiritual leader advised the makers to approach the project with discipline and sincerity. He recommended spiritual practice, maintaining a sattvic lifestyle, reading about saints and spending time in the company of spiritually inclined people. Maharaj's message was that even if a film does not attract a large audience, the makers should not compromise on the truth of the saint's life.
Film's Box Office Performance
'Hanuman Ansh' features Shobhinaw Satyaa in the role of Neem Karoli Baba, while Purnima Tiwari portrays his wife, Ram Beti Sharma. The film initially had a slow start before gaining momentum around its 17th day. It has continued to attract audiences and has completed 25 days in theatres.
The film witnessed a remarkable turnaround in its third week and has continued to perform strongly at the box office. It was released on August 7 and earned just Rs 1.48 crore in its first two weeks. The total collection of 'Hanuman Ansh' now stands at Rs 54.13 crore net, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The film was made at an estimated cost of around Rs 1.8 crore.