At just 21, Anupriya Nagar has taken an unconventional route into the film industry. After studying economics at the University of Bath in the UK, Nagar has made her feature-film production debut with Hanuman Ansh, a spiritual drama inspired by the life of Neem Karoli Baba.
The film opened quietly in theatres on August 7, collecting around ₹10 lakh on its first day. However, its theatrical journey changed dramatically in the weeks that followed.
According to Sacnilk figures reported on September 2, Hanuman Ansh had reached an India gross collection of ₹72.32 crore, while its India net stood at ₹61.38 crore after Day 27.
The reported figures are particularly striking considering that the film was made on a production budget of around ₹2 crore, with some reports putting the cost closer to ₹1.8 crore.
However, box-office gross should not be confused with producer profit. Theatrical revenue is distributed among exhibitors, distributors and producers, while additional costs can also affect the eventual returns.
Who is Anupriya Nagar?
Anupriya Nagar was born in Mumbai and later moved to the UK to pursue economics at the University of Bath.
Her publicly described professional interests span economics, art and filmmaking. She began exhibiting her artwork at the age of 12 and became involved in student organisations covering areas such as art, dance and business during her university years.
At Bath, Nagar was associated with the Women in Business Society and also took on student leadership responsibilities. Her academic interests included research related to innovative ecosystem banking.
Filmmaking, however, was not initially the obvious next step in her career.
Her journey towards Hanuman Ansh began while she was still studying economics.
How Steve Jobs led her to Neem Karoli Baba
Nagar has explained that her interest in the subject developed during research connected to a university module involving investment and banking.
While studying Steve Jobs, she became interested not only in the Apple co-founder’s business achievements but also in his ideas and spiritual journey.
Her research led her to the widely documented association between Jobs and Neem Karoli Baba, including Jobs’ visit to India.
That discovery prompted Nagar to learn more about the Indian spiritual figure and eventually consider whether his story could be presented to a younger and international audience through cinema.
Rather than simply focusing on the frequently discussed connection between Jobs and Neem Karoli Baba, Nagar became interested in the broader influence and legacy of the spiritual figure.
From research to Hanuman Ansh
Nagar has said that her team spent roughly a year researching Neem Karoli Baba and his life.
The process reportedly included visiting locations associated with him and speaking with people who had known or interacted with the spiritual figure. Places including Chitrakoot and Vrindavan were part of that research journey.
The project ultimately developed into Hanuman Ansh, produced under Swambhu Media Network.
Publicly available credits list Anupriya Nagar alongside Ragini S, Namrata G Singh and director Vishal Chaturvedi among the producers.
For Nagar, the project represented a significant shift from her academic and artistic background into feature-film production.
What is Hanuman Ansh about?
Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh draws from the life of Neem Karoli Baba.
The narrative follows Lakshman Das from his early years through his spiritual journey and eventual transformation into the figure known as Neem Karoli Baba.
The makers have positioned the film as a spiritual story rather than a conventional biographical account.
The cast includes Shobhinaw Satyaa, Chandan Anand, Vihaan Shedge, Purnima Tiwari and Anil Rastogi, among others.
The unusual casting of Shobhinaw Satyaa
One of the film’s more unusual production stories concerns the casting of its lead actor.
Shobhinaw Satyaa was reportedly working as the film’s second assistant director when the actor originally selected for the central role fell ill.
Director Vishal Chaturvedi subsequently tested Satyaa for several hours before deciding to cast him as Neem Karoli Baba.
The decision gave someone already working behind the scenes on the production an opportunity to step into the lead role.
From a ₹10 lakh opening to a reported ₹72 crore gross
The commercial trajectory of Hanuman Ansh has been anything but conventional.
The film reportedly opened with approximately ₹10 lakh on August 7. Its first week ended at around ₹1.08 crore, while the second week added only about ₹40 lakh.
At that stage, there was little indication that the film was heading towards a major theatrical run.
The turnaround came during the third week. The film reportedly collected ₹10.40 crore during that week, with a significant jump occurring around Days 16 and 17.
According to Sacnilk’s reported figures, Hanuman Ansh crossed the ₹2 crore mark in a single day on Day 17.
Fourth-week collections fuel the turnaround
The film’s momentum became even more pronounced during its fourth week.
It reportedly collected:
- Day 22: ₹6.25 crore
- Day 23: ₹9.25 crore
- Day 24: ₹12.75 crore
- Day 25: ₹5.50 crore
- Day 26: ₹8.50 crore
- Day 27: ₹7.25 crore
By Day 27, the film’s reported India net collection had reached ₹61.38 crore, while its India gross stood at ₹72.32 crore, according to Sacnilk figures cited on September 2, 2026.
The dramatic rise from its modest opening has made Hanuman Ansh one of the more unexpected box-office stories of the year.
A remarkable first production
For Anupriya Nagar, Hanuman Ansh is more than a successful debut in film production. It represents an unusual career transition—from economics and university research to producing a feature film centred on an Indian spiritual figure.
Her journey began with academic research, developed through an interest in Neem Karoli Baba and eventually found its way to cinema.
At 21, Nagar has already been credited as a producer on a feature that has generated considerable theatrical attention.
Whether Hanuman Ansh becomes the foundation for a longer career in filmmaking remains to be seen. For now, its reported box-office performance has put its young producer firmly in the spotlight.
