Richa Chadha has shared her perspective on the current state of small-scale and content-driven films in India. The actor said that the success of Hanuman Ansh does not necessarily mean there is a wider shift in audience preferences. She believes that the film’s performance should be viewed in the context of the strong audience appeal of religious content.
“No, 2026 is not a landmark year for content. If it is with context to Hanuman Ansh, that’s a separate thing,” Richa said in an interview with Zoom.
The actor claimed that Hollywood’s success with Obsession should not be used as a benchmark for Indian films, as the two industries operate in very different contexts. “Mythological stuff relatively does well. Be it religious or mythological, it is safe for everyone to see. Yeh toh log dekhte hi hain. It is early to say ki kuch accha ho raha hai,” she added.
Richa further shared her thoughts on what could help the Indian film industry move towards more content-driven cinema. “I feel better scripts and money for writers could lead us to the phase where content-driven cinema takes the lead,” she said.
Written, directed, and produced by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh is inspired by his own spiritual memoir, Divine Detour: That Changed My Life. The film marks the acting debut of Shobhinaw Satyaa as Neem Karoli Baba alongside Vihaan Shedge, Chandan Anand, Purnima Tiwari, Anil Rastogi, and Gulshan Pandey in supporting roles.
The story follows a young boy who leaves his home after the tragic death of his mother, believing that finding God is the only way to reunite with her. He gradually transforms into the spiritual master Neem Karoli Baba, referred to as an incarnation of Lord Hanuman.
Made on a reported budget of Rs 2 crore, Hanuman Ansh has gone on to collect more than Rs 423 crore worldwide. The film continues to draw audiences to theatres even after completing two months of its theatrical run.
