Offbeat News : The film Hanuman Ansh has emerged as one of the biggest surprises at the box office in recent times. Made on a budget of just Rs 2 crore, the film has earned more than Rs 169 crore so far. While its story has attracted attention, the journey of actor Shobhinav Satya, who played Neem Karoli Baba, has also become a major talking point.
Interestingly, Shobhinav Satya was not the first choice for the role. On the very first day of shooting, the original actor reportedly fell ill, following which Satya was asked to take on the important character.
However, the actor himself was initially apprehensive about portraying such a spiritual personality. He wondered whether people would accept him as Baba, whether audiences would connect with his character and whether he would be able to do justice to the role.
Shobhinav Satya Was Initially Afraid of the Role
Speaking to Dainik Jagran, Shobhinav Satya said he was quite nervous before taking on the role of Neem Karoli Baba. He said he repeatedly wondered whether he would be able to portray the character properly.
One of the main reasons behind his fear was his own faith in Baba. He was concerned that people might question his portrayal and say, “Who is this Baba they have brought?”
The actor said he remained troubled by these thoughts, but the film’s director encouraged him. According to Satya, the director told him to focus only on playing his character and assured him that he would handle everything else.
Villagers Began Calling Him Baba During Shooting
According to Shobhinav Satya, some unexpected experiences during the shoot gradually helped him gain confidence. On the very first day, when he arrived at the temple, people present there started addressing him as “Baba, Baba.”
He said it was a completely different experience for him. At that point, he himself was unsure whether he was truly connecting with people through the character.
The following day, the rest of the film team returned to the base while Satya remained alone at the temple. It was then that another unusual experience took place.
The Actor Ate Salt and Roti at the Temple
Shobhinav said he was sitting inside the temple when someone asked him whether he wanted something to eat. For reasons he could not explain, he asked for garlic, salt and roti.
The items were brought from the village, and he sat there and ate them. According to the actor, several experiences continued to take place during the shoot that he had not planned in advance.
When people started asking him for blessings, he began blessing them. Shobhinav said he had never planned to do so, but events unfolded naturally.
These experiences gradually made him feel that he was beginning to connect with the character. His confidence in portraying Neem Karoli Baba also grew.
Director Supported Him Through His Doubts
Earlier, in an interview with Hindi Rush, Shobhinav Satya had also spoken openly about his fears regarding the role. He said that initially, even the director was not completely certain about casting him and asked him what was going through his mind.
Satya explained that he was a true follower of Baba and feared that people might not accept him in the role.
As an actor, he also wondered how people who had known him as an assistant director would react to seeing him in a lead role. He questioned whether audiences would accept him in this new avatar.
However, the director took responsibility for easing his concerns and assured him that he stood behind him.
From Rs 10 Lakh Opening to Rs 169.20 Crore Gross
The box office journey of Hanuman Ansh has also taken an unexpected turn. The film was released in theatres on August 7 and collected only Rs 10 lakh on its opening day.
Given such a start, few would have expected the film to eventually cross the Rs 100 crore mark. However, its box office performance saw a major rise in the third week.
The film has now grossed Rs 169.20 crore, while its net collection has been reported at Rs 143.13 crore.
