Offbeat News : The makers of Hanuman Ansh, a film based on the story of Neem Karoli Baba, followed several strict rules on the set to maintain a spiritual atmosphere and discipline during the shoot.
According to writer-director Vishal Chaturvedi, abusive language, loud arguments and fights were completely prohibited on the set. Non-vegetarian food and alcohol were also not allowed.
Chaturvedi said the team made a conscious effort to keep the atmosphere peaceful and positive in keeping with the theme of the film.
Every Shooting Day Began With Hanuman Chalisa
The director said every day of shooting began with the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa.
Whenever circumstances allowed, the day also concluded with the Hanuman Chalisa. Chaturvedi believes the practice helped the team remain mentally strong and deal with several challenges that arose during the shooting.
He recalled that there were occasions when a shift scheduled to begin at 7 am was delayed and the camera could not start rolling for several reasons.
During such situations, the entire team would recite the Hanuman Chalisa together. According to Chaturvedi, many of the issues causing delays were resolved after the recitation.
Tradition Inspired by Neem Karoli Baba’s Teachings
For Chaturvedi, the practice was also connected to the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, popularly known as Maharaj Ji.
He said Maharaj Ji never took personal credit for positive developments around him and always encouraged people to turn towards Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram.
According to Chaturvedi, Maharaj Ji’s teachings placed special importance on devotion, service, feeding people in need and spreading the name of Lord Ram.
The makers also attempted to incorporate the same philosophy into the film’s promotional campaign.
Eight Major Bhandaras Organised as Part of Promotion
The director said the team did not limit the promotion of Hanuman Ansh to advertisements and appeals asking audiences to watch the film.
Instead, the team organised eight major Tuesday bhandaras and distributed food among people.
According to Chaturvedi, the objective was to take the message of “service” beyond promotional material and put it into practice.
He believes the initiative helped audiences connect naturally with the film’s central message.
Film’s Earnings Increased After a Slow Opening
The film has also performed better than expected at the box office.
According to reports, Hanuman Ansh was made on a budget of around Rs 2 crore and opened with earnings of only about Rs 10 lakh.
However, its collections reportedly continued to rise following a positive response from audiences.
