Hanuman Ansh: How a Rs 2 crore film inspired by spiritual saint Neem Karoli Baba is winning hearts in theatres

Hanuman Ansh, the devotional drama directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, has emerged as a box-office success, holding its own on the big screen against bigger releases, including Toxic, starring Kannada superstar Yash. The film is gaining attention for its simplicity and its portrayal of the teachings and spiritual journey of spiritual saint Neem Karoli Baba.

Despite being made on a small budget, the movie continues its strong run at the box office. Here's everything you need to know about the spiritual figure whose extraordinary life continues to inspire millions, including Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Julia Roberts, Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, and many more.

Who was Neem Karoli Baba?

Neem Karoli Baba was a revered Hindu spiritual guru, also known as Maharaj Ji. He is believed to have been a devoted follower of Lord Hanuman. His birth date is unconfirmed; however, reports state that he was born around 1900 as Lakshman Narayan Sharma in Akbarpur, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India, into a Brahmin family.

As a teenager, he left home to live as a sadhu. While travelling on a train without a ticket, the ticket collector asked him to get off at Neeb Karori station.

Also Read: This Rs 2 Cr film left Yash's Toxic behind and earned 2150% growth - Do you know which one?

After getting off the train, he sat under a neem tree, and mysteriously, the train engine stopped and refused to move despite all efforts by the driver and engineers. Locals later believed that removing a sadhu had caused the trouble, leading railway officials and passengers to request that he reboard.

The miracle occurred when he stepped back onto the train and the engine started working again, leading people to call him Neem Karoli Baba, meaning the Baba from Neem Karoli.

For years, he remained engaged in deep spiritual practices and rigorous penance, including a period in Vavania, Gujarat, where he spent part of his early wandering years as a young sadhu. Locals and followers often referred to him as Tallaiya Baba.

In 1964, Neem Karoli Baba established the Kainchi Dham ashram in a mountain valley in Uttarakhand, India. Throughout his life, he never gave long lectures to his devotees but instead taught them that “All is one.” His teachings focused on spreading unconditional love and service and on seeing the divine presence in everyone. He was a devoted follower of Lord Hanuman and is considered by many of his followers to be a living incarnation, or avatar, of Hanuman himself.

In 1967, Dr Richard Alpert travelled to India, where he met Neem Karoli Baba and spoke with him about his life. The spiritual guru gave him the name Ram Dass, which means Servant of Ram.

Later, he published a book titled Be Here Now, in which he wrote about Neem Karoli Baba, helping introduce his teachings to a wider Western audience. It also helped establish the spiritual teacher’s influence among readers outside India.

Neem Karoli Baba died on 11 September 1973 in a hospital in Vrindavan, India, after slipping into a diabetic coma. It is believed that he left his mortal body while constantly chanting “Jai Jagdish Hare.”

Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Julia Roberts, and others inspired by Neem Karoli Baba

Neem Karoli Baba’s teachings and spiritual influence have not only inspired Indian followers but also touched the lives of several well-known personalities, including Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Virat Kohli and Julia Roberts.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., travelled to India in 1974 to meet the spiritual guru Neem Karoli Baba, but he later learnt that the saint had died in September 1973. Jobs still spent time at the ashram and reportedly travelled barefoot across northern India, living in temples and villages.

Reportedly, Steve Jobs discussed his time in one of his old interviews, where he spoke about how deeply his visit influenced his outlook on life.

Years later, when Facebook faced a difficult period, Mark Zuckerberg also visited Kainchi Dham on the advice of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The visit reportedly helped him reconnect with the company’s purpose.

Before knowing anything about Neem Karoli Baba, Julia Roberts said she was instantly drawn to looking at the saint’s picture. In an old interview, she said she felt a strong connection that led her to study and practise Hinduism with her family.

Her personal exploration of Indian spirituality deepened around the time when she filmed her 2010 movie Eat Pray Love, which included scenes shot at an ashram in India.

Virat Kohli and his wife, Anushka Sharma, are also devoted followers of the revered spiritual leader Neem Karoli Baba. The couple has frequently been seen visiting the ashrams.

About Hanuman Ansh

The recently released film Hanuman Ansh is a devotional drama written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi. It is inspired by the early life and spiritual transformation of Lakshman Das Sharma, who later became the revered guru Neem Karoli Baba.

The film follows a 13-year-old boy from Braj who loses his mother. After the tragedy, Lakshman leaves his hometown and begins searching for divine love and a deeper spiritual connection with Lord Rama through devotion to Hanuman.

The movie was made on a budget of around Rs 2 crore and has emerged as a massive box-office success. The 2-hour-and-30-minute film has completed 26 days and registered a 54% jump in collections, netting Rs 8.50 crore in India. On the same day, Geetu Mohandas’ Toxic managed only Rs 8.20 crore, which is currently running in five languages worldwide. This brings the film’s overall India collection to Rs 63.82 crore so far.