Hanuman Ansh misses Oscars 2027 race despite over Rs 200 crore box office success: Producer reveals what went wrong

Hanuman Ansh has become one of the surprise success stories at the box office. The film has continued to bring audiences to theatres weeks after its release and has managed to hold its ground despite competition from newer films. But while its theatrical journey is still going strong, there is one major stage where the film will not be seen. Hanuman Ansh will not be in the race to become India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars this year.

The development comes at a time when the film is also expanding to other markets and languages, making its absence from the Oscar race a talking point among viewers and the industry.

So, what happened, and why did the film miss the opportunity? Producer Namrata Singh has now explained the situation.

Hanuman Ansh missed the Oscar submission

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Singh revealed that the film was not submitted for consideration before the deadline. She said the team only came to know about the missed submission after people began calling them and asking why the film had not been entered.

“We missed the Oscar submission deadline [for consideration as India's official entry for Best International Feature Film] yesterday (September 7), as it was the last day. We got calls from a thousand people ki aap ne film submit nahin ki (You didn't submit the film). But we didn't know about it. We are busy with too many things. Also, we are a really small team.”

Her comments make it clear that Hanuman Ansh was not rejected by the Oscar selection process. The film simply did not make it into the process because the submission deadline had already passed. The producer pointed to the size of the team and the number of things they are currently trying to manage.

The makers are busy taking the film to more audiences

The team is currently working on expanding the film beyond its Hindi release. A Telugu version has been completed, while work on other languages is expected to happen later.

Singh said the makers are also working on accessibility so that the film can reach viewers with different needs. At the same time, the cast and director are travelling for promotional activities.

“First, we have done dubbing for Telugu and then work on the rest of the languages. We are also working on accessibility so that people of different abilities can see the film. The artists and director are on tour. There's hardly anyone in the office.”

The Telugu version of Hanuman Ansh is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 18. Filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas is associated with the Telugu version, which was announced on September 11, coinciding with the Mahasamadhi Day of Neem Karoli Baba.

Overseas release also kept the team occupied

The international rollout has been another major responsibility for the makers. Singh explained that releasing a film overseas involves several processes, including censorship requirements and preparing the necessary assets.

“When you release overseas, there are multiple things to take care of. Moreover, I am a first-time producer while Vishal Chaturvedi is a first-time writer-director. Hence, we are all learning on the go how to release the film internationally.”

The team was also working against time to make the overseas release happen around September 11, which holds significance for the filmmakers because it is the Mahasamadhi Day of Neem Karoli Baba.

Singh said, “We are also devotees, and it's very important for us to release overseas on September 11 because it is Mahasamadhi day for Maharaj ji. That's the day Maharaj ji left his body in 1973. Hence, the race against time to release on September 11 ne poori jaan le li! Thankfully, we managed, and the release is happening this Friday.”

Hanuman Ansh continues its box office run

Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh was released in theatres on August 7. Shobhinaw Satyaa plays Neem Karoli Baba, while Chandan K Anand, Nikhil Dubey, Anil Rastogi, Sugandha Malhotra and Bhagvandas Patel are also part of the cast.

The film follows Lakshmi Narayan, a young boy in pre-Independence India who leaves home after his mother's death in search of God. He travels across northern India in search of God, with his journey eventually leading to his transformation into Neem Karoli Baba.

The film's box office journey has been particularly notable because it did not depend on a huge opening. It picked up gradually through word of mouth and continued to perform strongly in the weeks that followed. According to Sacnilk, the film's domestic nett collection had reached Rs 194.07 crore by Day 38, while its India gross stood at Rs 229.26 crore.

Hanuman Ansh universe

The plans around the film are not limited to cinemas. Singh has revealed that the makers are developing a video game with the company that developed FAU-G. A comic book is also being planned, with the team in discussions with one of the country's major comic-book publishers.

“We are also developing a game. It's made by the company which has developed FAU-G. We are also working on a comic book, for which we are talking to one of the biggest comic book publishers in the country.”

There have also been reports about Hanuman Ansh 2, with speculation around possible appearances by Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. Those casting reports, however, have not been officially confirmed by the makers.