Producer denies rumors of major deal for Nimkaroli Baba film with OTT platforms

In Indian cinema, the concept of 'crime' was once exclusively associated with the underground world of Mumbai, the streets of Maynagari, or international mafia networks. However, with the advent of the internet and the active spread of OTT platforms, the landscape of the crime genre has changed. Beyond brilliant, glossy worlds, stories deeply connected to reality have begun appearing on screen, where the smell of gunpowder mixes with the echo of power and politics.

During this period, the socio-political situation in Uttar Pradesh became a source of income for filmmakers. Today, the criminal world of UP, from the areas of Purvanchal to the police stations of Muzaffarnagar, enjoys immense popularity among viewers. The most striking evidence of this is the phenomenal success of the series 'Mirzapur,' which collected over 130 crore rupees on big screens after its release on OTT within just four days, setting a record.

The series 'Mirzapur' played a key role in establishing Uttar Pradesh on the OTT map. This web series, set against the backdrop of Purvanchal, demonstrates how illegal arms trade and smuggling thrive in areas bordering Nepal. The plot goes beyond simple crime, showing how politicians and local strongmen use each other to gain power.

The story of Kalin Bhaiya's monopoly in the alleys of Mirzapur and Guddu Pandit's bloody struggle has captivated audiences so much that it has received three successful seasons and continues to set new records in theaters.

Muzaffarnagar, in western Uttar Pradesh, was long considered a hotbed of crime. The series 'Bhaukal,' created around this atmosphere and events, is based on real incidents. It narrates the life of police officer Navneet Sikera and the anti-crime operations he conducted in Muzaffarnagar. Actor Mohit Raina played the lead role of Navneet Sikera. The series shows how a determined policeman destroys the empire of local gangsters and their fear. Two seasons have been released to date.

The popular ZEE5 series 'Rangbaaz' recalls the dark times of the 90s when underground collections, racketeering, and contract killings dominated the state. The story is inspired by the life of the notorious Purvanchal criminal Shriprakash Shukla, played by Sakib Salim. The series reveals the bitter truth of how politicians protect criminals for political gain, while the latter do not hesitate to kill ministers and legislators. 'Rangbaaz' has already released four seasons.

The series 'Raktanchal' details the fight for control over extortion and illegal levies in Purvanchal. Although the creators have never made an official statement, the plot strongly resembles the decade-long gang war between Brijesh Singh and Muktar Ansari. It shows how an educated young man enters the world of crime due to personal revenge and soon becomes the biggest mafia boss of Purvanchal. Three seasons are currently available.

The Amazon Prime superhit 'Patala Lok' also has roots in Uttar Pradesh. The main villain of the series, Hatuda Tyagi, hails from Chitrakona, and he chooses his path in the world of crime. During the investigation, Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary travels from Delhi to the rural areas of Chitrakona, and the social structure and administrative reality of UP are clearly reflected in the plot. The series has been released in two seasons and has been highly praised by crime thriller enthusiasts.

Unlike traditional gang wars, 'Asur' is a thriller shot against the sacred backdrop of Varanasi. Here, religion, mythological beliefs, and modern forensic science uniquely combine. The plot revolves around a psychopathic serial killer who considers himself an Asura and plays a cat-and-mouse game with the police and the team of forensic experts. Two seasons of this series, starring Arshad Warsi (Dhananjay Rajput) and Barun Sobti (Nikhil Nair), have been hits, and filming for the third season is ongoing.

The web series 'Inspector Avinash,' directed by Niraj Patak, is inspired by the life of an UP police real arrest specialist, Avinash Mishra. It shows how a special strategy was developed in the 90s to eliminate major criminals and gangs in the state. Actor Randeep Khuda played Avinash Mishra, and Urushi Rautela also appeared in the series. This popular action-thriller, based on real events, has also been released in two seasons.

In reality, there is no single big reason; rather, it is a combination of social and cinematic factors. The Indian audience is tired of the glossy and exotic underworld often depicted in Mumbai films.

The film 'Hanuman Ansh', based on the life of Nim Korali Baba, has become one of the most successful in Bollywood history. Five weeks have passed since its release, and its box office earnings show no significant decline. Despite the release of the major film 'Mirzapur: The Movie' this week, 'Hanuman Ansh' maintains strong positions in cinema screenings.

The film 'Mirzapur: The Movie', released on September 4th, is actively collecting revenue. In four days, its total net collection exceeded 100 crore. This picture reached this figure very quickly. However, 'Hanuman Ansh', which is in its fifth week of screening, is also posing serious competition to 'Mirzapur'.

Looking at 'Mirzapur: The Movie', according to Sacnilk data, on its fourth day, which was Monday, the film collected a net income of 15.50 crore rupees. The total revenue of the picture reached 109.25 crore rupees. Despite it being a working day, 'Mirzapur' demonstrated its strength at the box office, giving hope for a long run.

But right before it is 'Hanuman Ansh', which continues to impress even on its 32nd day. Despite a limited number of screenings, it has collected a net income of 9.50 crore rupees. The total revenue of the film is now 131.63 crore rupees. It will soon appear in international cinemas, which will greatly influence its lifetime collection.

The success story of 'Hanuman Ansh' is also impressive. In the first 15 days, its earnings did not exceed 1 crore. However, after that, earnings began to grow steadily. On the 31st day, the film made a big leap, receiving huge support thanks to positive reviews from all sides. Now even major Bollywood stars are going to watch this film and highly praising it. 'Hanuman Ansh', created with a budget of only 2 crore, has become an outstanding example in Bollywood history.

The film 'Hanuman ANSH', dedicated to the life of Nim Karoli Baba, is demonstrating success at the box office. Although initially considered a flop in the first weeks, the movie earned over 100 crore rupees, receiving support not only from fans but also from the entire industry. Notably, the film was shot on a very modest budget of 2 crore rupees, but it is now breaking collection records.

However, the creation process of 'Hanuman ANSH' proved difficult for the creators. As director Vishal Chaturvedi shared, numerous problems arose during production. When the original actor fell ill, he decided to bring Shubhinav Satyu, who held the position of assistant director, onto the set. This step fundamentally changed the fate of the entire film.

Shubhinav and Vishal discussed in an interview in Hindi the difficulties they faced due to the limited budget. Shubhinav noted that many people refused the project, believing the film would never reach the set, and therefore did not come to the locations in Chitrakot. There were times when he was alone on the set, maintaining hope for the project's realization, as he had previously worked on independent films and encountered similar challenges.

He added that at the last moment, someone said it wouldn't work out, but Vishal maintained unwavering faith in the project, insisting that they could make it. The director dedicated himself completely to this work. Despite being unable to reach the shooting locations, they somehow managed to get on a train and arrive there.

Vishal recounted the story of how Shubhinav got the lead role. He stated that the main actor became seriously ill. The director specified that the leading actor suffered from vomiting about 40-50 times and came to the set extremely exhausted and sick. Working with him in such a condition was impossible. Usually, such circumstances lead to the halt of small films, but Vishal did not give up. He felt that Shubhinav's appearance was sufficiently similar to the image of Nim Karoli Baba, so he decided to cast his assistant director as the lead actor.

Although Shubhinav was offered the role, he initially experienced intense nervousness and found it difficult to convince himself. Since Shubhinav is himself a devoted follower of Baba, he feared that the audience might not accept him in this role. Shubhinav wondered: how would people who only knew him as an assistant director accept him suddenly as an actor? Then Vishal motivated him to take on the role, instilling confidence in him.

The film 'Hanuman ANSH' was written, directed, and produced by Vishal Chaturvedi. The creators have also announced plans for a sequel, and the global release of the film is currently being prepared.