Yash's film 'Toxic' prepares for OTT release after box office failure

It is said that if something is done with sincere intention, the reward will surely come. This principle seems to be confirmed by the incredible success of the film 'Hanuman ANSH,' which is based on the life of Nima Karoli Baba. The simplicity and spiritual hymns of this film touched the hearts of viewers, allowing it to collect large box office numbers even a month after its premiere.

The film 'Hanuman ANSH,' shot on a budget of 20 million rupees, surpassed the records of many blockbusters in terms of earnings. However, creating this film presented numerous difficulties for director Vishal Chaturvedi.

Vishal Chaturvedi, who transitioned from medicine to filmmaking, spoke about these challenges in an interview. He also revealed that one of the major OTT services rejected the film's concept, which greatly upset him.

In an interview with 'The Indian Thing,' Vishal stated that he managed to shoot 'Hanuman ANSH' 14 years after leaving the medical profession. He noted that he wanted to start shooting his first film two or three years after leaving medicine, but it did not happen. He added that not everyone who enters the industry automatically becomes a director. Work on this film began during the COVID pandemic.

How did the idea for 'Hanuman ANSH' arise? Vishal recounted that during that period, he lost several loved ones in just five or six days, including his best friend's mother, a cousin, and a mentor. This severely undermined his mental state, as a doctor, he could not help anyone. During the second wave of COVID, a desire arose in him to do something positive. Therefore, he created a group called 'Hanuman Chalisa' on Clubhouse. The goal was to provide people with an opportunity to share their sorrows or pray for their families through reading the 'Hanuman Chalisa.' Gradually, people from different parts of the world joined this movement.

Vishal continued that the image of Hanuman has always attracted him. This idea came to him about 20 years ago. Since then, he has carried this idea with him and told everyone about Nima Karoli Baba. When he started telling people about plans to make a film about him, their main question was who would play the role of Baba.

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 ANS', directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, has demonstrated significant success at the box office. The film, which did not initially attract much attention, has now surpassed the mark of 80 crore rupees.

Despite its commercial success, director Vishal Chaturvedi told India TV in an interview that he was initially refused screening on one of the OTT platforms. He described this refusal as 'insulting.'

He shared details, stating: 'I went to an OTT platform to tell my story, and they told me I had an 'Indian story that is known internationally.' I told the story of the Maharaja in such a way that I cried.'

Chaturvedi continued, noting that the manner of refusal and the language used seemed humiliating to him. He expressed the opinion that the platform perceived a 'gap in the narrative' that needed to be addressed. He added: 'We are filmmakers; we have been rejected a thousand times. If you don't understand the story, you could say it's good, but do it later.'

The film 'Hanuman ANS' was released in theaters on August 7th and initially had a slow start, earning only 10 lakh rupees on the first day and about 1.80 crore rupees in the first week. In the second week, the collection was only 40 lakh rupees.

However, thanks to word-of-mouth, audience interest in the film sharply increased in the third week. As a result, the total collection in India reached 96.03 crore rupees, with a net collection in India of 81.41 crore rupees.

'Hanuman ANS' is a spiritual drama based on the life of the saint Nima Karoli Baba (Maharaja). Shobhinav Satya played the role of Nima Karoli Baba.