Sanjay Dutt praises 21-year-old as film nets Rs 334.52 cr

Two months after Hanuman Ansh opened, Sanjay Dutt has stepped in with a public endorsement for its 21-year-old producer, Anupriya Nagar. Sharing a photograph with her, Dutt praised the young producer by name and described what she has pulled off at her age as “truly remarkable.”

A blessing that arrived after the buzz

Most promotional campaigns end well before a film crosses two months in cinemas. Dutt’s post, however, landed on the other side of that window. He framed the achievement as more than a box-office story, writing about passion, the way the team was brought together, and the rarity of what Nagar has done so young.

His most quotable line doubles as a promise: “I will always stand by you in all your projects. Your story has only just begun.”

Nagar replied in the comments, saying the words meant a lot coming from someone with such a cinematic legacy and thanking Dutt for his blessings and belief.

Who is Anupriya Nagar?

Nagar joined Hanuman Ansh after the shoot was complete, when the makers needed funds for post-production. She has been clear that she did not finance the whole film: she contributed one-third of the total investment, even as the youngest producer attached to it.

She has also described the project as an emotional one. By her account, three women from three generations are connected to the film, and she is the youngest among them. She credited Maharaj Ji with the suggestion to commit her savings and bhakti to the film.

The box-office picture

The devotional drama is still on screens after 67 days. On day 67, it played in 216 shows and collected a net of Rs 0.04 crore. The Hindi version added Rs 0.02 crore from 187 shows, while the Telugu version added Rs 0.02 crore from 29 shows on its fourth day.

Overall, the film has reached a total India net of Rs 334.52 crore, with a total India gross of Rs 394.97 crore, according to the trade figures cited in the report. These are small daily collections now, but the fact that the film is still running is itself the story.

Why this matters

• A major star is publicly vouching for a first-time, 21-year-old producer, and that can open doors for her next project.
• The film’s long theatrical run shows devotional dramas can hold screens well beyond the opening weekend.
• Nagar’s late entry as a one-third investor reframes the producer role: she solved a post-production funding gap and stayed visible.

For fans, this is less about one social media post and more about the kind of break that remains rare for a young woman in the business. A veteran actor’s public backing can be the validation that helps a new name move from one film to the next.

Directed by Dr Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh is a biographical devotional drama based on his book Divine Detour: That Changed My Life. It follows the life of Neem Karoli Baba and stars Shobhinaw Satyaa and Chandan Anand in the lead roles.

Source: The Times of India