Hanuman Ansh Review: How Devotion Overpowered Poor Filmmaking

Rating: 2/5

Some movies leave you impressed. Some leave you entertained. And then there are movies like Hanuman Ansh—where you spend a significant part of the runtime wondering how a story with such an emotionally powerful subject could be presented so poorly.

Let me be clear: my criticism is of the film, not the faith of its audience or the legacy of Neem Karoli Baba.

As a cinematic experience, Hanuman Ansh is deeply disappointing. The screenplay feels underdeveloped, the pacing is painfully slow, the storytelling lacks dramatic grip, and the technical execution rarely rises above the ordinary.

Yet the film has struck a chord with a section of the audience.

That is the most interesting—and perhaps the most frustrating—thing about Hanuman Ansh. Its devotional sentiment is doing the heavy lifting that the filmmaking should have done.

The faith may be powerful. The film, unfortunately, is not.

Hanuman Ansh: Quick Movie Review

The film stars Shobhinaw Satyaa alongside Vihaan Shedge, Chandan Anand and Purnima Tiwari. It follows a spiritual journey inspired by the life of Neem Karoli Baba. [Source: film listing and cast details]

What Is Hanuman Ansh About?

Hanuman Ansh is inspired by the life and spiritual journey of Neem Karoli Baba, also known to devotees as Maharaj Ji.

The story follows a young boy's search for God after a personal loss, eventually leading towards a life shaped by devotion, compassion and service. The film connects this journey with faith in Lord Hanuman.

On paper, there is plenty of emotional material here.

Grief, spirituality, self-discovery and the transformation of an individual into a revered spiritual figure could make for a compelling biographical drama.

The problem is not the subject.

The problem is what the film does with it.

A powerful real-life inspiration cannot automatically compensate for weak writing, repetitive scenes or a lack of cinematic momentum.

The Biggest Problem: The Screenplay Is Painfully Weak

A film needs more than a meaningful subject. It needs storytelling.

And this is where Hanuman Ansh struggles badly.

The narrative often feels like a sequence of incidents arranged around the central figure, rather than a carefully constructed story in which each scene builds towards the next.

There is little sense of dramatic progression. The film introduces moments that should carry emotional weight, but doesn't always develop them enough to make that weight felt.

Instead of allowing the audience to discover the character through layered writing, the film too often relies on the audience's existing reverence for its subject.

That is a shortcut.

A biopic should make the audience understand why a person's journey matters. It shouldn't assume that the emotional connection is already enough to carry every scene.

The story has potential. The screenplay fails to unlock it.

The Pacing Is a Test of Patience

At roughly two and a half hours, Hanuman Ansh feels considerably longer than it needs to be.

The film repeatedly slows down when it should be building momentum. Scenes linger, emotional beats are stretched, and the narrative sometimes seems reluctant to move forward.

Slow cinema can be beautiful when the stillness serves a purpose. Here, too often, it feels like the film is confusing duration with depth.

The result is a viewing experience that can become exhausting.

A tighter edit could have removed unnecessary repetition, sharpened the emotional moments and made the film far more engaging.

Instead, the audience is asked to sit through a story that frequently feels stuck in the same gear.

The film doesn't just take its time. It wastes it.

Repetitive Scenes and a Lack of Dramatic Build-Up

One of the most frustrating aspects of Hanuman Ansh is how often it returns to the same emotional territory without adding enough new meaning.

Devotion is established. The sentiment is clear. The audience understands the spiritual significance.

But the film continues to revisit similar beats, as though repeating them will automatically make them more powerful.

It doesn't.

A strong film knows when to let a moment breathe and when to move on. Hanuman Ansh often stays long after a scene has made its point.

The result is a narrative that feels repetitive rather than immersive.

And when the same emotional notes are played again and again, even sincere moments can begin to lose their impact.

The Film Relies Too Much on Sentiment

This is the central issue with Hanuman Ansh.

The film has an emotional advantage because it deals with a spiritual figure who already means a great deal to many people. That connection can make a scene moving even when the filmmaking itself is unremarkable.

But sentiment and storytelling are not interchangeable.

A devotee may find deep meaning in a particular scene because of their personal faith. A viewer without that connection may judge the same scene by its writing, performances, editing and dramatic construction.

That difference helps explain why the film can be emotionally effective for some people while remaining dramatically weak.

The film seems to expect its subject to do the work of the screenplay.

Faith can deepen a scene. It cannot replace one.

Acting: Shobhinaw Satyaa Is a Saving Grace

Shobhinaw Satyaa is one of the few elements that gives the film a reason to hold your attention.

His portrayal of Neem Karoli Baba is restrained, and he avoids turning the character into a conventional larger-than-life Bollywood hero.

There is a certain sincerity in his performance that suits the material.

His casting story is also unusual: he was working as an assistant director on the project before stepping into the lead role after the originally cast actor became unavailable. [Source: India Today]

That makes his performance an especially notable part of the film's journey.

However, even a sincere central performance can only do so much when the screenplay gives it limited dramatic support.

Satyaa deserves credit for the effort. The film around him doesn't consistently provide the material needed to make that effort shine.

Supporting Cast: Little Room to Make an Impact

The supporting cast does what the script allows, but very few characters feel sufficiently developed.

The film's focus remains firmly on its central spiritual journey, leaving supporting roles with limited scope to add complexity or create memorable dramatic turns.

This isn't necessarily a problem in every biopic. A focused story can work beautifully.

But when the central narrative itself feels repetitive, underdeveloped supporting characters make the overall experience feel even thinner.

The film needed more than functional performances. It needed characters who could give the story texture, tension and emotional contrast.

Direction: Sincerity Is Not Enough

Vishal Chaturvedi clearly wants to tell a sincere story about faith and spiritual transformation.

That intention is evident.

But direction is about more than intention. It is about shaping performances, controlling pace, creating visual meaning and knowing exactly how much of a scene the audience needs.

Hanuman Ansh is inconsistent in these areas.

Some moments are allowed to unfold simply, which suits the subject. Others feel overextended or dramatically undercooked.

The film's biggest directorial weakness is its inability to consistently turn spiritual material into compelling cinema.

A respectful portrayal does not automatically make a well-directed film.

Good intentions are visible. Strong execution is not.

Cinematography, Editing and Technical Quality

The film's technical limitations are noticeable.

The visuals are generally serviceable rather than striking, and the overall presentation lacks the polish that could have elevated the material.

The editing is a more serious issue. Given the film's slow pace and repeated emotional beats, a sharper edit was essential. Instead, the runtime often magnifies the screenplay's weaknesses.

The reported budget of around ₹2 crore is an important consideration. This was not a large-scale production, and it would be unfair to judge it as though it had the resources of a major studio spectacle.

But a limited budget does not explain every problem.

Strong editing, focused writing and disciplined direction don't necessarily require enormous spending.

The film's technical shortcomings are understandable in context. Its storytelling problems are harder to excuse.

Music and Emotion: The Film's Most Effective Tools

The devotional atmosphere is one of the film's more effective elements.

Music and spiritual themes help establish the emotional world the film wants to create. For viewers who already connect with the subject, these moments may be particularly meaningful.

But the emotional effect is inconsistent.

When the music and sentiment support a well-formed scene, they can add something. When they are used to compensate for thin storytelling, the effect feels forced.

The film needed to earn more of its emotional highs through character development and dramatic build-up.

Instead, it too often leans on the subject's spiritual significance.

Is Hanuman Ansh a Bad Movie?

In my view, as a piece of filmmaking, it is a very poor experience.

The weak screenplay, sluggish pacing, repetitive scenes and uneven execution make it difficult to recommend to viewers who expect a tightly written, technically accomplished film.

But that doesn't mean every aspect of it is worthless.

Shobhinaw Satyaa brings sincerity to the lead role, and the devotional themes clearly resonate with audiences who have a personal connection to Neem Karoli Baba.

The distinction matters.

A film can be disappointing as cinema while still holding emotional significance for its audience.

That is precisely the contradiction at the heart of Hanuman Ansh.

Why Has Hanuman Ansh Become Such a Big Box-Office Success?

The film's commercial performance is a story of its own.

It was reportedly made on a budget of around ₹2 crore. By its 46th day, a Times of India box-office report placed its worldwide gross above ₹350 crore. These are reported trade figures, not audited financial statements. [Source: Times of India, September 2026]

That scale of success is remarkable for a film that began with modest expectations.

Its performance appears to have been driven by a combination of devotional appeal, word of mouth and an audience that wanted to experience the story for itself.

But box-office success and cinematic quality are different measures.

A film's earnings tell us that people bought tickets. They do not automatically prove that its screenplay, direction or editing are excellent.

Hanuman Ansh may be a box-office phenomenon. That doesn't make it a filmmaking masterpiece.

The Biggest Mistake: Confusing Criticism of the Film With Criticism of Faith

It is possible to respect Neem Karoli Baba and still dislike Hanuman Ansh.

It is possible to believe in Lord Hanuman and still find the movie poorly made.

And it is possible to acknowledge that a film has moved millions of people without pretending that its technical flaws don't exist.

A review should judge the film on what it delivers as cinema: its writing, performances, direction, editing, visuals and emotional impact.

The audience is free to bring its own faith into that experience.

But a film should still be able to stand on its own storytelling.

That is where Hanuman Ansh falls short.

Who Should Watch Hanuman Ansh?

You may appreciate it if:

• You have a deep interest in Neem Karoli Baba.

• Devotional cinema is meaningful to you.

• You value spiritual themes more than conventional storytelling.

• You are comfortable with a slow, contemplative pace.

• You want to experience the film's devotional atmosphere for yourself.

You may want to skip it if:

• You expect a strong, tightly written screenplay.

• Slow pacing and repeated scenes frustrate you.

• You value editing and cinematic craft above subject matter.

• You want a compelling biopic with well-developed characters.

• You expect polished technical execution.

Final Verdict: 2/5

Hanuman Ansh has a powerful subject, but it fails to turn that subject into consistently compelling cinema.

The screenplay is weak. The pacing is frustrating. The storytelling feels repetitive. The technical execution is modest, and the film leans far too heavily on the audience's existing emotional connection to its subject.

Shobhinaw Satyaa brings sincerity to the lead role, and the devotional sentiment is clearly the film's strongest asset.

But that is not enough to make the overall experience satisfying.

My verdict: pathetic as a cinematic experience, but undeniably powerful for viewers who connect with its devotional sentiment.

The film's success deserves to be acknowledged. Its audience's faith deserves respect. Neither requires critics to overlook the movie's flaws.

Final Rating: 2/5

Watch for: Shobhinaw Satyaa's sincere performance and the devotional subject.

Skip if: You want strong writing, purposeful editing and a well-crafted cinematic experience.

One-line verdict: Hanuman Ansh has the sentiment of a powerful spiritual story, but the filmmaking of a movie that never quite figures out how to tell it.