From Less Than 300 Screens to ₹200 Crore+: Ragini Sona’s Leap of Faith in Hanuman Ansh

By Shabia Khatun

Mumbai, Sep 16 : What started as a film fighting to stay in theatres has now turned into a remarkable success story. Hanuman Ansh, directed and written by Vishal Chaturvedi, has crossed the ₹200 crore mark and expanded from fewer than 300 screens to more than 2,000 screens, powered by strong audience word of mouth. Behind this extraordinary journey is one of the first investors Ragini Sona, followed by Namrata Singh.

Ragini’s belief in the film began long before its box-office success and her connection with Hanuman Ansh goes back decades. At just six years old, she had the opportunity to receive the blessings of Neem Karoli Baba, popularly known as Maharaj-ji. The experience stayed with her and became the foundation of a quiet wish she carried for years to one day tell his story through Vishal’s remarkable vision.

When Hanuman Ansh came her way, Ragini recognised something deeply personal in the project and chose to back it at an early stage. “I was only six when I received Maharajji’s blessings, but that moment stayed with me. I always carried a feeling that one day I would be able to tell his story. When Vishal first narrated the story of Hanuman Ansh, it felt like Maharajji was bringing everything together. I believed in the story before we knew where this journey would take us. Today, seeing the film reach so many people is incredibly emotional, but for me, the biggest achievement is that Maharajji’s story has touched millions” says Ragini Sona.

The journey, however, was far from easy. After its theatrical release in its second week the film’s screen count dropped to fewer than 300, putting its theatrical run under serious pressure. At a crucial stage, Ragini, along with director and writer Vishal Chaturvedi, chose to stand by the film and personally stood guarantee with Cinépolis to help keep it in theatres.

That decision became a turning point. As audiences began discovering the film through word of mouth, the screen count grew dramatically. From fewer than 300 screens, Hanuman Ansh eventually reached more than 2,000 screens and crossed the ₹200 crore mark, transforming into a people-powered blockbuster.

For Director Vishal Chaturvedi, Ragini’s belief was an important part of the film’s journey from the very beginning.

“Ragini ji and I first connected through our common faith and bhakti towards Hanuman ji, through the Hanuman Chalisa Club during the Covid times. Over time, that connection grew into a bond like family. She was one of the first people to truly believe in Hanuman Ansh. She didn’t need a long discussion; she simply trusted the story and me. She immediately transferred the initial investment into my bank account after hearing just the first scene, even before any legal formalities were completed. That kind of faith is rare”. says Chaturvedi.

During the making of the film, Ragini’s personal journey came full circle once again when she met Maharaj-ji’s daughter. For someone who had received his blessings as a child and had carried the wish of telling his story for decades, the moment became deeply meaningful.

The success of Hanuman Ansh has now turned that childhood wish into reality. But beyond the numbers, the film’s journey represents something far more personal for Ragini Sona, the story of a belief held for decades, a filmmaker’s vision brought to life, and an audience that eventually embraced it.

From a blessing at six to a ₹200 crore+ blockbuster for Ragini Sona, Hanuman Ansh is truly a circle of life.