Hanuman Ansh has turned out to be one of the year’s unexpected box-office stories and the film’s success has already set the stage for more. The devotional drama, based on the life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, was planned as the first part of a larger story with the makers now working towards two more films.
But there is one question that has started getting fans curious: could some of Neem Karoli Baba’s most famous devotees actually appear in the upcoming films? Names such as Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli and Julia Roberts have naturally entered the conversation.
Will Anushka Sharma And Virat Kohli Appear In Hanuman Ansh 2?
Producer Namrata Singh recently addressed the possibility of celebrity appearances in the upcoming instalments. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, she was asked whether well-known devotees such as Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli and Julia Roberts could feature in the sequel.
While Singh did not confirm any casting, she revealed that the team has already approached some of the personalities. She said, “I have reached out to some of them, and (they) were aware of the film earlier.”
This means the possibility of seeing some of Neem Karoli Baba’s famous followers in the franchise is being explored, although there is currently no official confirmation that Anushka, Virat or Julia will actually appear in Hanuman Ansh 2.
Hanuman Ansh Was Always Planned As A Trilogy
The sequel discussions come from the larger plan the makers had for the film from the beginning. According to Bollywood Hungama, Namrata Singh revealed that Hanuman Ansh was always conceived as a three-part series.
The first film focuses on Neem Karoli Baba’s early years and follows his journey up to Kainchi Dham. The second installment will move the story forward and focus on Kainchi, while the third film is planned as the international chapter of the story.
Singh explained that the second film will primarily explore Baba’s connection with his Indian devotees and the impact he had on their lives.
She said, “There are thousands of devotees whose life he touched in India and they come first, without doubt. The Kainchi story is about the Indian devotees.”
Julia Roberts, Steve Jobs And Mark Zuckerberg Could Come Later
The international angle will reportedly be explored in the third film rather than immediately in the sequel.
According to Singh, the third installment will focus on Neem Karoli Baba’s influence beyond India and the spiritual connection he developed with several well-known personalities abroad.
“There are thousands of devotees whose life he touched in India and they come first, without doubt. The Kainchi story is about the Indian devotees. The third film will focus on how he put India on the global map by spiritual energy that he transferred to the foreigners, be it Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Julia Roberts, etc. However, we’ll touch on it later (in the third part),” she said.
What Is Hanuman Ansh About?
Directed, written and produced by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh follows the early life of Lakshmi Narayan in pre-Independence India. After losing his mother, he leaves home in search of God and travels through North India before eventually transforming into Neem Karoli Baba.
Shobhinaw Satyaa plays the titular role, with Chandan Anand, Anil Rastogi, Sugandha Malhotra, Bhagvandas Patel, Neha Paranjpe, Uday Sinh Rajput, Purnima Tiwari and Gautam Tripathi also featuring in the film.
The film was released in theatres on August 7 and was reportedly made on a budget of around Rs 2 crore. Despite the limited budget, Hanuman Ansh has gone on to become a major box-office success as its earnings have now crossed Rs 200 crore.
The film is also getting a worldwide release with Hombale Films handling its distribution internationally.
