Hanuman Ansh 2 producer Anupriya Nagar rules out budget hike, says authenticity matters more than VFX

Producer insists sequel will keep modest scale

After the box-office success of Hanuman Ansh, producer Anupriya Nagar has said the makers do not intend to increase the budget for the sequel merely because the first film became a hit. The next chapter will be mounted on a similar scale unless the story itself demands a larger canvas.

In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, Anupriya explained that spending more money does not automatically result in a better film and could compromise the essence of the story.

"My thinking is very clear: I believe the second film should be made on a budget similar to the first. Simply investing Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore would not necessarily make the film better. It could even lead to unnecessary use of VFX or AI, which the story may not require, and that could affect its authenticity."

Authenticity over production cost

The producer emphasised that recreating the right atmosphere and staying true to the period depicted is more important than increasing production costs.

"In the period we are depicting, the characters are not the only important element. The landscape, visual texture, atmosphere and the world of that time are equally important. That is why authenticity is our priority."

Anupriya said the team is conscious about how it utilises resources after the overwhelming response to the first film.

"The audience has given us so much love and support, so we cannot spend money wastefully. Of course, if the next story genuinely requires a larger budget, we will increase it," she said.

Clarifying the first film's budget

Addressing speculation around costs, Anupriya clarified that Hanuman Ansh was made on a very modest cost, lower than some reports had suggested.

"The film was made for slightly more than Rs 1.5 crore, but it was not Rs 2 crore. The budget remained below Rs 2 crore. There are three producers, and each of us contributed one-third of the investment," she said.

Hanuman Ansh, which released on 7 August, emerged as one of the surprise successes of the year, earning praise for its storytelling and strong box office performance despite being made on a limited budget.

No timeline for sequel yet

When asked about release plans for the sequel, Anupriya said it was too early to share a timeline as discussions on the project are yet to begin in detail.

"It would be too early to give a definite timeline. Our director has signed another film, so naturally, it will take some time. Our team has not yet had a detailed discussion about the project either. Until that happens, it would not be right to announce a date," Anupriya said.