Shobhinaw Satya wasn't the first choice for Hanuman Ansh. Here's what changed

Shobhinaw Satya, who played Neeb Karoli Baba in Hanuman Ansh, said he was not the first choice for the role, but believes he was chosen for it by the spiritual guru himself. Speaking on Day 2 of India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026, the 31-year-old recalled how he landed the part and how his life changed after leading the Rs 400 crore hit.Satya said his journey on the film did not begin as an actor. He had joined the project as an assistant director, and said a series of events during the shoot eventually pushed him in front of the camera.Speaking in Hindi, Satya said, "I joined this film as an assistant director. Just a few days before I came on board, my uncle had passed away. I had a shaved head with a shikha (tuft of hair) and a moustache but no beard, so my natural look at the time was exactly the look required for the movie."He said that when he went to the office, the director noticed him and said, "Hey, he looks just like a Baba." Satya added that Shubham, the film's first assistant director, also echoed the sentiment. Satya said he continued working as an assistant director, and after two days of shooting in Mumbai, the unit moved to Chitrakoot. Satya said the team ran into several challenges there. "Sir used to recite the Hanuman Chalisa, and things would work out," he said. On the first day of the shoot in Chitrakoot, the actor originally cast for the role fell ill and could not perform. Satya said the director then decided to remove him from the project. He added that the lead actor also suggested trying someone else. After this incident, the director pointed at him and said, "Everyone in the office calls him 'Baba', so let's give him a try."Satya said he would probably not have done it if it had been any other film, because a director usually keeps a certain detachment from the project and he was like that too. But he said the film should not come to a halt because it was about "Baba". Recalling the moment, he said the director auditioned him, he performed well, and that's how he got the role.Life after the filmSatya also spoke about the changes that followed the film's success. He said, "Whatever changes have come into my life are, in a way, a blessing from Hanuman Ji. They aren't bad; it's all good. I have to go out wearing a mask and a cap, and I actually enjoy it."He said there had been significant changes in his life, but added that he had always been a simple person and had never really wanted glitz and glamour because "the soul of a director" lived within him. He added that it felt good that, through the film, the name of Baba Ji and Hanuman Ji was reaching every household.Satya said people often become emotional and teary-eyed when they meet him. He said he now sees those reactions as people expressing emotions from their own hearts through him.- Ends