Who is Anupriya Nagar? 21-year-old economics student behind Hanuman Ansh's run

At 21, University of Bath economics student Anupriya Nagar has made an unusual leap into filmmaking. Her debut production, Hanuman Ansh, inspired by Neem Karoli Baba, opened to Rs 10 lakh but has since crossed Rs 72 crore in India, according to Sacnilk figures.At 21, University of Bath economics student Anupriya Nagar has made an unusual leap into filmmaking. Her debut production, Hanuman Ansh, inspired by Neem Karoli Baba, has crossed Rs 72 crore in India. (Photo (l): Instagram/@anupriyanagar2709)Anupriya Nagar was studying economics in the UK when a university assignment took her somewhere she probably did not expect: the world of Indian cinema.Today, the 21-year-old University of Bath student is the producer of Hanuman Ansh, a film inspired by the life of Neem Karoli Baba. And the film's box-office journey has been anything but ordinary.It opened on August 7 with just Rs 10 lakh in India. By Day 27, its net collection had reached Rs 61.38 crore, while its gross collection stood at Rs 72.32 crore, according to Sacnilk figures reported on September 2.The film was reportedly made for around Rs 2 crore, although some reports have put the cost closer to Rs 1.8 crore. That comparison makes the numbers striking, but box-office gross cannot be treated as the producer's profit because theatrical revenue is divided among producers, distributors and exhibitors. THE UNIVERSITY PROJECT THAT LED TO A FILMNagar's route into filmmaking started with an economics assignment.While working on a university module related to investment and banking, she researched Steve Jobs as a businessman and thinker. That research took her to Jobs' well-known connection with Neem Karoli Baba and his visit to India. Instead of stopping with the Jobs connection, Nagar began looking deeper into Baba's life and influence.Her team spent around a year researching the subject, visiting places associated with Neem Karoli Baba and speaking to people who had known or spent time with him. Chitrakoot and Vrindavan were among the locations explored during the research.Nagar has said she wanted to take the story to a younger and international audience.That is an unusual starting point for a film producer. There was no film school degree or conventional Bollywood route involved. An academic project became the starting point for a feature film.A FILM THAT FOUND ITS AUDIENCE LATEHanuman Ansh did not look like a box-office success when it opened.The film earned around Rs 1.08 crore in its first week and only Rs 40 lakh in its second. Then came the turnaround.Its third-week collection jumped to about Rs 10.40 crore. The film crossed Rs 2 crore in a single day on Day 17, according to Sacnilk.Its fourth week was even stronger. Hanuman Ansh collected Rs 6.25 crore on Day 22, Rs 9.25 crore on Day 23 and Rs 12.75 crore on Day 24.It then added Rs 5.50 crore on Day 25, Rs 8.50 crore on Day 26 and Rs 7.25 crore net on Day 27.That took its India net collection to Rs 61.38 crore and gross to Rs 72.32 crore.WHO IS ANUPRIYA NAGAR?Nagar, who studied economics at the University of Bath, describes herself as an economist, artist and film producer on social media.Her interest in art began early. She started exhibiting her artwork at 12 and later became involved in student art, dance and business societies at university.Her film was made under Swambhu Media Network, with publicly available credits listing Nagar, Ragini S, Namrata G Singh and director Vishal Chaturvedi as producers.For someone still in her early 20s, the numbers attached to her first feature are striking. But perhaps the more unusual part of the story is where it began -- not on a film set or a production house.But with an economics student researching Steve Jobs for a university module.- EndsPublished On: Sep 5, 2026 17:52 IST