There has been a sudden surge of films with religious themes intertwined in them. From biopics to films that feature gods, they’ve been making a sudden return. Hanuman Ansh has been the latest in the lot.
It isn’t as though religious movies or movies featuring gods weren’t made before, with works like Oh My Godgaining commercial acclaim. However, these were low-budget underdogs that have been rising amongst the common audience.
The Rise of Religious Films
Movies like Hanuman Ansh, Laalo — Krishna Sada Sahaayate,and Mahavatar Narsimhahave all been finding their footing in delay. While they did not gain as much popularity when they were first released, a sudden rise through strong word of mouth turned them into powerhouses.
Works like Krishnavataramand more also found their acclaim. It has been an interesting change of pace for an audience that often enjoys massy entertainers with a lot of action.
This space is having an insane boom once it connects🔥#MahavatarNarsimha
Opening – 1 Cr
Lifetime – 186 Cr#LaaloKrishnaSadaSahaayte
Opening – 40 Lakhs
Lifetime – 100 Cr#HanumanAnsh
Opening – 10 Lakhs
Lifetime – 100 Cr-200 Cr [Expected]— Movie Reviews Blog (@MovieReviewsBlg) September 4, 2026
All of these films earned barely ₹1 crore in their opening weeks, if not even less than that. However, they ended up earning over ₹100 crores at the box office. Although Vishal Chaturvedi’s film is yet to cross that mark, it has already crossed over ₹80 crores and is likely to reach the milestone as well. It is inspired by Neem Karoli Baba’s life and has gained a lot of popularity amongst religious bodies. It is inspired by Neem Karoli Baba’s life and gained a lot of popularity amongst religious bodies.
A Telugu remake of Laalois also reportedly in the works with Allu Arjun, Ram Charan, and Vijay Deverakonda all in the running to play Lord Krishna. From a more commercial perspective, Ramayanais also releasing on Diwali 2026. Seeing this rise in films of the genre, it could soon create a whole new trajectory of films. Karan Johar also announced that he is working on a film surrounding Radha and Krishna’s story.
That being said, not all films of the genre may essentially find the same kind of acclaim. This is why these rare occurrences get a lot more attention than if such films were regularly made. It is almost common to find godly elements in Indian films, defined by culture and mythology; it is more of an inspiration. These biopics and more could shift how religious stories are perceived in Bollywood.
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V BalakrishnanKaran Johar
