A weird moment unfolded recently inside a cinema hall while watching the newly released movie Hanuman Ansh. A woman watching the movie appeared to become overwhelmed as the Hanuman Chalisa began playing on screen. A video of the incident is going viral on social media. It shows the woman screaming, crying and behaving extremely out of control while other moviegoers try to comfort her. The scene has prompted a conversation about how deeply devotional cinema can affect an audience.The videoThe video was shared on X on September 3 by an account identified as SKY Cinema Prime. It was described as an emotional moment during the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa. The footage shows people around the woman attempting to calm her. Some people switch on their phone flashlights to see what just happened.What makes the incident weird is that it happened during a devotional passage. For the woman in the video, the Hanuman Chalisa appears to have triggered an emotional reaction. Whether that response was rooted in personal faith or spiritual belief, it is just overwhelming to watch.When a movie hall feels like a temple
Hanuman Ansh is currently running in theatres (Credit: Instagram)
Hanuman Ansh is not your conventional cinema. It has taken the country by storm with some people claiming it is the grace of Hanuman. The film is based on the life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, the spiritual figure widely associated with devotion to Lord Hanuman.The movie is written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi and features Shobhinaw Satyaa playing the lead, Neem Karoli Baba. The cinema was released in India on August 7, 2026. The movie’s central appeal lies in spirituality rather than spectacle. Its promotional material describes the story as being rooted in India’s Sant Parampara.That devotional atmosphere seems to have played an important role in the way audiences are experiencing the film. For some viewers, the theatre is simply a place to watch a movie. For others, a film centred on a revered spiritual figure, accompanied by devotional music and chants, can become a far more personal experience.A film that was not expected to become a trend
Two lines from the Hanuman Chalisa quietly tell a much bigger story
The woman’s reaction comes at a time when the movie itself has become an unlikely box-office story. The film reportedly began its theatrical journey quietly. It’s made on a modest reported budget of about ₹2 crore and initially faced competition from much larger releases. Yet word of mouth gradually changed its fortunes, with audiences continuing to turn up for the spiritual drama.During the fourth week, the film has increased the number of shows.Its success has attracted attention precisely because it did not follow the usual formula of a star-driven blockbuster. The film arrived without the kind of enormous promotional campaign normally associated with major Hindi releases. Instead, conversations among viewers, social-media posts and word of mouth appear to have helped it build momentum.Why the Hanuman Chalisa recitation is so powerful
Woman screaming (X)
The Hanuman Chalisa occupies a deeply familiar place in Hindu devotional practice. Written by the poet-saint Tulsidas, the 40-verse hymn dedicated to Lord Hanuman is recited by devotees across generations. For many, listening to the Chalisa is associated with prayer and moments of personal difficulty.That does not necessarily mean that the woman’s reaction has a supernatural explanation.The viral footage cannot establish why she screamed or cried, and viewers should be cautious about assigning a spiritual or medical explanation to someone’s emotional response based solely on a short video.And now, a few seconds of footage from a cinema hall have added another layer to the cinema.Woman suddenly starts screaming and crying inside theatre as Hanuman Chalisa plays during ‘Hanuman Ansh’; Watch