Shobinaw Satyaa and Purnima Tiwari in a still from Hanuman Ansh. (PC: Hanuman Ansh/YouTube)Vishal Chaturvedi’s Hanuman Ansh has gone from being a small film with a quiet opening to one of the biggest surprise box office stories of the year, having surpassed Yash’s Toxic at the box office. The devotional drama, inspired by the life of spiritual leader Neem Karoli Baba, has steadily grown at the ticket windows, due to the positive impact of word of mouth. And as more people are heading to theatres to watch the film, its cast has also become a talking point.While Shobinaw Satyaa plays Neem Karoli Baba, popularly known as Maharaj Ji, actress Purnima Tiwari essays the role of his wife, Rambeti Sharma. Interestingly, Shobinaw was not even supposed to be the face of the film when he first joined the project. From working behind the camera to becoming Neem Karoli BabaShobinaw Satyaa’s journey in Hanuman Ansh sounds like something straight out of a film script. He had reportedly joined the project as an assistant director and was working behind the camera when things took an unexpected turn. The actor originally cast to play Neem Karoli Baba fell ill, leaving director Vishal Chaturvedi looking for someone who could take over the role. That is when the director asked Shobinaw to audition. Reportedly, the audition lasted for nearly five hours, following which he decided to cast him in the lead. Just like that, Shobinaw went from being part of the crew to playing the central character in the film.Who is Shobinaw Satyaa? Hailing from Lucknow, Shobinaw Satyaa is an FTII, Pune alumnus who has spent years working in the entertainment industry. Before Hanuman Ansh brought him into the spotlight as an actor, Shobinaw had worked on several projects behind the scenes. His credits include the popular television show CID, along with projects such as Ragini MMS Returns, Happily Ever After and Mahapaur. While he had been a part of the industry for some time, Hanuman Ansh has given him his biggest break as an actor. Watch the trailer of Hanuman Ansh Also Read: Hanuman Ansh director says Bollywood didn’t help Neem Karoli Baba film; shows reduced to 25Shobinaw is not the only actor from Hanuman Ansh who has caught the attention of audiences. Actor Purnima Tiwari, who plays Neem Karoli Baba’s wife onscreen, has also become the talk of the town. Who is Purnima Tiwari?Story continues below this adPurnima Tiwari plays Rambeti Sharma, Neem Karoli Baba’s wife, in the film. Her character is part of the chapter that explores Maharaj Ji’s personal and family life before the narrative moves towards his spiritual journey.She has worked in television, films and streaming projects before Hanuman Ansh. Her previous work includes appearances in Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin, Choona, Raat Akeli Hai, Hurdang and Lakeerein.However, her appearance in Hanuman Ansh is quite different from the glamorous looks often seen on her social media, making her transformation into Rambeti another point of curiosity among viewers.Who was Neem Karoli Baba?Neem Karoli Baba was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a devotee of Lord Hanuman. Born Lakshman Narayan Sharma, he later came to be known as Neem Karoli Baba and, affectionately, Maharaj Ji among his followers.Story continues below this adHis teachings centred around devotion, love and service. Over the years, his influence extended beyond India, with several well-known personalities speaking about their association with his teachings and legacy. Hanuman Ansh’s box office journeyHanuman Ansh reportedly began its box office journey with collections of around Rs 10 lakh on its first day. But instead of disappearing after a slow start, the film gradually began finding an audience. Word of mouth worked in its favour, and the collections kept growing with every passing week. Made on a reported budget of around Rs 2 crore, Hanuman Ansh crossed the Rs 40 crore mark in India within 24 days before going past Rs 50 crore.The film’s success has made it one of the year’s biggest sleeper hits and brought fresh attention to its relatively lesser-known cast.For Shobinaw Satyaa, the journey has been particularly remarkable. He joined the film to work behind the scenes but ended up becoming the actor playing its most important character. And with Hanuman Ansh continuing to remain a talking point, audiences are now keen to know more about the faces behind Maharaj Ji and Rambeti’s story.