A film rooted in devotion just got a direct push from the state. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced on Wednesday, 30 September 2026 that the Council of Ministers has approved a tax exemption for Hanuman Ansh, a film based on the life of revered saint Baba Neem Karoli, making it tax-free across the state.

Posting on X, CM Sai described the film as 'a beautiful expression of his (Baba Neem Karoli's) spiritual practices, devotion to Hanuman, and spirit of service to humanity.' The decision, he said, is aimed at carrying the saint's values to the next generation — 'so that children and youth are inspired to walk the path of love, service and devotion.'

Who is Baba Neem Karoli — and why a film now?

Neem Karoli Baba was a widely venerated Indian saint whose philosophy centred on Hanuman worship and selfless human service. His following stretches across generations and geographies, making him one of the most recognisable figures in India's living sant tradition. Hanuman Ansh draws on his life to present those teachings in a cinematic form accessible to younger audiences.

Chhattisgarh's tax-free move — a fiscal tool for cultural reach

Indian states have a well-established practice of granting tax exemptions to films that carry spiritual, cultural or moral messages — a fiscal lever designed to lower ticket prices and widen viewership. By removing the entertainment tax burden, the state effectively subsidises access, making it easier for families to watch the film without the barrier of cost.

The Chhattisgarh Cabinet's approval fits squarely into this pattern, using government policy to amplify what the CM called the 'meaningfulness of this effort' — ensuring the values embedded in the sant tradition do not remain confined to devotional circles but reach classrooms and cinema halls alike.

Children and youth at the centre of this outreach

CM Sai was explicit about the intended audience: the young. His post framed the exemption not merely as a cultural gesture but as a deliberate investment in moral education — using the idiom of popular cinema to transmit values of love, service, and devotion that formal schooling rarely emphasises. Whether the film translates that intent into packed theatres will be the real measure of the policy's success.

With the tax-free tag now in place, all eyes will be on attendance figures when screenings roll out across Chhattisgarh — and on whether other states with large followings of Baba Neem Karoli announce similar exemptions.