From Rambola to Sacred Life: Why India Must Innovate, Not Imitate

From the box-office success of Hanuman Ansh to the economic power of Diwali and the potential of prisoner-led enterprises, India’s Sanatan heritage offers extraordinary opportunities for original ideas, meaningful employment and global cultural influence.

By Swami Vishalanand

India is a civilisation of extraordinary intellectual and cultural wealth. Our saints, scriptures, festivals, philosophies and traditions have inspired generations and continue to influence millions across the world. Yet, when an idea demonstrates commercial potential, we often witness a curious tendency. Instead of exploring new possibilities, many rush towards an opportunity that somebody else has already identified.

A recent development in the Indian film industry brought this question into focus for me.

My friend Aditya Om, an actor and filmmaker from the Telugu film industry, first shared his plans for a film on Goswami Tulsidas Ji, titled Rambola, when we met at a literature festival in January and again in April. He told me that the idea had been taking shape in his mind since the Covid period in 2020. Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi Ji was also present at the literary gathering.

Subsequently, public discussion turned toward multiple cinematic concepts based on the life of Goswami Tulsidas Ji. Crucially, there are three concepts by the name of Rambola rather than two: the first conceived by Aditya Om, the second by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, and the third and final project by Vishal Chaturvedi. One has been announced by Mahaveer Jain Films, written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the filmmaker behind Hanuman Ansh. Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi Ji has also announced a film under the same title.

The coincidence raises questions about how ideas originate, how projects develop and how the film industry recognises original creative work. My recollection of Aditya Om’s earlier discussions is my own, and I believe it deserves to be acknowledged. At the same time, the similarity of titles and subjects alone does not establish that one filmmaker copied another. That would require evidence.

My concern is not to pass judgement on any individual. It is to examine a larger challenge facing India’s creative economy.

Why do we so often compete to occupy the same space when our civilisation offers so many stories waiting to be told?

Hanuman Ansh: When an Indian story finds its audience

The extraordinary box-office journey of Hanuman Ansh, based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba, offers an important starting point for this discussion.

Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the film was reportedly made on a production budget of under ₹2 crore. According to Hindustan Times on 22 October 2026, it has crossed ₹450 crore in worldwide box-office collections since its release on 7 August. These figures are reported trade estimates, rather than audited financial results, but the scale of the reported performance is remarkable.

The film’s success has drawn attention to stories about India’s saints and spiritual personalities. Filmmakers are now developing projects on Goswami Tulsidas Ji, Sant Ravidas, Swami Haridas and Sai Baba, among others. Projects involving Sant Tukaram, Guru Nanak and Sant Kabir have also featured in recent industry discussions.

This is encouraging news. For years, filmmakers and producers have debated whether spiritual and culturally rooted stories can attract audiences on a large commercial scale. The response to Hanuman Ansh suggests that there is substantial audience interest when a story is presented effectively.

But the real lesson is not that every filmmaker should now make a film about a saint. It is that a successful film can open doors for an entire genre, giving producers the confidence to support stories that might previously have struggled to secure backing.

Aditya Om made an insightful observation in our subsequent conversation. In his view, the deeper problems facing the film industry include a lack of ambition, insufficient corporate backing for authentic Indian stories, and a tendency among filmmakers to follow trends rather than commit deeply to culture and society. He also cautioned that this approach can produce half-baked work and deepen divisions in public discourse.

His observation deserves consideration. It is possible to celebrate the growing interest in India’s spiritual heritage while questioning whether the industry is investing enough in research, originality and sustained creative commit ment.

The success of Hanuman Ansh should encourage filmmakers to explore more stories, not merely reproduce a successful formula.

Rambola: One saint, countless stories

Goswami Tulsidas Ji’s contribution to Indian civilisation is far too vast to be reduced to a single cinematic treatment.

The Ramcharitmanas, composed in Awadhi, brought the story and ideals of Shri Ram to generations of people through an accessible and deeply moving literary tradition. The Hanuman Chalisa remains among India’s most widely recited devotional compositions.

His life offers numerous possibilities for cinema and other creative formats. One filmmaker could explore his spiritual transformation. Another could examine the social and literary environment in which the Ramcharitmanas emerged. A third might focus on his literary genius, his devotion to Shri Ram, or the influence of his compositions on India’s devotional music, theatre and storytelling traditions.

There is scope for historical dramas, documentaries, animation, stage productions, musical adaptations, educational series and international collaborations.

The same applies to countless other personalities in India’s spiritual and cultural history.

Multiple films on the same saint are not necessarily a problem. Different interpretations can enrich public understanding. Indeed, two filmmakers can independently arrive at the same subject and create entirely different works.

The question is whether our creative ecosystem rewards originality and serious research, or whether commercial success encourages everyone to chase the same visible opportunity.

A great subject is not a substitute for a great screenplay. A revered personality does not automatically guarantee a compelling film. The research, character development, storytelling, production quality and emotional connection must all come together.

Our civilisational inheritance offers the material. It is the filmmaker’s responsibility to bring it alive.

A question of ambition and investment

Why do so many Indian stories struggle to attract substantial backing until someone else demonstrates that an audience exists?

Part of the answer may lie in the way commercial risk is assessed. Investors and studios understandably want to reduce uncertainty. Familiar genres, established stars and proven formulas can appear safer than unfamiliar subjects.

But when every investor waits for somebody else to prove an idea, original projects remain underfunded. When every filmmaker waits for a successful precedent, the industry becomes more inclined to follow than to lead.

We need greater ambition, but ambition must be supported by investment, research and professional execution.

The corporate sector can play an important role here. Backing a culturally rooted film should not be treated merely as philanthropy or a gesture of cultural pride. A well-developed project can offer a genuine commercial opportunity, provided its script, production, marketing and audience strategy are strong.

This does not mean that every Indian story needs a large budget. The reported journey of Hanuman Ansh suggests the opposite: a relatively modest production can attract an enormous audience. What matters is the quality of the idea and the discipline with which it is executed.

The industry needs more people willing to back original stories before their success becomes obvious.

Sanatan is also a living economic ecosystem

Our cultural inheritance is not confined to books, temples or cinema screens. It sustains a vast network of economic activity.

Millions travel to Ayodhya to seek the blessings of Shri Ram Lalla, to Kedarnath for Bhagwan Shiva, to Tirupati Balaji, or to the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai. Their journeys support transport operators, hotels, restaurants, flower sellers, artisans, guides, local shops and countless small enterprises.

Ayodhya’s reported visitor count reached approximately 164.4 million in 2024, according to government tourism data. This is a district-level visitor count, not a count of unique individuals or temple entries. Nevertheless, it illustrates the scale of activity associated with a major pilgrimage destination.

Kashi, Kedarnath, Tirupati and Madurai each sustain their own cultural and economic ecosystems. Pilgrimage creates demand for accommodation, food, transport, religious offerings, handicrafts, cultural experiences and local employment.

These activities should not be regarded merely as incidental benefits of faith. They form part of India’s broader cultural and tourism economy.

The opportunity is to develop this ecosystem thoughtfully, ensuring better facilities, transparent services, sustainable infrastructure and greater participation by local communities.

The benefits should reach the people who preserve traditions, maintain pilgrimage routes, create religious offerings, produce handicrafts and welcome visitors.

Our cultural economy should strengthen the communities that keep our traditions alive.

Diwali: When faith meets the marketplace

As Diwali approaches, the economic dimension of India’s traditions becomes especially visible.

The festival supports an extraordinary range of enterprises. Families purchase diyas, decorative lights, flowers, sweets, clothing, gifts, jewellery, household products and puja materials. Transport, warehousing, packaging, hospitality, delivery services and event management all experience increased demand.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has projected that India’s festive-season trade from Navratri to Diwali in 2026 will exceed ₹7 lakh crore, representing estimated growth of 15–18% over the previous year. This is an industry projection based on feedback from traders and markets, not an audited national economic statistic.

The scale of the festive marketplace demonstrates how cultural traditions can sustain livelihoods across the country. A single purchase may support a chain of economic activity, from raw materials and manufacturing to packaging, transportation and retail.

Yet the larger opportunity lies beyond the volume of sales.

What if more of this demand encouraged original Indian products, traditional artisans, local manufacturers, environmentally responsible alternatives and enterprises that create meaningful employment?

This is where Vocal for Local can acquire a deeper meaning. Buying Indian should not simply mean choosing a product because it is made in India. It should also mean encouraging Indian entrepreneurs to improve quality, invest in research, build trusted brands and compete internationally.

Our festivals already generate enormous demand. The question is how much original Indian enterprise we can build around that demand.

Sacred Life: An idea born from prison reform

My own experience has reinforced this belief.

Through my work with Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan’s Antarkranti initiative, I have spent years working towards prison reform, rehabilitation and meaningful opportunities for people in custody.

One of the greatest challenges in prison reform is to move beyond the idea that rehabilitation consists only of discipline and confinement. People also need productive engagement, vocational skills, self-confidence and a realistic opportunity to earn a livelihood when they return to society.

This thinking inspired an initiative to develop festive products, including herbal gulal for Holi.

The intention was to create a product using herbal ingredients, essential oils and edible-grade colours, with environmentally conscious packaging, while creating productive work opportunities for prisoners.

It was not simply an attempt to introduce another festive product into the marketplace. It was an effort to connect a traditional celebration with livelihood creation, product innovation and a more thoughtful consumer choice.

This initiative became part of the journey behind Sacred Life, a product identity built around traditional Indian inspiration and contemporary consumer needs.

The larger idea is simple: social entrepreneurship need not remain dependent on donations alone. A thoughtfully developed commercial product can generate revenue, develop skills, support livelihoods and give people the dignity of productive work.

The Sacred Life project seeks to connect these objectives with opportunities for prisoner employment. The principle is that people in custody should have opportunities to learn, contribute and develop skills that may support their reintegration into society.

Such initiatives require transparent operations, fair compensation, quality control and a clear understanding of market demand. Social purpose does not remove the need for commercial discipline; it makes that discipline even more important.

This experience also taught me something about innovation. It does not always mean inventing something that has never existed before. Sometimes it means looking at a familiar product and asking how it can be made more thoughtfully through better ingredients, design, packaging, quality and purpose.

The same principle can apply to incense, natural fragrances, traditional wellness products, festive decorations and countless other products inspired by India’s heritage.

The challenge of imitation

Entrepreneurs who invest in new concepts often face a difficult reality. The work required to research ingredients, test formulations, refine packaging, educate consumers and establish a brand can be substantial. Once a product category attracts attention, similar offerings may emerge.

This is a familiar feature of competitive markets worldwide. Similarity alone does not prove copying, and competition can benefit consumers by improving quality and choice.

Nevertheless, we must create an environment in which genuine originality is recognised and rewarded.

That requires stronger brand development, appropriate intellectual property protection, product research, reliable supply chains and continuous improvement.

It also requires a change in mindset. Instead of asking only which product is already selling, entrepreneurs should ask what genuine consumer need remains unmet and what new value they can create.

India’s traditional knowledge offers immense possibilities, but these opportunities need to be translated into contemporary products through research, thoughtful design, quality assurance and responsible business practices.

The objective should not be to prevent competition. It should be to encourage more people to create something worth competing with.

Beyond cinema and commerce

The same principle applies to India’s wider cultural landscape.

A film about a saint can inspire educational content, music, books, theatre, exhibitions and responsible cultural tourism. A pilgrimage destination can support locally produced handicrafts, regional food enterprises and cultural experiences. A festival can become a platform for artisans, designers, small manufacturers and women-led businesses.

Consider Diwali alone. Designers can develop contemporary lighting inspired by traditional lamps. Artisans can create new interpretations of regional crafts. Entrepreneurs can improve the packaging of traditional sweets and gifts. Social enterprises can develop festive products that create employment for disadvantaged communities.

This does not mean turning every aspect of faith into a commercial transaction. Spirituality has a value far beyond money, and cultural traditions must be treated with respect.

The objective is to ensure that economic activity strengthens the communities and skills that sustain these traditions.

A responsible cultural economy can preserve traditional knowledge, support artisans, encourage new forms of storytelling and provide livelihoods to people who might otherwise remain excluded from economic opportunity.

It can also strengthen India’s international cultural presence. Products and creative works inspired by Indian traditions can find audiences abroad when they combine authenticity with quality, thoughtful design and an understanding of contemporary consumers.

India does not lack innovation

It would be unfair to suggest that India lacks innovation. Our achievements in space exploration, digital payments, medicine, technology and manufacturing demonstrate otherwise.

The challenge is to bring the same spirit of experimentation to our cultural and traditional strengths.

Too often, familiar formulas appear safer than original ideas. Investors may hesitate to support unfamiliar concepts. Businesses may choose imitation over research. Creative professionals may find it easier to follow an established trend than to develop something new.

We need an ecosystem that encourages originality at every stage.

Universities and design institutes can work with traditional producers to develop contemporary products. Film institutions can encourage research-driven storytelling. Financial institutions can support small enterprises investing in product development. Industry associations can help entrepreneurs understand intellectual property protection. Government programmes can connect local artisans and manufacturers with larger markets.

Above all, we must build respect for the people who create something new.

The first person to develop an idea often carries the greatest uncertainty. They must test whether a market exists, persuade consumers to try something unfamiliar and invest time and resources before success becomes visible.

If we celebrate only the businesses that scale, while ignoring those who undertake the initial experimentation, we discourage the very behaviour that creates new markets.

From Rambola to Sacred Life

The stories of Goswami Tulsidas Ji, the success of Hanuman Ansh, the economic energy of Diwali and my experience with Sacred Life may appear to belong to different worlds. In fact, they are connected by one central question.

How do we transform the extraordinary resources of our civilisation into new ideas that serve society?

A filmmaker can honour a saint by bringing a fresh, well-researched story to the screen. An entrepreneur can reinterpret a traditional product through thoughtful design and better quality. A social enterprise can turn a commercial opportunity into meaningful employment for people who need a second chance.

Each is a different expression of creativity and responsibility.

The Rambola discussion should encourage us to examine how ideas are developed, how creative work is recognised and how originality can become commercially sustainable. It should not become an exercise in personal accusations.

Likewise, Sacred Life is an example of how a commercial initiative can carry a social purpose when product development is connected with prisoner livelihood opportunities.

As Diwali approaches, perhaps we should extend the familiar idea of illuminating our homes to the way we think about India’s future.

Let us illuminate our marketplaces with original Indian products, our cinemas with fresh stories, our institutions with a culture of research, and our economy with enterprises that create genuine value.

Sanatan traditions have endured through centuries because they have been preserved, practised, interpreted and transmitted by successive generations. Their future will also depend on our ability to engage with them creatively and responsibly.

India has the stories. It has the talent. It has the traditions, the consumers and the entrepreneurial energy.

What we must strengthen is our willingness to take the road less travelled: to develop the original idea, do the difficult work and create something that did not exist before.

The real measure of our cultural strength will not be how many people follow a successful idea, but how many new ideas that success inspires.