India, April 2 -- Filmmaker Rajesh Mapuskar may not have grown up as a devoted follower of Hanuman, but he now finds himself turning to the deity every day. On Hanuman Jayanti today, he reflects on how his spiritual connection has evolved over time. "Earlier, my connection to Hanuman ji was limited to Saturdays, watching my parents visit the temple and offer sindoor, black sesame and oil. But as I'm trying to understand what he was like, I'm admiring how he's been portrayed in Valmiki's Ramayana and other works about him," he says. It is this growing connection that has also shaped his work on the upcoming AI-generated film Chiranjeevi Hanuman: The Eternal. The 57-year-old, who won the National Film Award for Best Director for Ventilator (2016), adds that he has also begun to experience the impact of the Hanuman Chalisa, in his daily life. "I've been reciting it every day since I started the project. It balances your state of mind and lifts you out of low moments," he says. Calling Hanuman "the world's first superhero", the filmmaker underlines the relevance of faith in today's times. "He lies within all of us. When we go into self-doubt and wonder what our calling is, he guides us on how we can rise from that dark corner of our minds. He helps us keep going and giving our best," he shares, adding, "It's about having the spirit to soar in life, just like Hanuman ji did."...