Filmmaker Sonali Devnani's 'The Divine Hustle' Blends The Spiritual & Pragmatic

Sonali Rajkumar Devnani’s lens captures the spiritual world of temple towns in her latest documentary, The Divine Hustle. Yet, what it truly reveals goes beyond shimmering lights and echoing mantras; it uncovers the deeper essence of religion and the diverse ways people perceive the act of worshipping the divine. Through the compelling stories of two children and a young father, the documentary sheds light on a unique aspect of survival in the sacred cities of Varanasi, Mathura, Pushkar, and Vrindavan. It will have its World Premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2025.

In an interview with SheThePeople, Sonali shares her vision for The Divine Hustle, a space where devotion and survival are inseparable, and where the spiritual and the pragmatic converge.

Sonali Rajkumar Devnani In Conversation With SheThePeople

STP: The film’s title, The Divine Hustle, is quite powerful. Can you explain the meaning behind this title and what it says about the film’s central themes?

Sonali: The title “The Divine Hustle” captures the tension between faith, survival, and resilience, which lies at the heart of the film. 

“Divine” points to spirituality and devotion. It reflects the sacred spaces and religious practices that shape the lives of the children and the community around them.

“Hustle” highlights struggle, effort, and survival. It conveys how the children and the young father perform as gods and how vendors rely on temple visitors, showing that livelihood and daily survival are deeply intertwined with faith.

Together, the title emphasises the film’s central themes: the coexistence of the sacred and the everyday, the resilience of marginalised children, and the complex ecosystem of people whose lives depend on religious spaces. It signals a story where devotion and survival are inseparable, and where the spiritual and pragmatic worlds collide.

STP: The film highlights the idea of a "spiritual economy." What does this term mean to you, and how does your documentary explore its mechanics?

Sonali: The term “spiritual economy” captures the way faith, devotion, and ritual intersect with real-world livelihoods. It’s not just about religion as belief; it’s about religion as a system that sustains people economically, socially, and culturally.

In a spiritual economy, sacred spaces and religious practices create opportunities, responsibilities, and dependencies that ripple through an entire community. Many cities in India only thrive because of religious tourism, one temple, and thousands of people find their livelihood.

In The Divine Hustle, the spiritual economy is explored through multiple layers. Children as performers – Dressing as gods, the children engage directly with devotees, earning money for the survival of their families.

Vendors and local residents – Their income relies on the temple’s visitors. Food stalls, souvenir shops, and services flourish because of faith-driven footfall, showing how the sacred drives the marketplace.

Devotees and belief systems – Devotees give offerings, not just as acts of piety but as part of a transactional relationship that sustains performers and vendors.

Through this lens, the documentary shows how faith operates as both a moral and economic force. It’s a system where spirituality fuels daily survival, and survival shapes how people engage with the sacred.

STP: The film portrays diverse perspectives on religion. What was your own perception of religion before making the film, and did the process of filming change that outlook?

Sonali: Before making The Divine Hustle, I saw religion closely with faith, ritual practices, and traditions, but the fact that people were being taken advantage of has always irked me in many ways. Special arrangements for VIPs, money, and donations taken, and devotees are being made to believe that it brings them closer to the divine. 

During the shooting of the film, all these thoughts were reinstated with what I saw, but this time it was through the eyes of my protagonists, while some donated money to them and saw them as gods shadow many preferred donating money to temples and not helping these children.

It has been an eye-opener for me, where people prefer to follow rituals and good karma for them blindly, which is being in the presence of divinity, but far from being a good human being and helping those in need.

STP: Sacred cities like Varanasi, Pushkar, and Vrindavan are often depicted as places of devotion and prosperity, yet your lens captured moments of helplessness and dismay. Was there a particular moment during filming that left a profound impact on you?

Sonali: There is one thing common in all sacred cities such as Varanasi, Pushkar, and Vrindavan - the needy and poor are drawn towards the temple areas because they know faith inspires generosity, and devotees are more likely to give. In places like these, religion isn’t just a spiritual practice; it becomes a lifeline for those on the margins. 

What struck me the most was the unwavering faith that some of these needy people have, living in difficult conditions, yet they had the faith that the gods and goddesses were taking care of them in the best way possible. Gratitude with no matter how little they had, is what stuck with the most. Devotion and poverty live side by side in these cities, and that indeed is the paradox of these religious towns. 

STP: The documentary also touches on themes such as wealth disparity, caste discrimination, and yet, the unifying force of faith. How did you build trust with your subjects and encourage them to share their honest thoughts so openly?

Sonali: It sounds very cliché when I quote “Ta God is every being is ONE”

But that’s the approach our team has when we speak to our protagonists. We may come from a very different social background, yet spending time with them, sharing meals, inviting them to the hotel we stayed at just to build that relationship, is the delicate part of the trust-building process. Making them comfortable and ensuring their stories will be told in all honesty, showing them genuine care, and allowing space for the truth to emerge. The purpose of the camera was to give them the voice they needed.

Honest conversations came in unguarded moments - many a time, formal interviews weren’t conducted. A conversational style of interviewing was a big part of diving deep into their lives. And when you prove to your protagonists that you are not here to extract stories but to build relationships and even help them in turning their lives around, the magic happens. 

STP: The film follows the journey of Khushi, who dons the avatar of Indian Gods to pay for her mother’s operation. What was it like witnessing her experience firsthand, and what inspired you to bring her story to the forefront?

Sonali: Khushi was definitely one of my favourite protagonists in the film. When I met her, she was 7 years old, and as every seven-year-old, she was full of life, naughty, and the simplest and smallest of gestures brought her happiness. Living in such difficult conditions, she is a very sharp child, yet so resilient. A young girl is so determined to fight for her family, refusing to let poverty define her choices. 

Her love and care towards her mother is selfless - her family is always on her list of priorities. On many instances, I saw her cutting back on what she desired, instead making sure her family was provided with everything they needed. A child who carries the heavy burden of her family’s survival - Khushi’s dreams carry both hope and defiance.