The film industry is set to welcome a fresh face in the realm of action cinema as Dev Patel gears up to portray a vengeful protagonist in the eagerly anticipated thriller “Monkey Man”. Universal Pictures, a titan in Hollywood, thrust the film into the limelight by launching its official trailer on a recent Friday evening. The preview offers a tantalizing glimpse of the high-octane fight sequences and kinetic chases that await audiences in theaters across the globe from April 5.
Drawing inspiration from the mythological figure of Lord Hanuman, “Monkey Man” unfolds in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. Dev Patel, celebrated for his performance in “Lion”, takes center stage as the ‘Kid’, a young man engulfed in a crusade against corrupt officials who brutally murdered his mother, contributing to the subjugation of the destitute and powerless.
The film’s release garners further attention as it introduces Indian actress Sobhita Dhulipala to Hollywood. Dhulipala, embracing the significant milestone, shared the film’s trailer on Instagram, expressing her elation. Her caption resonated with pride: “It’s an absolute joy to share the trailer of my debut Hollywood movie, Monkey Man. It’s releasing April 5 across theatres globally.”
In a gripping narrative, Dev Patel’s character ‘Kid’ leads a bleak existence within the confines of an underground fight club, concealing his identity behind a gorilla mask. Each evening, he endures brutal beatings at the hands of more formidable opponents, all for a paltry financial reward.
Years of bottled-up fury culminate as ‘Kid’ unearths a path to infiltrate the echelons of the city’s malignant elite. Gripping the official logline, we learn that as his latent childhood traumas resurface, Kid’s hands—marred by enigmatic scars—become instruments of a furious vendetta, orchestrating retribution against the tyrants who stripped him of everything.
The captivating trailer showcases Patel in a pugilistic display reminiscent of the intense combative style familiar to fans of Keanu Reeves in the “John Wick” series. We witness Kid locked in combat within the ring, disposing of adversaries with unforgiving precision, and engaging in a visceral skirmish with actor Sikandar Kher.
“Monkey Man” boasts an ensemble of Indian actors including Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash, and Makarand Deshpande, with international actor Sharlto Copley joining the lineup.
The movie’s production team is spearheaded by Patel himself, alongside a roster of formidable producers that includes Jomon Thomas, Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christine Haebler, and Anjay Nagpal. Interestingly, Thunder Road Films, associated with the “John Wick” franchise, is also behind the production of “Monkey Man”.
The screenplay of “Monkey Man” evolved from an original concept by Patel, refined in collaboration with co-writers Paul Angunawela and John Collee.
This narrative is not just another action-packed escapade; it is a saga that delves into the inextricable ties between personal anguish and the quest for justice. “Monkey Man” promises to blend a compelling story with awe-inspiring action—a cinematic experience that stands to redefine the action genre with an east-meets-west vitality. Dev Patel’s venture into directing with “Monkey Man” is not merely a debut but an assertion of a potent new artistic voice in the international film landscape.
