British actor Dev Patel’s latest cinematic project, ‘Monkey Man’, is currently encountering difficulties securing a pass certificate from the Indian Censor Board and could possibly be delayed in its release in India. Initially, it was believed that the film’s release date would be postponed to avoid clashes with other Bollywood films such as ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ and Ajay Devgan starrer sports biopic ‘Maidaan.’ However, it has recently come to public attention that the film’s storyline and certain references are the reasons why it is getting delayed in obtaining an Indian release.
In the movie, Patel plays the role of Bobby, who has grown up listening to his mother’s tales about the strong and mighty Hindu monkey deity, Lord Hanuman. However, after everything is wrongly taken away from him, including his mother, his childhood trauma leads him to unleash a bloody revenge to teach those responsible a befitting lesson for their deeds. He goes on to infiltrate criminal organizations and take revenge as a monkey-masked fighter.
Dev Patel needs no introduction, as the Indian audience knows him from his role as Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008). However, ‘Monkey Man’ is his debut as a director, whose screenplay he has co-written with Paul Angunawela and John Collee. The movie also boasts a star ensemble consisting of Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher, and Makarand Deshpande in various pivotal roles.
Indian fans were eagerly excited about this cinematic project by Dev and Sobhita.
However, it is facing problems obtaining a release date in the Indian subcontinent. The film has already been released theatrically in the United States and Canada on April 5 by Universal Pictures and has received praise from critics. The makers of the film have planned to release it in India on April 19, but they are still waiting for clearance from the CBFC. As reported, the film contains excessively violent scenes and references that draw heavily from Hindu mythology, which is feared might hurt the sentiments of a section of the Indian audience. Therefore, it is believed that the censorship process will take time, which further needs to be approved by the Universal Studios team in the USA to carry out the changes requested by the CBFC. Once the changes are approved in the USA, the Indian team will have to carry out the changes, after which they will be able to announce a release date.
Given the current situation, Monkey Man’s release in India seems unclear at the moment. If the makers of the film want clearance from the CBFC, they will have to possibly edit or maybe even delete a major portion of the film’s visuals and dialogue. In a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), it has already been pointed out that the updated trailer of Monkey Man has been edited, as the previously saffron political banners representing the ‘evil political party’ in the film have been changed to red. It has been reported that if the censorship process gets completed on time, Monkey Man will be able to be released in India on April 19. Otherwise, the film’s release will be delayed until April 26.
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- Freelance Journalist
- Sanchali Barua, currently pursuing her Master's in English at the University of Calcutta, is a dedicated individual with a curious mind and a profound interest in the entertainment industry. Throughout her academic journey, she has actively engaged in various writing assignments, contributing significantly to the development and refinement of her writing skills. Her passion for literature and keen involvement in the creative process reflect a commitment to exploring the diverse facets of the English language.
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