Dev Patel Receives Standing Ovation At ‘Monkey Man’ Premiere

MONKEY MAN, the highly anticipated directorial debut of acclaimed actor Dev Patel, made its grand entrance at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin on March 11th, leaving audiences on their feet and Patel himself teary-eyed with emotion. This thrilling action-packed film not only marks Patel’s directorial debut but also showcases his talent as a writer, producer, and lead actor.

The film boasts an impressive 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Watch The Trailer for Monkey Man Now

Originally slated for release on a streaming platform, Patel and his dedicated team of producers decided to look for partners to elevate the film to a major theatrical release. They found their partner in American filmmaker Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw productions team, including producers Win Rosenfeld and Ian Cooper. “We instantly fell in love with the story and were inspired to help move the film forward. We brought it over to Universal, through the post-production process, to the finish line.”

The action thriller, in which Dev Patel plays the lead role, is about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.  Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.  After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Dev Patel’s commitment to his role is evident, as he dedicatedly trained for intense fight sequences, resulting in injuries including a broken foot, torn shoulder, and broken hand. Despite these challenges, Patel’s passion and dedication shone through, delivering a performance that resonates with authenticity and depth.

Joining Dev Patel in the cast are SA’s Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, and Makarand Deshpande.

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