Dev Patel’s action thriller, Monkey Man, premiered on April 5, 2024, in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. While makers scheduled its release in India on April 19, 2024, they have not yet made the film available to Indian audiences. However, it is currently streaming on Prime Video, albeit inaccessible to Indian viewers.
Interestingly, Dev Patel took on the roles of director and co-screenwriter alongside Paul Angunawela and John Collee, respectively. The film features Patel in the lead role as Monkey Man, with Sharlto Copley portraying Tiger and Pitobash as Alphonso. The cast also includes Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Ashwini Kalsekar, among others. Produced with an approximately $10 million budget, the film has garnered mostly positive reviews from audiences and critics.
The storyline centers around a young boy who earns a living in an underground fight club. Later, he embarks on a quest for vengeance following his mother’s tragic demise. His journey leads him to infiltrate the elite class of a city reminiscent of Mumbai.
Will Monkey Man be released in India?
The news of Monkey Man’s release has sparked controversy after its absence from Indian theaters on April 19. Someone filed an application under the Right to Information Act to seek clarity from the Central Board of Film Certification and the Revising Committee. However, the CBFC dismissed the application, stating, “There is no larger public interest that warrants the disclosure of such information. Hence the requested information cannot be provided.” After this, CBFC’s response to the RTI application went viral on social media.
Upon learning about this, a trade insider said, “Since its theatrical release is in dispute, a CBFC clearance will be required to even stream it on OTT platforms in India. So, in all likelihood, Indian viewers might not even be able to catch it online. One way ahead could be to take the matter to court. But since India is not its main market, it’s highly unlikely that Universal Pictures and Warner Bros will take that step.”
Considering this statement, it seems “Monkey Man” will not have its theatrical as well as OTT release in India. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether audiences can witness its digital release in the future.
