Blood, vengeance, and action, here’s what we know about Dev Patel’s directorial debut ‘Monkey Man’

Everyone surely remembers a young and innocent Dev Patel from the 2008 Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. And while the actor has starred in numerous successful films post Slumdog, such as Lion, The Green Knight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and The Man Who Knew Infinity, Patel is best remembered for his portrayal of Jamal Malik in the 2008 film, where he managed to successfully answer every question on ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’. Now, the actor is to answer another million-dollar question, in the real world this time. And that is, whether his directorial debut—Monkey Man, which dropped its trailer today, will be a power-packed action flick and a box office blockbuster. And going by what we saw in those few minutes, we have every reason to believe that Patel has once again hit the jackpot!

In addition to Patel's debut as a director, the film also sees actor Sobhita Dhulipala make her Hollywood debut. 

The trailer doesn’t waste time moving in circles; instead, it almost immediately introduces viewers to the central plot and characters that inspire the title—The White Monkey, who is the ‘protector of the people’ against ‘fire and terror’. If you haven't already guessed, it's none other than Patel himself.

Set in Mumbai, the film revolves around the life of Kid (Patel), a man whose mother was murdered by corrupt government officials and leaders. The official synopsis reads, “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.”

A recently released prisoner, Kid faces trouble adapting to the real world—a place where ‘the rich don’t see the poor as people’ and one that’s filled with violence, corporate greed, and the lust for power. What follows is a bloody rampage with Kid shooting and stabbing his way through those who took everything from him. The only fond memories he has are from his childhood, where his mother (Sobhita Dhulipala) fascinated his mind by narrating stories about Hanuman. Years later, Kid grows up to realise that the people he has to kill are like the villains in those mythological stories. And it’s the legend, mentioned earlier, that inspires Kid to become a masked man on a mission. 

Hitting theatres on April 5, Monkey Man is packed with a whole lot of drama and some brilliantly choreographed action sequences with Sharlto Copley, Vipin Sharma, and Sikander Kher in notable roles.

Taking to Instagram on Friday night, Sobhita Dhulipala announced her Hollywood debut with a post captioned, "An absolute joy to share the trailer of my debut Hollywood film #MonkeyMan. Releasing 5th April across theatres globally."