By: Mohnish Singh
Amid the uncertainty surrounding the release of Dev Patel’s directorial debut Monkey Man in India, the film got leaked online and the impatient audience resorted to watching its pirated version.
This happened after Monkey Man was made available on ‘Video on Demand’ (VOD) platforms in the US on the occasion of Patel’s birthday on April 23 and came as a significant blow to the entire team.
However, Warner Bros Pictures, which distributes Universal Pictures’ films in India, was quick to take action and pulled down the link of the pirated copies.
“It took the team more than 12 hours to find the source link. After the first link was pulled down by Tuesday afternoon, it was circulated by people on Google Drive. It wasn’t until 8.30 pm on Tuesday that all links were successfully pulled down. Several accounts that had shared the link on X have been sent copyright violation notices by the micro-blogging site,” a source informed an Indian daily.
Monkey Man is a project close to Patel’s heart, not only because it marks his directorial debut but also because of its cultural significance.
The film delves into themes of redemption, identity, and the immigrant experience, echoing Patel’s own journey as a British actor of Indian descent.
Set against the backdrop of modern-day Mumbai, Monkey Man promises to be a captivating exploration of the city’s complex socio-cultural landscape.
Meanwhile, the film has been stuck with the Censor Board of India for quite some time now. According to the reports, the CBFC has been skeptical about releasing the film in India because they fear it might hurt the religious sentiments of the Indians as well as the “excessive violence” portrayed in the film.
They are also unsure about releasing the film in India, ahead of the undergoing Lok Sabha Elections as the movie is inspired by the legend of Lord Hanuman and is laced with political themes.
