Showing posts with label Monkey Man. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monkey Man. Show all posts
CBFC refuses to divulge information about Monkey Man’s release in response to RTI application
10:03 AM
CBFC refuses to divulge information about Monkey Man’s release in response to RTI application; trade sources say Patel’s film won’t release or stream in India
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 11, 2024)
It has been over a month since Monkey Man opened in US theatres, and subsequently was available on video-on-demand platforms internationally. But Dev Patel’s maiden directorial venture has yet to arrive in Indian theatres. Now, it has come to light that after the initial plan of April 19 India release did not materialise, an application was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, seeking that the decision of Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) Examining Committee and Revising Committee be made public.
On May 9, the request was dismissed, with the CBFC stating in its reply, “There is no larger public interest that warrants the disclosure of such information, and hence the requested information cannot be provided.”
A copy of the CBFC’s response to the RTI application has been doing the rounds of social media since Thursday. As soon as the news reached the film industry, trade circles were abuzz with how Patel’s action thriller won’t see the light of day here.
A trade insider, on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “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.”
The film, fronted by Patel and also starring Sobhita Dhulipala, examines corruption in India.
When my pallu dropped at the party, I felt so naked-Vipin Sharma
8:29 AM
Vipin Sharma recalls how he wore a saree to Monkey Man party to internalise his trans character; discusses playing the role in Dev Patel’s directorial debut with ‘gentleness’
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 1, 2024)
When we get on a call with Vipin Sharma, he is recovering from jet lag after a month-long press tour of Monkey Man in the US. The world has seen and loved Dev Patel’s maiden directorial venture, but it remains unreleased in India. First things first, we ask him what’s happening with the India release. His answer is expectedly vague. “I don’t know. But I’ve never had a doubt this film will reach its audience.” Sooner or later, he adds. Later, we guess.
But that doesn’t dim the excitement around Monkey Man that has been a much-discussed movie lately. Previously seen in Taare Zameen Par (2007) and Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012), Sharma portrays Alpha, the leader of a transgender community, who supports Patel’s character when he faces adversity. The actor, who had met Patel briefly when they shot Hotel Mumbai (2019) in India, says he didn’t audition for the part in the action fare.
“Dev told me that when he saw Hotel Mumbai in London, he immediately thought that he would write Alpha keeping me in mind. When we met for Monkey Man, I read the lines without thinking of Alpha as a trans person. I didn’t want to make it about gender [alone]. Human beings are all about their souls eventually.”
The actor acknowledges that as a cis-gender man, he did his own preparation for the role. It involved external factors like growing his hair and nails, but he focused more on the exercise of internalizing the part.
“At one of the parties during the film’s shoot, I wore a saree. At one point, my pallu dropped, and I felt so naked. The film’s AD [assistant director] Raghu Joshi saw my face as I screamed, horrified. He realized my anguish, which might be unnatural for a man, but for Alpha, it meant being stripped. There is a gender-fluid aspect to my personality, which I saw come out in this film. My love for the trans community comes through in the role, and I played it with gentleness.”
Patel might be a first-time filmmaker, but he had the passion and clarity of a seasoned director, says Sharma. “Now, Dev is family to me. His parents insist I meet them whenever I am in London. I stayed at their place in London. I admire Dev’s passion and humility. He was so compassionate to the cast and crew, never differentiating between a star and a crew member. He was solely driven by the story.”
Monkey Man leaked online on Monday night amid uncertainty over its India release
10:56 PM
Monkey Man leaked online on Monday night amid uncertainty over its India release; film’s team pulls down all links by Tuesday evening
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 25, 2024)
On Tuesday, while believers celebrated Hanuman Jayanti, social media was abuzz with Dev Patel’s Monkey Man. While uncertainty prevails around the India release of Patel’s maiden directorial venture, it won wide acclaim on its US release earlier this month and is now available on video-on-demand platforms in the US. Consequently, pirated copies have surfaced online. Sources tell us that the film’s pirated link was leaked on late April 22, and was all over social media by the next day.
A source reveals that the Warner Bros team, which manages Universal Pictures’ releases in India, swooped into action on Monday night itself. “But 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.”
Monkey Man sees Patel play the central character, who sets out on a quest to avenge his mother’s death at the hands of corrupt leaders and emerges as a defender of the marginalized.
The source adds, “The film has been awaiting a censor clearance in India since March. While the extreme violence is a concern, many real-life incidents have been depicted, making it a sensitive release in the election year.”
Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher join Dev Patel for Monkey Man’s premiere at Grauman Chinese theatre, Los Angeles
8:28 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 4, 2024)
While the Indian audience will have to wait for sometime before Monkey Man can make its way to theatres, Dev Patel’s maiden directorial venture is only a day away from its US release. On Wednesday, the action thriller had its premiere at the iconic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Sobhita Dhulipala and Sikandar Kher, who play pivotal roles in the film, flew out on April 2 to attend the premiere.
Before heading to the US, Kher spoke to mid-day, expressing his excitement for the event. He said, “I am so excited to reunite with the entire cast and crew, and see the film together at the premiere. We got a phenomenal response at the SXSW [South by Southwest Film Festival] last month. Now, there is a sense of excitement for the film’s release.”
Kher and Dhulipala are staring at a hectic week ahead as they will begin press interactions today, followed by a team dinner. Over the next few days, the cast will travel across the US promoting Monkey Man.
Going by the early reviews, Patel has scored a winner with his directorial debut. The violent action thriller follows the journey of a man, portrayed by the actor-director, who embarks on a mission to avenge his mother’s death that was caused by corrupt leaders. His quest for vengeance takes an unexpected turn as he becomes a champion for the oppressed.
Dev Patel, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher to grace Monkey Man's South By Southwest Festival screening
10:00 PM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 5, 2024)
Dev Patel’s directorial debut Monkey Man is among the headlining movies at the South By Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), finding a spot alongside Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s The Fall Guy, Anne Hathaway’s The Idea Of You, and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House.
While the SXSW Film Festival kicks off in Austin on March 8, Patel’s revenge thriller will première on March 11. Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash and Vipin Sharma are expected to join the actor-director for the event.
With the première, first-time director Patel will kick off the movie’s promotions that will continue well into its April 5 release. A source says, “Monkey Man, which revolves around a guy rising from the slums to protect the weak, is a story rooted and shot extensively in India. The makers are clear to position it as an Indian story, and the promotional plan will include all its cast members. In the weeks leading up to its release, Dev will also promote the thriller across India.”
The Jordan Peele production also stars Makarand Deshpande and Ashwini Kalsekar.
My Monkey Man character left me feeling inspired and even more in love with cinema-Sobhita Dhulipala
8:32 AM
Mimansa Shekhar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 6, 2024)
For actor Sobhita Dhulipala, her debut Hollywood film Monkey Man has been a “roller coaster”. “My character has got a very distinct texture that’s unlike anything I’ve seen. It left me feeling inspired and even more in love with cinema. The action, the music, the style and the raw emotion. It’s going to be a sensory feast,” she says.
The film also stars Dev Patel and Sikandar Kher, and Dhulipala lauds Patel, who has directed the revenge drama. “He truly has exceptional taste in all things cinema. That, coupled with his enormous patience and passion to give his best in every department, is pretty phenomenal,” says the actor.
Having made strides with films such as Ponniyin Selvan I and II, Kurup (2021) and Major (2022), was Hollywood a natural progression? “I am entirely focussed on telling exciting stories, language and medium no bar. I draw motivation from my ability to submit to my instincts,” she says, adding that playing pivotal roles in the OTT series The Night Manager and Made in Heaven “upped my desire to embrace versatility as an actor”.
Dev Patel wraps up his directorial debut Monkey Man with a week-long shoot in Mumbai
8:08 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 25, 2022)
Dev Patel can heave a sigh of relief. His maiden directorial venture, Monkey Man, which stars Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala and him, has reached the finish line. The actor-director, who had flown down to India earlier this month, conducted the final stint in Mumbai last week.
A source reveals, “Dev had a patch-shoot in Mumbai, consisting of scenes featuring Sikandar and him. Last week was an ideal time to film it before Sikandar moves on to Aarya 3 and Dev to the film’s post-production. The unit had cordoned off areas in Colaba for the shoot. Some scenes were also filmed in Madh Island, Lower Parel and Andheri over the seven-day schedule.”
The action thriller, set in India, revolves around Patel’s character who emerges from prison to seek revenge on those who upended his life years ago.
Confirming that the film has been wrapped up, Kher says, “We had already finished shooting the major part of the movie; only some bits were left. It was a hush-hush shoot. Monkey Man is going to be a thrilling movie.”
The Slumdog Millionaire (2008) star has written Monkey Man along with Paul Angunawela and John Collee. The movie has been garnering interest after Netflix acquired it last year.
The exposure that Monkey Man will give me is going to be like nothing before-Sikandar Kher
8:36 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 13, 2022)
Apart from inclusivity, diversity and equal representation of communities and races in Hollywood, the conversation about the need for Asian writers to write Asian characters for a realistic depiction of the community has gained ground.
However, actor Sikandar Kher, who is all set to make his Hollywood debut with Monkey Man, a thriller directed by the BAFTA Award-winning actor Dev Patel, believes, “It doesn’t really matter where the writer is from. Hollywood, much like Bollywood, has brilliant writers. If you want a certain kind of point of view for a character or want someone with more knowledge about a subject, then that’s a separate conversation.”
But the Aarya actor notes that film industries across the globe have become a level playing field: “Today, it’s all about diversity and inclusivity, everywhere, unlike before. You’ve got Parasite (2019), a Korean film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. So, if a film is good, people will watch it.”
On a parting note, the 40-year-old says he looks forward to showcasing his work to a new audience: “The exposure that the film will give me is going to be like nothing before. The West is a different market altogether.”
Sikandar Kher gains 12 kilos for Dev Patel's Monkey Man
8:50 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 1, 2021)
Set to feature in Dev Patel’s directorial venture, the Hollywood film, Monkey Man, Sikandar Kher is en-route to gaining 12 kilos. The actor acknowledges that in an industry that considers physical appearance to be of primary importance, willingly going out of shape can be a daunting task.
“However, Monkey Man is the biggest opportunity that has been given to me. It is a step forward in reaching out to a new audience. I wanted to give it my all. The film requires me to have a bulky figure, and I have worked hard to alter my structure to suit the role. Life has thrown this huge opportunity at me, and I am working hard to stay true to the character,” says the actor, adding that he has always paid heed to his appearances in cinema.
“I try to look, think, and act like my characters. It won’t be wrong to say that I like to get under the skin of every character. The change is a gradual process, but I feel confident enough to tell you now that my part in Monkey Man is [the person] that I am, at the moment,” says Kher, adding that he went on a calorie-surplus diet, and trained to achieve the required frame.
The action thriller has been written by Paul Angunawela, and John Collee, along with Patel.
There are some casting directors who look out for you. Seher Aly Latif did that for me-Sikandar Kher
8:16 AM
Sikandar Kher dedicates his role in Dev Patel’s Monkey Man to the late casting director
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 7, 2021)
Hollywood and its rigorous casting processes may be tough to crack, but Sikandar Kher is all set to make his international debut with Monkey Man, which marks the directorial debut of Brit actor Dev Patel.
For Kher, who auditioned for the role five years back, the stint is a tribute to Seher Aly Latif. The casting director-producer, 40, who was battling kidney issues, breathed her last on June 7 after a cardiac arrest. “There are some casting directors who look out for you. Seher did that for me. I have [often] gone for auditions in her office and have wonderful memories of her.”
Kher says that if it weren’t for Latif, he would have never found his big break. “No one would have known about me, if not for her. She played a huge role in making my [career]. Seher introduced me to Dev and pushed him to consider me [for the role]. I owe everything to Seher.”
As an actor, I think what works for me is my love for risk taking-Sobhita Dhulipala
8:19 AM
Sobhita Dhulipala, who recently shot for Dev Patel’s Hollywood directorial debut, says this “is the greatest era for potent crossovers in all fields”
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 17, 2021)
She has a Malayalam film, a Telugu-Hindi bilingual movie, a Tamil magnum opus, a Hindi film and the second season of an OTT show up and coming, but that is not all for Sobhita Dhulipala. “I worked my lungs out for years to be worthy of these opportunities and now that I am here, I choose to pour my blood and soul into it,” says the actor revealing that Hollywood was always on her mind. And, now, we have learnt that she is starring in the Hollywood actor, Dev Patel’s debut directorial, Monkey Man.
“I am happiest when I am creative and this is a very special and passionately made project. As an actor, I think what works for me is my love for risk-taking,” she says.
Talking about the project, Dhulipala reveals, “I had auditioned for it almost five years ago and I got a call back in a few days for a screen test with Dev. I remember, it was on the day I was leaving for the Cannes Film festival with my first film Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016). All these years later and many turns in the journey of the film and our individual lives later, looks like we belonged with each other all along. What appealed to me about the project is that it’s a collaborative spirit, a young and rather eccentric approach to the story and most certainly the people involved.”
With the Coronavirus pandemic last year, the Made In Heaven actor shot for Monkey Man in Indonesia for four months. She states, it was “incredibly wholesome and introspective”. She adds, “Last year was the closest I have been to my own self, my family and my pursuits. I shot for Monkey Man during a global health crisis, which has its share of inconveniences but that aside, I didn’t find my journey during the film particularly challenging or difficult.”
With a number of Indian actors making their presence felt globally, ask her if expectations are a concern and she replies: “It is the greatest era for potent crossovers in all fields. I am too much of a wayfarer to feel bogged down by expectations on any front. It’s a short, short life. Gratitude and passion will light my path,” she concludes.
Dev Patel comes to Mumbai for recce and research on his directorial debut
8:09 AM
Oscar-nominated actor is in the city for recce and research on his directorial debut, a revenge-thriller set in modern-day India
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 22, 2020)
After Christopher Nolan, Robert Pattinson, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Game of Thrones stars Emilia Clarke and Rose Leslie and American actress Andie MacDowell, another Hollywood actor, Dev Patel, is in India. According to a source, the 29-year-old actor is in Mumbai on a work trip for about 10 days. “Dev is keeping a low profile as he is here for recce and research for his directorial debut, the tentatively-titled Monkey Man. He is also meeting producers to explore potential collaborations,” informed the source.
Co-written with Paul Angunawela and John Collee, Monkey Man is reportedly a revenge-thriller set in modern-day India and deals with mythology. According to Variety, it revolves around the Kid (played by Dev), who emerges from prison to enter a world marred by “corporate greed and eroding spiritual values”.
Mithun Chakraborty’s youngest son, Namashi, who makes his Bollywood debut with Rajkumar Santoshi’s Bad Boy, ran into the Oscar-nominated actor at a suburban restaurant over the weekend. “I was having dinner with Amrin (Qureshi, co-star) and stylist Priyanka Mishra when I spotted Dev. As I am a fan, I went up to him and asked for a picture. He graciously obliged. When I told him that I am an actor as well and that my film is releasing soon, he wished me luck,” Namashi said.In 2016, Dev filmed Hotel Mumbai near a SoBo college. The film released in India in November 2019 and also featured Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi and Anupam Kher. It revolved around the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)