Dev Patel
was left a bit teary-eyed and overwhelmed as his directorial debut ‘Monkey Man’ received a
standing ovation
at the South by Southwest (
SXSW
) film festival.
The highly anticipated action film, set in India and backed by Oscar-winner
Jordan Peele
, premiered at the festival in Austin, Texas. The premiere was attended by
Sobhita Dhulipala
,
Sikandar Kher
and many others of the cast and crew.
The stars walked the red carpet together and posed for photos before heading in for the screening.
Peele, who also serves as producer, took to the stage to introduce the film that reportedly draws inspiration from the legend of Lord Hanuman. Following the screening, Patel took to the stage amidst thunderous applause. The debutant director reportedly received a 2-minute standing ovation from the audience, which also happened to be the first film to get this honour at the festival.
Overwhelmed by the reception, the actor and new director was seen wiping away tears from his eyes. While addressing the audience, Patel shared his deep-rooted admiration for the action genre and revealed how his grandfather acquainted him with the tales of Lord Hanuman from the Hindu epic Ramayan.
“He truly fascinated me. He’s been a symbol for my father and many in my family… If you walk into any gym in India, alongside
Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Ronnie Coleman, you’ll find Hanuman. What struck me during my upbringing was this iconography of a supremely powerful being capable of holding mountains with one hand and tearing his chest open. It reminded me of Superman’s iconography. I thought, this is incredible, I wish the world knew about it,” Patel expressed.
The actor emphasized his desire to ground the narrative in reality. “When you delve deeper, he’s a character who has lost faith in himself and needs to be reminded of his true essence,” he explained, citing his affection for Bruce Lee movies as another source of inspiration.
“I aimed to explore the caste system in India, where the impoverished toil at the bottom while the wealthy and powerful reign above, exploiting religion for personal gain. Then there’s the notion of heaven,” Patel added.
Inviting the film’s cast and crew on stage, Patel acknowledged their collective effort. Alongside Patel, the film features Sobhita Dhulipala,
Vipin Sharma
, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash, and Makarand Deshpande, along with Sharlto Copley.
Shortly after the screening, the film received rave reviews from SXSW critics, who called it an ‘incredible debut film’ and teased that it is ‘loaded with bone breaking violence’. The movie opened to a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. the film has been lauded for Patel’s performance and its gripping action sequences.
Check out the reviews below:
Set in Mumbai city, ‘Monkey Man’ sees Patel portraying Kid, a man driven by a quest for justice against the corrupt figures responsible for his mother’s death and the ongoing oppression of the marginalized. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on April 5.