Dev Patel is bringing forth one “gremlin of a movie” titled Monkey Man that he’s nurtured for a decade. Finally scheduled for release on April 5th, this film sees Patel not only in the lead but also as its writer and director. But who is this Monkey Man? Why Monkey? Patel finally reveals the mystery and talks in depth about the enigma that has kept everyone wondering. One hint, the film is based on a very ancient yet iconic figure from Indian mythology.
How This Iconic Indian Mythological Figure Inspired Dev Patel to Make Monkey Man
Ancient Indian mythology is brimming with mysteries and stories that could easily translate into some of the finest cinema the world has ever seen. Dev Patel has been striving to capture that very essence for the past decade, and he’s thrilled to finally give birth to this brainchild.
In a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, the actor finally revealed the mystery behind the inspiration for the Monkey Man. He explained,
“My dad wears this chain around his neck with a monkey holding this mountain in his hand. And I used to ask him, ‘Dad, what’s that about?’ And he’d say, ‘Wait till your grandfather comes back from Kenya, and he’ll tell you the story.’ And Hanuman is this kind of Indian mythology. And if you go to a gym in India, you’ll see Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman, and Hanuman.”
The action-packed and adrenaline-fueled film, shot during the pandemic, is based on the iconic Indian mythology figure known as Hanuman. In ancient Hindu religious texts, such as the epic Ramayana, Hanuman is portrayed as a loyal and devoted companion of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu.
Hanuman is known for his immense strength, which is literally capable of moving mountains, courage, and unwavering devotion to Rama and his wife, Sita. The figure is often depicted as a monkey deity and is worshipped by the Hindus for symbolizing strength, loyalty, and righteousness.
And how that figure inspired him to make this move he explained,
“He represents nobility, strength, and courage. You know, he’s very similar to Superman in the sense that he splits his chest in the iconography and flies. And you know, for me, he was also a hero that lost faith in himself. He didn’t have courage at one point and needed to be reminded of who he was. So that was kind of the basis of the story for me.”
In the film, his character wears what seemingly is a cheap monkey mask, and is a fighter set on a mission to right an old wrong. Fans are pretty excited about the movie.
Dev Patel Put His Blood, Sweat, and Tears into Making This Film, Literally!
As the actor himself describes it, “It’s the ultimate underdog action film.” Looking like him, he revealed it was tough to make it in Hollywood. He would either get offered roles as a funny side character or a tech-savvy individual who aids the lead character. Thus, he took it upon himself to create a story that would represent all the “marginalized” and “the voiceless.”
Dev Patel also revealed how he managed to make the film despite severe injuries, including a broken hand. He said,
“Everything could have gone wrong went wrong. The first action scene I’m basically, I’m a crash test dummy that my co-star is using my face to break every piece of porcelain in this bathroom, and my hand, I heard it snap. I was like ‘This is not good.’ And I knew, you know, you’ve got 450 people on an island, and if I go down, the film goes down. You know, we had a purpose during a really prickly time in history. And I told my producer I was like ‘Don’t say anything. Let’s just keep filming.’ By the end of the day my hand was like an elephant’s foot. And we couldn’t afford to put a cast on and VFX it out of this movie.”
He further revealed,
“So we found a way to get around the system by getting this cheap medical private jet to keep the COVID bubble, and we flew to Jakarta that night. The doctor put a screw in my hand, and he goes ‘You cannot put more than a pound or two of pressure on this thing. Otherwise, it’s like pulling a bent nail out of wood. You will ruin your bone. Actually, I went straight back to set the next day and was throwing myself and bouncing off a window.”
The overall review of the film has been overwhelmingly positive, boasting a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it a must-watch for all movie lovers.
Monkey Man releases on April 5.
