Dev Patel’s directorial debut, Monkey Man (2024), where he also boasts credits as co-writer, producer, and starring talent, earned him a standing ovation during its premiere at SXSW. The laudation directed at the 33-year-old star is well-deserved even beyond the narrative offered by the premise, which has frequently been described as “John Wick in Mumbai.”
What gives the warn reception more meaning is understanding the journey that Patel took in seeing through the film’s production, which was anything but a walk in the park. The pandemic proved obstructive, and the team constantly ran into hurdles. Worst of all, though, were the injuries sustained by the young actor before and during the movie-making process.
Talking about it after the screening in a Q&A, Patel recalled how he broke his foot and hand, tore his shoulder, and got an eye infection—all through one film!
Yet, those didn’t prove enough to bring him down.
Dev Patel Sustained Several Injuries Throughout The Production Of Monkey Man (2024)
A Los Angeles Times journalist, Mark Olsen, noted on X that Dev Patel’s Monkey Man (2024) was a big draw among the SXSW film festival crowd. The premiere occurred on March 11 and crescendoed into a hearty standing ovation. As one would expect, the principal actor, who had more on his plate this time around in production-related obligations, was reduced to tears. You can check out his reaction here.
But in addition to these responsibilities, what proved even more strenuous were the delays and back-to-back injuries Patel underwent during this rollercoaster journey. Not only did the pandemic prove catastrophic, but there were also instances, as expounded by The Hollywood Reporter, where the team had to make do amid impossible scenarios.
However, the extensive list of distressing injuries through which Dev Patel brought the movie to fruition appears just as commendable, if not more. The Skins actor injured his foot before production, as conveyed by the outlet and Olsen on his X account.
He suffered a torn shoulder shortly after, during a fighting sequence. And a scene on the bathroom floor continued his unlucky streak. He developed an eye infection. But what showed immense resolve and endurance on the actor’s part was when he got his hand broken.
Recounting the experience, Patel affirmed the following (via THR):
“I was thinking, here we go again. Production is going to go down. I was on the Internet because I couldn’t wear a cast for long because we didn’t have the budget to paint it out,”
The incident occurred during the second day of filming. Despite being in dire condition, he finished his schedule on the production that night, and only then did he visit the doctor. After getting a screw surgically inserted into his hand, Patel was advised not to “put any pressure on it,” as he could’ve been at risk of getting the hand ruined.
Ironically, after assuring the professional otherwise, Patel immediately returned to work. Now, that’s dedication. Of course (and thankfully), modifications were introduced to the choreography of the action sequence to accommodate the actor’s injury.
Nevertheless, Dev Patel’s commitment is nothing short of astounding. No wonder Monkey Man left a lasting impression on the SXSW audience.
How Jordan Peele Proved God-sent To Dev Patel’s Monkey Man (2024)
Originally, Netflix purchased the global rights to Monkey Man. Thus, it was intended to strike the streamer squarely. According to sources, though, after watching the film, filmmaker Jordan Peele felt obliged to bring it under his Monkeypaw Productions banner, pivoting the Patel-helmed project for a theatrical release. That’s how the endeavor found itself a distribution deal with Universal Pictures.
At SXSW, speaking of Peele, who’s known for Get Out, Nope, Us, etc., Dev Patel iterated (via Deadline):
“I put everything into this. I shot this film in the biggest slum in India, COVID hit, and the film went down. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. And then Jordan came along in the end, he picked up from the ground, … brushed the dust off, and put it on the mantelpiece.”
Peele, also in attendance at SXSW, affirmed why Monkey Man is a theater-viewing experience.
“This is a film that simply demands to be seen in a theater with a huge rockstar audience … I’ve never seen someone pour his heart, soul, body, mind, and energy into a film, into a story more than [Dev Patel].”
And we take Peele’s word for it. Given the hardships Patel went through in just getting the movie made, Monkey Man is expected to be a spectacular thrill. With the first few reviews in and an initial 100% debut score (now 88%) on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences will soon witness Patel’s relentless perseverance and dedication shine on screen.
The film is set in Mumbai and draws inspiration from the Hindu deity Hanuman. It follows the story of Kid, an anonymous man on a journey to exact revenge on a corrupt group of elites responsible for his mother’s death who “continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless,” as mentioned in the official synopsis.
Monkey Man is scheduled to hit the theatres on April 5, 2024.
You can check out the trailer below:
