Dev Patel, the new filmmaker in the town, recently had a euphoric moment at the premiere of his maiden directorial 'Monkey Man'. Patel was seen getting visibly emotional after his film received a standing ovation at the SXSW world premiere.
Known for his impeccable acting chops, Patel has now forayed into filmmaking as he takes the director's seat for 'Monkey Man'. The actor, who has critically acclaimed films like 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'Lion', 'The Man Who Knew Infinity' and 'Hotel Mumbai' in his resume, also stars in the film. Not only Patel has penned the script, but he also dons the producer's hat for the movie.
During the screening of the film, Dev moved to tears while the audiences lauded and clapped for him as the end credits rolled at the screening. He was seen struggling to hold on to his tears as he thanked everyone with folded hands.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Dev initially planned to co-write the screenplay and find someone else to direct. However, after a brief discussion with filmmaker Neil Blomkamp, the actor eventually decided to take the big plunge. “Me and Neil were talking, and he went, ‘Man I thought you should do this. You know every corner of it.’ And I was like, ‘I can’t do it.’ He goes, ‘You can.’ I reluctantly got pushed into the driver’s seat," he said.
'Monkey Man' follows an underground Mumbai fighter who seeks vengeance against his city’s corrupt elites responsible for the murder of his mother. The action-thriller is reportedly inspired by the legend of Hanuman. Other than Patel, the film also stars Sobhita Dhulipala and Sikander Kher.
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