Actor Dev Patel has decided to occupy a new title in his career, that of director. But that’s not all. The Monkey Man, directed by Patel, packs a punch right through in action sequences, furthermore in its representation on screen.
Patel, who has success in award-winning films including “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Lion,” is going to dip his toes into the action genre water with “Monkey Man.” He not only plays but also produced the film, which will test his multitasking skills.
“Monkey Man” is a feature film with an intriguing protagonist, named “Kid,” played by Patel’s version. It illustrates the boy’s unstoppable urge for vengeance and how hoodlums caused the death of his mom. Details surrounding the plot are still under wraps, but one thing is clear: By Patel’s choice to set his project in the action genre, he is paving his unique way.
In conversation with Nikita Kanda from BBC Asian Network, Patel told her that he was inspired to make “Monkey Man” about the grim reality of not having role models for British Asians in these genre films. “As a genre-lover often pained by being or seen as the too-small minority, I wished I was there as the other face,” Patel said. On the contrary, he highlighted the lack of representation of minority groups in Hollywood, Bollywood, and even in Hong Kong action movies, the characters that he could relate to were quite few.
This burning led you to do something recently. “I wasn’t aiming to be James Bond,” he announces. ‘I need to be Monkey Man’. Patel has even more profound plans than the present ones which do not include a non-white person as the next James Bond. “Despite Monkey Man,” he explains, he intends to make our own stories with the fresh world other. Thus, he is aiming for competition bids.
What is more significant to him is that he could hope “Monkey Man” would trigger the change. Through this lead character, he not only illustrates a powerful, competent British Asian action hero but also proposes to make it easier for more diverse casting and storytelling. This is one huge stride because Asians are often under-represented in lead-action roles, usually being portrayed as stereotypes.
But evidence of Patel’s passion couldn’t be more obvious as he invested not only heart but also soul in “Monkey Man.” Patel claims that it took him 12 years to prepare the script, which became the most important project for him. The dates of the film’s release have yet to be announced, but the eagerness is overwhelming. The announcement of a fresh superhero movie with Patel in the lead role has produced a feeling of excitement and expectation among many of his fans.
The “Monkey Man” is not defined as merely an action film. It stands for representation, a quest for several rather than a single hero on screen, and it’s a proof of the heavenly spirit of creativity on the part of Dev Patel. Whether it is through his roles or his directorial performance, Patel is making himself known as a future force in the film world.
