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Dev Patel’sMonkey Manwas released on July 15, 2025, in the U.S. and Canada after its explosive reception at the SXSW Festival when it premiered on March 11. The English language film has an Indian setting and features a predominantly Indian cast. However, censorship issues have caused the film’s release in India to be further delayed from its originally intended release date of April 19.
Will Dev Patel’sMonkey ManBe Released in India?
Dev Patel‘sMonkey Manlost its $30 million deal with Netflix due to the film’s political content. The movie, set in India, has included some references to the right-wing politics in the country. According to critic Siddhant Adlakha (for IGN), the film’s villain is designed after some of the ruling politicians in the country who follow the Hindutva ideology. The political ideology justifies Hindu nationalism and allegedly tries to establish Hindu hegemony within India.
“I’ve been bruised and battered and emotionally torn up”: Dev Patel Recalls Hellish Shoot of ‘Monkey Man’ Despite Being His Passion Project
When the trailer of the film was released, the villain of the film was shown as a politician with saffron orange flags and posters. The color represented Hindu nationalism in the country. The colors were later changed to red in the movie, removing any alleged connection between the villain and Hindutva ideology. Notably,Patel’s character itself is rooted in Hindu mythology, designed after the Hindu God of Hanuman.
However, the film still faces a major challenge from India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).Monkey Man‘s content might not sit well with the Indian censor board, with the political and religious themes definitely causing an issue. The film’s violence and s*xual imagery also may contribute to the censor issues.
The CBFC is a government-controlled organization, which makes it all the more difficult for the film to get certified after allegedly going against the ruling politics in the country. According to the Indian websiteBollywood Hungama, the film might not be released on the announced date of April 19 in the country.
Universal Studios, the distributors of the film, also didn’t mention a release date for the film in India while promoting the film via atweetfrom their Indian account. A source toldIndieWirethat the CBFC has yet to watch the movie, following which the film may have to undergo some extensive editing if it were to be released in the country. Hungama’s report is hopeful that the film will hit Indian theaters by the end of this month.
Why Did Netflix Drop Dev Patel’sMonkey Man?
Netflix apparently wanted no part in the political controversy in the film, and they silently dropped out of their $30 million deal (via TheWrap). The streaming platform is looking to gain more ground in one of the most populous countries in the world. Earlier, Netflix bowed to Indian censorship and fully stopped the streaming of uncensored cuts of Indian films around the world (via The Hindu).
According to Parrot Analytics, Netflix’s share of demand in the country went downhill for the last three years, particularly in 2024. It dropped from a high of 41% in January 2023 to 30% in October (via TheWrap). The data may explain why the platform avoided the confrontational political themes inMonkey Manby dropping the film.
“This is an anthem for the underdog”: Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is Already a Step Ahead of Keanu Reeves’ John Wick After Obvious Comparisons
However,the film found new lifewhenJordan Peelewas instantly blown away by the film. He saw the potential in the film, and his Monkeypaw Productions took the film to Universal. Both of them soon reached out to Thunder Road Films, the production house behind the film.
Monkey Manis now successfully running in theaters.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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Dev PatelJordan Peele
