Indian Censor Board continues to hold Dev Patel's ‘Monkey Man’ hostage and we can’t help but feel FOMO

Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man has been hailed as a gripping revenge thriller with profound social commentary and has stirred anticipation worldwide. However, it sadly remains conspicuously absent from Indian screens — the very country its story is rooted in.

The film, starring Patel as a vigilante seeking his mother's killers, tackles sensitive themes like corruption, poverty, and the caste system, all set in a dystopian vision of India. Inspired by Hindu mythology, Korean thrillers, and action classics like Bruce Lee films and The Raid: Redemption, Monkey Man promised a thrilling ride for action movie enthusiasts.

However, the film's release seems to be stuck in the web of India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). While not officially banned, a Hindu report suggests the CBFC has refused to screen Monkey Man for its advisory panel, effectively delaying its release indefinitely. As per reports, the movie was to be screened for the CBFC’s Examining Committee on April 19.

Universal Studios, the film's distributor, reportedly made alterations to comply with the censor's demands. Scenes highlighting the "nexus between religion and politics" were trimmed, and the colour of political banners was changed from saffron to red. Despite these efforts, the film hasn't been reviewed by the CBFC, exceeding the five-day deadline for such decisions.

This is not the first time the Censor Board has attempted to curb content that critiques the country’s political climate. In recent years, several Western documentaries and films that highlight the far-right’s ideologies have been a consistent source of frustration to the CBFC and politicians as well.

While ensuring films are suitable for different age groups is important, having a Censor Board susceptible to government influence and possessing authority to request edits or deny certification is problematic. History demonstrates that censorship decisions often prioritise moral, religious, sectarian, and political considerations over the legality of the content itself. This frequently restricts both creators' and viewers' choices and their right to express themselves.

In India, the right for films to be able to exercise freedom to create their art without undue legal or conventional constraints was affirmed by the Supreme Court under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

To seriously consider reforming India's censorship system in a way that broadens options for creators and viewers while reducing political interference in film content and dialogue, experts propose a marketplace approach to film screening. This would necessitate a comprehensive restructuring of the CBFC through legislation and granting more authority to private film certification bodies.

Until these reforms come into place — if they do — we can only wait and see if we get to enjoy movies like Monkey Man, which is a story of an underdog street fighter who rises to become a symbol of hope for the oppressed. For now, it is obvious that before he can fight villains on screen, the Monkey Man must win the battle it is locked in with censorship.