Dev Patel says his directorial debut, Monkey Man, was “humble and nourishing”.
The Slumdog Millionaire actor, 33, who broke out in Channel 4's teen drama Skins, co-wrote, directed and stars in the new film, admits it's been quite a “job” and thanks everyone. He said he was doing it. The one person who helped make that happen.
Speaking to Hey You Guys, he said: “It was a tremendous kind of work. It was very humbling and nourishing at the same time.
“I mean, this is my first rodeo, but when I look back on things, I just feel so grateful for every soul that was a part of that vision, every single person who moved the pole and held the pole. When I see a chair with a face painted on it, I’m overwhelmed by that feeling.”
Dev was moved to tears by the enthusiastic response the film received at its world premiere.
A video shared by Variety on It looked like he had wiped a tear from his eye.
At the screening, he declared: “The action genre is being exploited by the system. “Look, you can make some quick money.'' Heartless (garbage)
“I wanted to put some soul into it. Real trauma. Real pain. You guys deserve it. I wanted to inject a little culture into it.”
“I really wanted to touch on the caste system in India. At the bottom are the poor people who are forced to work as slaves in the kitchen.
“Then go up to the kingdom of kings, for above them are gods, man-made gods who pollute and corrupt religion.”
In The Monkey Man, Oscar-nominated Dev plays a man named Kid. Kidd “lives a poor life in an underground fight club, wearing a gorilla mask every night and being brutally beaten by popular fighters for money.”
The film then follows Kidd as he goes on a rampage against India's caste system and seeks revenge against a group of men who traumatized him in his childhood.
Deb also admitted that she felt exhausted after making the film.
He told People on the red carpet of the premiere last month:
“I don't feel very fit for public consumption right now. I was in a dark room.
“This is pretty big, although the paint is pretty dry.”
The film became a hot topic in January when it was announced that it would be shifted from being released on Netflix to being distributed theatrically by Universal.
“Nope” filmmaker and producer Jordan Peele, 45, plans to release “Monkey Man” in theaters after seeing the film for the first time and helping Universal get it for distribution. The promotion was widely reported at the time.