New Delhi

Will Dev Patel's directorial debut Monkey Man ever get a release in India? The fate of the film's release still is undecided. According to a report in The Hindu, the film's release has been "thwarted' by the Central Board of Film Certification CBFC) without formally banning it. This means, that the film has not been screened for the the advisory panel. 

The report added that the CBFC has avoided the screening of the movie for its Examining Committee, which was scheduled to release in Indian screens on April 19. The film has earned critical acclaim on its worldwide release. 

The screening for the Indian censor board was not organised despite Universal Studios making a few changes in the original cut of the film. Scenes from the film highlighting the nexus between religion and politics were reportedly clipped and sent to CBFC. Apart from this, Universal Studios also changed the colour used in the political banners in many scenes in the film from saffron to red.

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Dev Patel's Monkey Man draws in huge collection at the box office even as its India release remains uncertain

As per both the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, which was notified in March this year, and the one that exists in the 1983 version, there is a five-day deadline for a film to be referred to the Examining Committee. This deadline was passed in May, and yet the film has not been seen by the censors.

About Monkey Man

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Monkey Man revolves around an underdog street fighter who ends up becoming a vigilante superhero. The story is based in Mumbai and has Dev's character fighting against the mighty and the rich, who oppress the downtrodden and are also responsible for his mother's death. It also features Sikandar Kher, Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Makarand Deshpande, Ashwini Kalsekar, and others. No release date for the film in India has been announced so far.

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