Kaala bandar that no one can see?

Dev Patel

It has been over a month since Monkey Man opened in US theatres, and subsequently was available on video-on-demand platforms internationally. But Dev Patel's maiden directorial venture has yet to arrive in Indian theatres. Now, it has come to light that after the initial plan of April 19 India release did not materialise, an application was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, seeking that the decision of Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) Examining Committee and Revising Committee be made public. On May 9, the request was dismissed, with the CBFC stating in its reply, "There is no larger public interest that warrants the disclosure of such information, and hence the requested information cannot be provided."

A copy of the CBFC's response to the RTI application has been doing the rounds of social media since Thursday. As soon as the news reached the film industry, trade circles were abuzz with how Patel's action thriller won't see the light of day here. A trade insider, on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, "Since its theatrical release is in dispute, a CBFC clearance will be required to even stream it on OTT platforms in India. So, in all likelihood, Indian viewers might not even be able to catch it online. One way ahead could be to take the matter to court, but since India is not its main market, it's highly unlikely that Universal Pictures and Warner Bros will take that step." The film, fronted by Patel and also starring Sobhita Dhulipala, examines corruption in India.