Monkey Man (2024)
Kid is an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.
- Full Name: Monkey Man
- Release Year: 2024
- Time Duration: 2h 1m
- Genre: Action, Thriller
- Director: Dev Patel
- Cast: Dev Patel
Sobhita Dhulipala
Sikandar Kher
Adithi Kalkunte
Sharlto Copley
Makarand Deshpande
Storyline:
In a secluded Indian forest village, a young boy named Kid lives with his mother, Neela, who captivates him with stories of the heroic deity Hanuman. Their peaceful life is shattered when Baba Shakti, a malevolent spiritual leader from the nearby city of Yatana, conspires with the corrupt police chief Rana Singh to seize the village land. Baba Shakti’s intentions are clear: he wants the land to expand his influence. Under Rana’s orders, the village faces a brutal attack, leading to a massacre where most villagers are killed, including Neela. Before her tragic death, she manages to hide Kid, who witnesses Rana murdering his mother and setting her body on fire. In his desperate attempt to save her, Kid severely burns his hands, leaving them permanently scarred.
Years pass, and Kid, now a young man, resides in Yatana, haunted by memories of that fateful day. He finds work as a masked fighter known as the “Monkey” in an underground fight club called Tiger’s Temple. Despite being skilled, he is often bribed to lose fights. However, Kid harbors a burning desire for revenge against Baba Shakti, who has since risen to political prominence, and Rana Singh, who is a regular at Kings, a luxurious brothel managed by Queenie Kapoor.
Kid cleverly gets a job at Kings under the alias “Bobby,” a name he adopts from a cleaning product label, working initially in the kitchen. There, he befriends Alphonso, a gangster with connections to Queenie. By aiding Alphonso in winning a large bet at Tiger’s Temple, Kid earns a promotion to waiter, giving him access to the VIP floors of Kings. This strategic move brings him closer to his targets.
Prepared to strike, Kid acquires a gun and trains a stray dog to smuggle it past Kings’ security. His plan unfolds when he serves Rana cocaine laced with powdered bleach, seizing the opportunity to confront and attempt to kill him in the bathroom. The assassination goes awry, forcing Kid to fight his way out of the building. In his escape, Kid flees in a supercharged tuk-tuk driven by Alphonso, but a high-speed chase with the police ends with Kid crashing the vehicle and getting arrested. Despite this setback, he manages a daring escape but is eventually shot by police and falls into a river.
Miraculously, Kid is rescued by Alpha, the caretaker of the Ardhanarishvara temple, home to a community of hijra (transgender individuals) who are also under threat from Baba Shakti’s aggressive political agenda. As Kid recovers at the temple, Alpha introduces him to hallucinogenic rituals that allow him to confront and process the trauma of his mother’s death. Through this transformative experience, Kid finds a renewed sense of purpose and begins training in combat alongside the hijra, pledging to protect them and other marginalized groups.
Emboldened, Kid returns to the fight ring at Tiger’s Temple, this time betting on himself and winning a substantial sum of money, enough to secure the future of Alpha’s temple. However, the struggle intensifies as Baba Shakti’s influence grows, marked by the election of his party’s candidate during the Diwali celebrations. Undeterred, Kid, now wearing a bleached white monkey mask, storms Kings with improvised weapons, accompanied by Alpha and her warriors.
Inside, chaos ensues as Kid fights his way up to the penthouse. Queenie, caught in the turmoil, attempts to shoot Kid but is fatally stopped by Sita, a fellow worker and exploited prostitute. Using Queenie’s severed thumb for biometric access, Kid finally faces Rana, whom he defeats in a brutal fistfight. His quest leads him to Baba, who inflicts wounds on Kid with blades concealed in his footwear. Despite his injuries, Kid manages to turn Baba’s own blades against him, ending his life.
As he collapses from his wounds, Kid reflects on his journey, his mother’s teachings, and his devotion to Hanuman. Having avenged Neela’s death, he finds a moment of peace amidst the chaos, his mission fulfilled at great personal cost.