Knew it would be special from the get-go: Sobhita Dhulipala on Dev Patel’s directorial debut Monkey Man

Sobhita Dhulipala has an interesting line-up of projects for this year beginning with the bilingual film Major (2021), starring Adivi Sesh, the Malayalam film Kurup (2021) opposite Dulquer Salmaan, Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan, and a second season of the critically acclaimed Amazon Prime web-series Made In Heaven.

Last year, the actress also shot for Dev Patel’s directorial debut, Monkey Man (2022), which was recently picked up by Netflix for $30 million.

Recalling her journey on the project, Dhulipala revealed, “I had auditioned for it almost five years ago and I got a call back in a few days for a screen test with Dev. I remember it was on the day I was leaving for the Cannes film festival with my first film Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016). All these years later and many turns in the journey of the film and our individual lives later, looks like we belonged with each other all along.

“What appealed to me about the project is that it’s a collaborative spirit, a young and rather eccentric approach to the story, and most certainly the people involved,” she continued. “I knew it would be special from the get-go. I really enjoyed my character’s tender dilemmas, they were as glamorous as sorrowful.”

Originally due to have been filmed in India, the feature film, starring Patel as a man recently released from prison and out for revenge, was eventually shot in Indonesia over four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calling the experience “incredibly wholesome and introspective”, Dhulipala said, “This is the closest I have been to my own self, my family and my pursuits. I shot for Monkey Man during a global health crisis, which has its share of inconveniences, but that aside, I didn’t find my journey during the film particularly challenging or difficult. I enjoyed every second of the ride.”

Asked about the other Indian artistes making their name worldwide and her own expectation for success internationally, Dhulipala replied, “It is the greatest era for potent crossovers in all fields, I am very inspired by the many hard workers who stand tall globally. I am too much of a wayfarer to feel bogged down by expectations on any front. It’s a short, short life, you know? Gratitude and passion will light my path.”