Fans are raving about Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” for its thrilling action sequences and poignant revenge storyline, but for LGBTQ South Asians, the film holds a particular significance.
The film features a transgender woman character, as well as India’s diverse third-gender, or “hijra,” community.
On his journey to get revenge on the corrupt guru and police chief who killed his mother, Patel’s character “Kid” is saved by Alpha, a transgender woman and hijra community leader. Other trans characters featured throughout the film eventually become allies to Kid, emerging in colorful saris and masks to fight alongside him during an epic battle scene.
“This is an anthem for the underdog, the voiceless, the marginalized,” Patel said in an interview with Variety. “I really wanted to include the hijra community, the third gender in India. … You look at the old carvings in these temples in India and the freedom, the sexuality, the philosophy, all of it, was so ahead of its time.”
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