Mogul Mowgli review: Riz Ahmed shines in timely rap drama
There’s something joyous about seeing a star let loose in a passion project after a long period in Hollywoodland. Mogul Mowgli’s co-writer, producer and star Riz Ahmed revels in the project, putting in a performance that stands as one of his best.
He plays Zed, a British-Pakistani rapper living in New York where his music is quickly gaining a reputation. On the verge of a huge European tour, he is persuaded to visit his family in London and reconnect after two years. While there, he falls ill and discovers he has a degenerative autoimmune disease that requires invasive, experimental treatment. With his dream derailed, Zed fights his condition and confronts his family issues.
Bassam Tariq’s direction mirrors Zed’s rapid-fire performances, with several issues explored in Mogul Mowgli’s brief 90-minute runtime.
Foremost is Zed’s relationship with his culture, having drifted from his family’s traditions and religious community. He is scolded by a more devout cousin for shortening his name (Zahir), and is lambasted by a fan when he leaves prayer to smoke.
But we also see another side of Zed, not least through a series of surreal visions reflecting his memories and insecurities. These show his difficulty fitting in to the rap scene due to his race, while his lyrics rage against the people who ask the loaded question “where are you from?” We see a man who has spent his life caught between a society he wants to fit into, and a counter-culture within which he’s trying to justify his presence.
This sense of torn identity bleeds into his relationship with his father, brilliantly played by Alyy Khan. A very different man to his son, he and Ahmed spend the film clashing as only family does, with short bursts of fury softening into grudging affection. It’s the touching heart of a story that builds quietly, but comes to a superb conclusion.
Much of Mogul Mowgli’s screen time is focused on the star, however, and Ahmed makes the most of every moment. On stage, the real-life musician comes out as Ahmed performs with striking intensity. Off it, we feel the fury and panic as Zed’s life seems to slip through his fingers, while your heart breaks as he asks his doctor “why did this happen?”
Key to the performance is his expert balance of comedy and tragedy. There are darkly funny moments, such as his disdain when his musical rival RPG (Nabhaan Rizwan) offers his condolences, or an excruciating visit to a fertility clinic. A lump-in-throat moment of sadness is never far away, however, and both are handled with grace.
If you only know Riz Ahmed from Rogue One or Venom, Mogul Mowgli is an intimate showcase for the talent that got him there. A vocal advocate for diversity in cinema, he leaps at the chance to make the kind of art he wants to see more of.