User reviews

When your day to day life revolves around doing something that you have a devout passion for there could be nothing worse than that particular lifestyle being put at risk by something so cruel as an illness of some sort.

In Bassam Tariq's Mogul Mowgli, Riz Ahmed plays Zed, a British-Pakistani rapper just about to start his first world tour before being struck down by an autoimmune disease that threatens to derail his big break.

Tariq delivers a rather intimate tale of a talented man's life that comes crashing down around him all while trying to reconnect with his family back in London. Finding a path in life that has led to a career in music is one that Zed's family don't fully approve of so the two colliding when his illness takes holds leads to a real sense of claustrophobia as Zed struggles to come to terms with the impact it will have on his life.

This is realised in some trippy dream sequences littered throughout that haunt Zed and emphasise the panic he's facing internally with some choppy editing and some very decent rapping. Listen out for Pussy Fried Chicken, a dead cert for the Oscar for Best Original Song for sure.

Riz Ahmed leads the film with an exceptional performance that spans from confident musician about to get his big break to a shell of his former self, vulnerable and frail as the illness sets in and leaves him questioning what future he is set for. This is very much a film for Ahmed to showcase his talents and he truly excels on every level.

It's kicked off LFF for me in a great and surprisingly emotional fashion so make sure you seek this one out upon release.

A film about conflicts, traditions, cultures and expectations as a second generation British Pakistani, having forged a career in music as an up and coming rapper, has his dreams shattered through illness and becomes affected by vivid reflections of his childhood, the competing demands of the old and the new, the curtailing of ambition, all consuming his fight for recovery. Riz Ahmed, once again, is outstanding!!!

A very uncomfortable watch. The way it was directed was not exactly up my alley. While the writing and story itself really worked, and it also caught me what the film represents, I really had some issues with several creative decisions to tell that story. The positive thing is Riz Ahmed! When does Hollywood finally recognize his huge talent and uses it more effectively than supporting roles in blockbusters. This guy is phenomenal in the role of a parkistanic DJ who developes a sickness that not only destroys his career but also his view at life. The film has many things to tell, first its the struggle with that new illness and the constant inner struggle of the leading characters believes and traditions. Ahmed is awesome how he handles this material, also written by him and director Bassam Tariq. Also the performance by Alvy Khan is absolutely noteworthy. Riz Ahmed also proves himself as a very talented rapper. The films structure is generally fine, except for those imaginary scenes that really are often not easy on the eye, because of the sloppy editing, but the way the protagonists faces all his challenges is extremely well portrayed.

Recently announced by Marvel as the man put in charge of their Blade reboot, British director Bassam Tariq can attribute his success at being handed a big profile Marvel project to his unique debut collaboration with actor Riz Ahmed, Mogul Mowgli.

Alongside Ahmed's higher profile role in last year's Oscar nominated Sound of Metal, Mowgli gives the talented performer another chance to play an ill musician, with the powerful performer here bringing British/Pakistani rapper Zed to live in a story he helped developed alongside Tariq that allows him to show off his rapping skills in conjunction with his acting smarts.

Filmed in a 4:3 aspect ratio and an almost documentary like manner, Mowgli is a down and dirty independent offering, one that appears born out of the blood, sweat and tears of its leading man's upbringing in working class surrounds and Tariq never allows his film to be in any ways a glossy examination of a lost soul trying to reconnect with his culture while battling a debilitating illness that appears destined to derail his music career just as it was set for its big break.

There's nothing overly new about this set-up of a nobody trying to become a somebody in the face of adversity but the Pakistani flavor Tariq and Ahmed bring to the film gives Mowgli its own unique identity in an otherwise crowded marketplace and watching Ahmed go from a rhyme spitting centerpiece to a broken man calling his ex-girlfriend in desperate circumstances is further proof that the actor is one of the very best working today, whether it be in comedy, drama or western, Ahmed has morphed very quickly into a chameleon of talent, elevating films whenever his allowed screen time.

For all the rawness of Tariq's film and Ahmed's noteworthy turn, there are elements to the tale of Zed that don't resonate as strongly as you would've hoped, with the film keeping you at arm's length from truly investing your heart and soul into Zed's journey.

Delivering a large section of dream/nightmare like moments where Zed is experiencing internal and sometimes external crisis, Mowgli is more off-kilter than you may expect when you watch a trailer or read a synopsis and while in ways it helps contribute to the feeling we haven't seen a film exactly like this before, there's a coldness and oddness to Tariq's film that holds it back from becoming the emotional gut punch it may've been.

This unpredictability and vibrancy however is likely what Marvel identified in the film to target Tariq for their Blade films, with it exciting to think about what the upcoming director can bring to the table with all of Marvel's guidance and resources at his disposal.

Final Say -

A rap infused culturally themed drama that marks a noteworthy debut from its director and another feather in the cap of its leading man, Mogul Mowgli doesn't always click but it's an independent film with fresh ideas and execution that make it worth your time.

3 rap battles out of 5.

Riz Ahmed takes front and centre stage in 'Mogul Mowgli,' a film he co-wrote with director Bassam Tariq. The movie plays more like a stream of thoughts than a thoughtful discourse about issues of identity and cultural and religious heritage. It also borders on being too strange when it uses disorienting editing, Islamic symbolism, and surreal imagery on such strong subject matters, but never realised to the fullest extent. Still, bolstered by a captivating performance by Ahmed, 'Mogul Mowgli' is a deeply emotional and personal outing that affects in an unexpected way, opening possibilities of vulnerability and the examination of selfhood.

An up and coming Asian British rapper living in the US gets a break to support a well known artist on tour, he gets the chance to return to his home prior to the tour and has a seizure.

In the hospital it is confirmed he has a serious auto immune disease.

Good story but too many hallucinations which don't seem to link well to the storyline.

Great acting from Riz Ahmed.

This movie could have been much better exploring more the issues with girlfriend, career, manager and family.

Ending pretty much left in dark.

I've been a fan of Riz Ahmed ever since I saw him in Shifty back in 2008 . Since then he's done some brilliant stuff such as the TV show The Night Of to films such as Four Lions , Nightcrawler, and The Sound Of Metal .

While this isn't quite up to the standard of those mentioned it certainly can't be accused on not being interesting.

This is the story of a rapper who just before a major tour finds he has a degenerate muscle disease. Not only does he have to battle the illness, he has to put up with a religious father who doesn't have faith in the traditional medicines.

A manager who doesn't have his best interests at heart and the constant thoughts and hallucinations that are going on in his head .

Riz Ahmed is great . The film itself is quite hard work . It's a bit grim at times and the people on show are not always the nicest .

I'm not a fan of the music on show here , which doesn't help but I do find it lyrically very clever , especially Zed's battle with his identity.

This won't be to everyone's taste and it definitely won't be as popular as some of his other films but I found it interesting and irritating ,( mainly the religious nonsense ) at the same time and that's a good thing - I think .

First it was great to see our culture represented. Film seems very personal to riz due to his background. Some scenes and montages were very powerful and moving. I especially like the surreal and dream sequences. The actors, director, story, music, cinematography all were great and film really had a unique feeling to it and unlike other films which is very difficult to pull off. Another great entry in rizs career and I'm loving all the recent choices he's been making.

Movie night with Iris.

This has the feel of 1980s Film on 4 and a bit of Donnie Darko. Riz Ahmed leads with a performance that is his most personal and affecting yet. This tackles questions of family, identity, religion, integrity and illness in a way that never feels forced. It's an engaging, heartfelt rumination that feels very personal but emotionally hooks you from the first bars.

It does look cheap, and that can be jarring at times. However, it mostly hits the right emotional beats. Mogul Mowgli is a gripping, emotive and thought-provoking examination of British-Pakistani culture.

This movie was completely over rated in my opinion.. Guess I just wasnt feeling it and thats ok... Hope others like better than I did.

The film is an engaging tale of a young man fighting a neurological disease. Acting is good. I find it enjoyable.

So...I feel like I just watched an entry from someones diary, it feels like I've just walked in on someones life. It feels very personal,like Bassam Tariq and Riz Ahmed are just writing about their lives, their experiences, and telling their stories through the facade of a Pakistani rapper. In a way it feels like this film and Riz Ahmed's album "The Long Goodbye" kind of go hand in hand , as in, they work well together , but also on their own.

And, yes, the premise is a little bit similar to "Sound of Metal" (at least on paper), but that does not make it bad.

Is this Sound of Metal? I was confused if this was going to be the same type of film.

Loved director Bassam Tariq's 2019 short Ghosts of Sugarland and so was excited to see this film-his first narrative feature-but was really disappointed.

Right from the start I just didn't find the rap performance convincing from Riz Ahmed. Then we go right into the fight with the girlfriend. It just felt very cliche. The family scenes didn't work for me either and then we get into the crazy disease. Everything is over-explained and over-dramatized.

Didn't like the 4:3 aspect ratio. Didn't like the dream sequences.

Would not recommend anyone watch this film.

Mogul Mowgli is another good film from Riz Ahmed after Sound of Metal and even if i think that that was better and so was his performance but still here he also give one very strong and fun act that blended with his character in a good way.Story was done in a nicely way but i felt like some rapping scenes were little unconvincing and that dream sequances with fruit head guy were little stupid and they didnt blended with seriousnesss of rest of this film.Mogul Mowgli is a good film but it has some weaker parts

Riz Ahmed's last three films have all been heavy, downbeat dramas - in TWO of which he's played a pro rocker with incurable medical issues: a metal drummer going deaf in "Sound Of Metal" and a rapper with auto-immune muscle failure in "Mogul Mowgli". In the latter (which Ahmed co-wrote with director Bassam Tariq btw) his razor-sharp rap has him about to hit the big time (opening for a major star on tour) before the hereditary disease strikes hard, which he obviously struggles with. It sure ain't feel-good, but the rap sequences are superb, helping paint a telling picture of the frustrations of Anglo-Pakistani youth. Not easy viewing, but def'ly worthy fare.

Iz Ahmed is one of my big favorites and I was looking forward to seeing this movie. I quickly realized that this is nowhere near the same qualities as Sound of Metal, Riz Ahmed's amazing performance.

And it is not Riz Ahmed's fault that this is not top notch.

Basically, I think this is an interesting plot. It's about finding your own way, breaking with old family traditions, religion and how to cope with serious, chronic illness.

What ruined a lot of the film for me was a messy direction and editing. The action jumps from present, past, there are noisy and fussy dream sequences which I did not like. The film's characters are also noisy and there is a lot of tiresome sound that takes the focus away from the good dialogues that the film also has.

But a film with Riz is not bad. He elevates this film as well, to above average. He is believable as a person whose life is turned upside down, and who must define a completely new life. I could only wish that the filmmakers had stuck to this narrative, and not chopped up the plot with so many scenes that spoil the overall impression.

Put this film on not expecting much, as often is the case. I saw it was about a rapper, so thought my son might like it, but he fell asleep before it even got going, not because of the film ,but because he was up all night. So I watched Mogul Mowgli by myself- great first five minute intro that should hook any honest viewer. The lyrics to the rap are excellent throughout but really set the stage of what is to come early on and come back like a Shakespearean chorus throughout the film in a dreamlike way as Zed, the main character, struggles with his condition. The subject could make for heavy viewing but it doesn't. The acting is excellent. Ahmed is super, as is the man that plays his father, Aly Khan, who appears older in the film than his IMDB pictures. For someone that didn't know a great deal about the historical nature of the story it was enlightening . It is heavy at times but offers enough humour to balance the act, much like a Taika Waititi film. The character of RPG offers some good comic relief and in the end an open door for the main character, Zed...nice touch and poignant illumination on the nature of fame and the nature of roots and creation. Very uplifting film in the end and should be an award winner in my book.

A man develops a muscle disorder that deters him from his big break in music.

We follow a rapper whose been trying to get his break for almost 20 years. He finally gets his chance when he suddenly can't move by himself and learns that he has a autoimmune disease.

I didn't think the rapping was all that good. The lyrics were okay but the flow lacked authenticity. It didn't surprise me that he hadn't reached his big break in 15 years. I didn't buy him as someone who genuinely loves hip hop. His other movie ''Sound of Metal was more convincing. His rival RPG has more success simply because he has catchy beats. He's the indian lil pump. Trash lyrics and decent beats while making a mockery of black culture.

Dream sequences were awkward, i didn't like them although it did do a good job illustrating his internal frustration. I know when I'm stressed about life, i dream about my stress and it makes me even more stressed.

Lead's performance was great. Amazing actor he carried the movie well despite the not so great rapping. His performance saved the movie and overall highlight.

My biggest nightmare is something going horribly wrong with my body that prevents me from following my dreams. Best part of the movie was him dealing with his career and panicking and basically his rival stealing his spotlight once again. I wish it had more of these types of scenes and cut short the dream sequences.

Anothe Riz Ahmed project about a possible music career derailment due to a health issue? Yes, and this may be Oscar nomination number two for the young upstar(t). "Mogul Mowgli" does an excellent job of setting up the trending career of British born to Pakistani parents rapper Zed - easy since it parallels the real life of actor, writer, rapper Ahmed (Riz MC to you), but the real pulse of this film comes with the physical and mental torment that ensues with a family visit.

Attacked by his more traditional circle who find it hard to recognize the high flying rapper, and attacked by his body's immune system because it cannot recognize itself, Zed the rapper and Zaheer the son sees his rosy world come crashing to a violent halt in a double whammy of identity theft.

During a frantic hospital stay on the eve of a major tour, an unsettling past haunts a desperate Zaheer in a series of hallucinatory sequences as he searches for his mind and his body. The historical context, left unexplained except for a few cloudy clues, refers to the 1947 Pakistani and Indian partition of British India, more specifically the short story "Toba Tek Singh" that deals with the repercussions of creating a border and shuffling people based on religious lines. Oh those crazy Brits.

Identity is a complex struggle Zaheer is forced to reconcile as his life crumbles, and he is literally and figuratively stuck in no man's land. A borderless prisoner.

Brilliantly edited, from flashy concert scenes to humble immigrant apartment life, "Mogul Mowgli" flows freely from English to Urdu in a wonderful rhythm, especially poignant when father and son move from awkward social niceties to butting stubborn heads. All of this heaviness boils down to the Riz Ahmed and Alyy Khan show, and a damn fine show it is.

• hipCRANK.

What a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. The acting is meh but the real problem is the plot. It's all over the place. Eminem was the king of his day, unfortunately, every adolescent kid with a hate on for the system and a microphone seems to find enough money to drag his idea of a great film to MSM and I end up wasting my time watching his lame-ass product. I put an end to this misery at the 30 minute mark.

Unsettling and electrifying; near-nightmarish and absolutely mesmerizing. Loved it.

Just a bunch of nonsense posing as art. I urge you to save 1.5 hours of your life and not watch this.

So so so bad. Probably the worst movie I've ever seen.