In his narrative feature debut, Bassam Tariq directs Riz Ahmed in Mogul Mowgli. A film which places culture, identity and expression at the forefront, the story centres on a British-Pakistani rapper, Zed, who develops a potentially career-ending autoimmune disease before his planned world tour, leading to a period of self-realisation and reflection.
A stylistically bold endeavour, Mogul Mowgli is certain to be one of the most memorable feature debuts of the year. Reminiscent of Alex Ross Perry's Her Smell from last year in the way it strikes an impressively oppressive, almost claustrophobic atmosphere that permeates through this character study of a troubled individual within the music industry, Mogul Mowgli stands in good company but is given an edge due to the unique perspective offered by Tariq and Ahmed's collaborative screenplay.
Tempered by themes of immigration and cultural identity that feel both refreshing and enlightening, Mogul Mowgli takes the time to truly build its protagonist, resulting in a layered, arguably more emotionally complex effort than the surface would suggest. Not only does it take time to consider Zed's condition and options moving forward, but it is further influenced by the cultural identity that he grapples with throughout - caught between belonging here or there, it leads to his aggressive, standoffish behaviour that the film goes on to carefully dissect and examines.
From the 4:3 aspect ratio which boxes the drama in, to the tight framing that feels increasingly invasive as we watch our protagonist's difficulties reshape his life, the film possesses an urgency that really serves our understanding of the character. With the (mostly) excellent direction equalled by the imposing vitality of Riz Ahmed's winning performance, Mogul Mowgli excels. It is debatable whether the frenzied style is as measured as one would like, occasionally feeling a little too fragmented and fractured for the quieter, reflective final act to simmer in its intended way, but it gives the film an energy that seems unmatched.
Whether the concluding third works completely or not, the interesting cultural examination alongside the terrific performance from Riz Ahmed is more than enough for Mogul Mowgli to work and be a worthwhile endeavour. British-Pakistanis have rarely been depicted on screen in this way - influenced by their culture but not entirely defined by it - meaning Bassam Tariq first foray into narrative storytelling is an exciting portrayal that allows us to explore untapped ground in British cinema.
Summary: Culture and identity are at the centre of Mogul Mowgli, a bold and stylish narrative debut with a winning performance from Riz Ahmed.
Mogul Mowgli plays at the London Film Festival on October 10th before a general release in UK cinemas on October 30th.