Riz Ahmed may seem to have an acting ‘type,’ specifically, as musicians with major health conditions which impair their ability to perform. This is most obvious in Ahmed’s recent hit “Sound of Metal” (2019), which chronicles the life of a drummer who loses his hearing abilities. This is also true of his more recent project, “Mogul Mowgli” (2020), a self-written and produced tale of a rapper who suddenly comes down with a chronic illness. This singular character arc may lead one to believe that Ahmed is a one-trick pony, but this assumption would be false. In fact, his stories are harrowing, nuanced and bring dramatized life to the most painful events one can experience.
Ahmed is most commonly known for his work in “Sound of Metal,’ the deeply claustrophobic tale of Ruben(Ahmed), who must cope with the personal and professional outcomes of losing his hearing as a drummer. The film bifurcates its intended focus, recognizing both the professional difficulty his deafness causes to his drumming while also focusing on hearing deaf voices and promoting spaces that value disability. Ahmed’s performance is shattering — for a film primarily about his mentality, the viewer is able to truly get within his mind and the choices he must make. The impact of this strong performance was visible; Ahmed himself got an Academy Award nomination for his work. Still, the sheer valor of his performance must be recognized. Ahmed immerses the audience in his pain, both setting visceral discomfort and ultimately an emotional bond with the film’s progression.
Lesser known, however, is Ahmed’s project “Mogul Mowgli." The film follows Zed, a British-Pakistani rapper who is forced to go back home to his family, putting his career plans on hold, after developing a degenerative autoimmune disease. The film questions art, faith and how we commit ourselves to what we believe in. It also heavily features Ahmed’s rapping skills, with Ahmed himself having a fairly prominent rap career. Though the film may not be garnering Ahmed major award nominations, it is deeply reflective of his own skill. Ahmed can not only portray these stories of trauma, but he can craft them himself. This demonstrates just how in touch Ahmed is with his own craft; he can form his own stories with emotional salience and nuance, similarly captivating the mind of the viewer and forcing them along the journey.
Ultimately, Ahmed has the ‘it’ factor. He can make you scream, make you cry and even make you grip your chair with tremendous anxiety. Not only is he capable of commanding a screen, but he has the ability to do so with such nuance and complexity that his portrayals feel deeply authentic. For that, Ahmed must be praised.
