Paul Elliott’s review published on Letterboxd:
Riz Ahmed is undoubtedly one of the most compelling actors at the moment, and he not only provides Mogul Mowgli with an incredible performance, but he also produced and co-wrote the film with director Bassam Tariq. He plays British-Pakistani hip-hop artist Zed, and Tariq incorporates some weighted imagery from Zed's subconscious mind as he becomes struck down by a severe autoimmune disease just as he was on the brink of his first world tour.
Ahmed's portrayal of a character who experiences a life-changing condition has parallels with his performance in the similarly terrific Darius Marder directed Sound of Metal. The cycle of haunting imagery from Zed's adolescence to cultural apparitions of the ordeals of the population of India during the partitioning of the country compounds to a sparking drama about the importance of culture and community.
The film's surrealist orientation successfully apprehends the protagonist's fundamental confusion and unrest with his cultural and pastoral identity. The film creates space for its themes and manages to give rise to commentary on broader concerns as it employs a variety of different angles in approaching Zed's crisis. It's another outstanding showcase for Ahmed's sharp acting abilities, who's characters self-identity persists as the films' central conceit, as well as being a solid feature-length directorial debut for Bassam Tariq.