--- title: "Mogul Mowgli: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/mogul-mowgli/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/mogul-mowgli" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 23 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Mogul Mowgli (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 23 reviews: 17 positive, 5 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Mogul Mowgli, with praise concentrated on Riz Ahmed’s performance: its physical intensity, vulnerability and conviction in the rap scenes. The reviews also value the film’s exploration of cultural identity, illness and family, with several singling out the warmth between Ahmed and Alyy Khan. Bassam Tariq’s dreamlike imagery is another recurring strength, giving Zed’s inner turmoil a force that many find unsettling and emotionally affecting. Reservations centre on crowded storytelling, uneven rhythm and metaphors that sometimes make their point too plainly. The spread is fairly wide, though even qualified reviews tend to admire Ahmed: The Hollywood Reporter finds him magnetic while judging the drama opaque and underdeveloped. The Wrap is the clearest dissenter, finding thin characterisation and obvious metaphors where most critics find a compelling personal struggle; elsewhere, objections more often concern individual scenes or subplots than the film as a whole. ## Empire — Hanna Flint Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 October 2020. Flint finds the film culturally rich and emotionally raw, calling it a brilliant showcase for Riz Ahmed. She praises the intensity and authenticity of his performance, alongside the film’s striking, isolating imagery. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mogul-mowgli/) ## The i Paper — Ed Power Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2020. The review finds the film feverish, compelling and ultimately ferocious and cathartic. It praises the unnerving portrayal of serious illness and its hallucinatory imagery. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed-british-asian-identity-741719) ## IndieWire — Siddhant Adlakha Rating B+. 30 August 2021. Adlakha finds the film an intimate, emotionally charged drama, despite stretches where its recovery scenes meander. He praises Riz Ahmed’s vulnerable performance and the film’s eventual emotional reconciliation between father and son. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed-1234660846/) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 9 October 2020. The critic calls the film one of the year’s funniest, darkest and smartest, praising its layered, unformulaic approach. She singles out its exploration of cultural identity and Zed’s illness, including the nightmarish visions tied to his father’s history. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/mogul-mowgli-film-review-riz-ahmed-a4567316.html) ## Little White Lies — Caitlin Quinlan Rating 4/4/4. 19 October 2020. Quinlan finds the film invigorating and moving, despite occasional jarring tonal shifts. She praises Bassam Tariq’s vivid capture of Zed’s world and Riz Ahmed’s electric performance. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/mogul-mowgli) ## Radio Times — Beth Webb Rating 4/5. Webb finds the film treads familiar ground but says Riz Ahmed’s committed performance remains compelling. She singles out his blistering vulnerability and the film’s striking surrealism. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-c3vuqz/mogul-mowgli/) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2020. The critic finds the film confident, confrontational and exhilarating, though its treatment of cultural tension can be too obvious. They praise its unpredictable storytelling and lively humour as it moves between absurdist comedy and vulnerability. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/mogul-mowgli-bassam-tariq-riz-ahmed-rapper-identity-crisis) ## Time Out — Stephen A Russell Rating 4/5. 9 September 2020. The review presents the drama as compelling. It singles out Riz Ahmed’s rap as a vehicle for familial dislocation, disability and the horror of Partition. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/mogul-mowgli) ## Los Angeles Times — Carlos Aguilar Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 3 September 2021. Aguilar finds the film formally ambitious and emotionally affecting, despite some elements failing to cohere. He particularly praises Riz Ahmed’s raw, vulnerable performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-09-03/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed) ## Slant Magazine — Wes Greene Rating 3/4. 29 August 2021. Greene finds the film poignant and aesthetically lively in its portrayal of Zed’s identity crisis. He particularly praises Riz Ahmed and Alyy Khan’s moving father-son performances. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. Festival review. Bradshaw finds the drama profound and engaging, while noting that it can be self-indulgent. He praises its forthright handling of the complexities of British selfhood. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/21/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed-tackles-british-selfhood-head-on) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. Lodge finds the film imperfect but compelling, driven by Riz Ahmed’s magnetic performance. He also praises the restless visual style and layered sound design that amplify its cultural and psychological tensions. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/mogul-mowgli-film-review-riz-ahmed-1203510490/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. No review details are available from the supplied page content. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mogul-mowgli-movie-review-2021) ## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 13 February 2020. The accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It identifies Riz Ahmed’s character as a first-generation rap artist at odds with his world and body, but gives no specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/mogul-mowgli-review/5147140.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2021. The page’s access error leaves the critic’s verdict unavailable. The review’s specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/movies/mogul-mowgli-review-rapping-for-dear-life.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Dalton Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. Festival review. The critic finds the film ambitious and thoughtfully crafted but muted, opaque, and short of dramatic impact. Riz Ahmed’s magnetic performance and rap skills stand out, while the film’s underdeveloped storytelling limits its promise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/mogul-mowgli-review-1280385/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The review finds the film a unique, powerful study of culture, identity and family. It singles out Riz Ahmed’s career-best performance and praises the vivid sequences that convey Zed’s inner conflict. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/mogul-mowgli-review/) ## /Film — Hoai-Tran Bui Rating 8/10. 3 September 2021. The critic calls the film an imperfect but genuine exploration of cultural identity and generational trauma. She praises Riz Ahmed’s performance and Bassam Tariq’s dreamlike direction for capturing the messy process of confronting the past. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/594967/mogul-mowgli-review-a-revelatory-riz-ahmed-returns-to-his-roots-in-a-surreal-rap-drama/) ## Film Stories — Linda Marric Rating [4Stars]. 2 November 2020. The review finds the film self-assured, fresh, and effective in addressing important issues, despite a dense narrative that can be difficult to access. It especially praises Riz Ahmed’s performance, highlighting his memorable concert scene and his comic, likeable hospital scene. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed-on-top-form/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The review is strongly positive about Ahmed’s performance and the film’s personal, believable perspective. It especially praises the warmth and authenticity of the family banter, as well as the rap scenes. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/mogul-mowgli-review-riz-ahmed-2621609) ## Paste — Jacob Oller Rating 7.5/10. 31 August 2021. Oller finds the film raw, evocative, and occasionally heavy-handed, praising its urgency and visual vitality. He singles out the dreamlike sequences and recurring imagery as especially affecting. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/riz-ahmed/mogul-mowgli-review) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2020. Festival review. Wilkinson finds the film ambitious and emotionally affecting, though its many ideas sometimes disrupt its rhythm. She praises the warmth between Riz Ahmed and Alyy Khan, while faulting the fertility subplot and Zed’s relationship with Bina as underdeveloped. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/mogul-mowgli-2020-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2021. The critic finds the film disappointing, with thin characterization and overly obvious metaphors overwhelming its focus on cultural identity. They single out Tariq’s direction in an early confrontation as a brief strength, but say the film never improves. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/mogul-mowgli-film-review-riz-ahmed/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/mogul-mowgli.md