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Riz Ahmed On Identity, Music, And Magical Realism
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Riz Ahmed attends the 93rd Annual Academy Awards at Union Station in Los Angeles, California.
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In his latest film, “Mogul Mowgli,” actor and rapper Riz Ahmed stars as Zed, a rapper diagnosed with an autoimmune disease right before he’s set to go on a major tour.
The film’s subject reflects a bit of a trend. Earlier this year, Ahmed was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in “The Sound of Metal,” another film about a musician dealing with a life-altering medical condition.
But “Mogul Mowgli” is arguably darker – and weirder. The film uses rap, lyricism, and magical realism to tell the story of a man navigating identity, family, and illness.
Ahmed co-wrote the film and drew on elements from his own life – including his music career, as rapper Riz MC and one half of the hip hop duo Swet Shop Boys.
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