Riz Ahmed Praises Chand Mohammad's JUNGLYWOOD Trailer: "To Me You're Already a Pro in the Business"
About a month ago, Chand Mohammad sent a link to someone he admired, with no expectation of a reply. The someone was Riz Ahmed. The reply came.
"Hello bro, this video is so so good... to me you're already a pro in the business," Ahmed wrote of the trailer for Mohammad's upcoming film, JUNGLYWOOD.
Why that message lands
For a young director, encouragement from Ahmed is not small talk. The British-Pakistani actor, rapper and filmmaker has built a distinct place in international cinema by challenging stereotypes and prejudices.
He began with independent films such as The Road to Guantanamo, Shifty, Four Lions and Ill Manors
Nightcrawler (2014), opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, brought wider recognition
In 2017 he won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for The Night Of, becoming the first Muslim actor to win the award
He earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Sound of Metal
In 2022 he won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short for The Long Goodbye
According to the film's team, Mohammad reached out because of the path Ahmed has paved for Muslim artists in global cinema.
A film about outsiders, encouraged by an outsider
The timing makes the exchange more meaningful. JUNGLYWOOD is about the struggles of outsiders in the entertainment industry. It is a gritty dark comedy that looks at what happens behind the scenes through a fictional, darkly comic thriller. Earlier coverage described a story set around a secret party that takes a dark and dangerous turn.
A message from an actor who built his own way into the industry, sent to a director making a film about exactly that, has a neat symmetry.
Cast and credits
Written and directed by: Chand Mohammad
Production: Moon Side Films
Pivotal roles: Shaan R Grover, Irina Rudakova, Deepak Kalra
Newcomers: Akash Jagga, Dia Singh, Niya Bapalawat, Anoushka Chauhan, Twinkle Arora and Pushpit
Shaan R Grover drew attention for his part in Saiyaara, and this is a significant lead role for him. A release date has not been confirmed.
For more on newer faces making their mark, see our look at fresh onscreen pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What did Riz Ahmed say about JUNGLYWOOD?
He told director Chand Mohammad: 'Hello bro, this video is so so good... to me you're already a pro in the business.'
What is JUNGLYWOOD about?
It is a gritty dark comedy that explores behind-the-scenes realities of the film industry through a fictional, darkly comic thriller, with a focus on the struggles of outsiders.
Who stars in JUNGLYWOOD?
Shaan R Grover, Irina Rudakova and Deepak Kalra, with newcomers including Akash Jagga, Dia Singh, Niya Bapalawat, Anoushka Chauhan, Twinkle Arora and Pushpit.
Who made JUNGLYWOOD?
It is written and directed by Chand Mohammad and produced under Moon Side Films.
Kenneth Hopkins is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AltBollywood. Indofuturist, posthumanist and unapologetically Indocentric, he describes himself as an epimemeticist, a swaraji, a freakonomist, a lexicographer and a cartochronicler, mapping the ideas, words and quiet shifts that shape Indian entertainment. Follow him on Instagram at @kennethhopkins.
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