Riz Ahmed did not take home the Oscar this year for his lead role in ‘Sound of Metal’. That honour went to Sir Anthony Hopkins for ‘The Father’. But this doesn’t matter. For by becoming the first Muslim (of Pakistani origin, to boot) to have ever received an Oscar nomination in the best actor category — the British-Pakistani Muslim rapper and actor has achieved much more. Namely, the hope that perceptions might be changing for the Muslim and Asian world.
The film focuses on Ruben (played by Ahmed), an ex-addict who unexpectedly loses his hearing and must choose between adjusting to his new hearing-impaired community or the life of a musician that he used to have. This is an atypical role for Muslim or Asian actors.
Directed by Darius Marder, the film was reportedly shot in just twenty six days. Besides being nominated for several categories at the Oscars, ‘Sound of Metal’ has also won the Golden Eye Award for best film at the Zurich Film Festival. In addition, it was also nominated at the BAFTAs (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts). Born in North London to Pakistani parents, Ahmed caught the acting but while still a teenager. He won a scholarship to a private school and graduated from Oxford University where he read politics, philosophy and economics.
Previous roles have seen him receive nominations at the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, the Critics Choices as well as the Independent Spirit Awards where he took home the prize for lead actor this year. Ahmed has appeared in blockbuster franchises for Disney and Marvel while also taking on independent film roles. He also became the first Muslim and Pakistani to win an Emmy (2017) for his portrayal of Nasir ‘Naz’ Khan in the film, ‘The Night Of’.
Riz Ahmed’s Oscar nomination alone marks new beginnings. Not least because his character has nothing to do with his own culture, religion, country of origin or, indeed, the colour of his skin
A recent discussion between Riz Ahmed and Steven Yeun (both Oscar nominees) on Vanity Fair online was picked up, and in which Ahmed was very open about the stereotyping of Asian characters. Both men have spoken about carefully choosing roles to avoid this and about the challenges of being pigeon-holed by these cultural cliches.
Muslims tend to be portrayed as terrorists and even when they appear in memes, the connotation is usually negative. This systemic and recurrent vilification by the western film industry has disappointed millions of Muslims across the world; who are all too familiar with such profiling. This has also translated into Muslim and Asian actors being cast in roles where their religion, ethnicity or nationality are crucial to the part, thereby constricting the scope of growth within the industry. All of which has disconnected the general public from the idea that a world exists beyond the entertainment industry lens. Mainstream cinema undoubtedly affects and influences viewpoints about cultural aspects.
Riz Ahmed not winning the Oscar was, of course, a bit of a disappointment. However, his role in ‘Sound of Metal’ broke all stereotypes and triggered a dynamic shift. Pakistan, too, has also had its fair share of negative portrayal on both the big and small screens.; and is often depicted as a place where only bad things happen. There is little, if any, attempt to show city life, the educated classes, cultural beauty or progress. Instead, the focus rests on rural areas and poverty, as if these are representative of the whole country.
Riz Ahmed’s nomination alone marks new beginnings. Not least because his character has nothing to do with his own culture, religion, country of origin or, indeed, the colour of his skin. In this instance, he was simply an actor focused on portraying a role and bringing the story to life through his talent. This not only shows the breaking down of certain stereotypes but also signals the shifting cultural lens of the western filmmaking industry.
The writer is known for her articles on Cultural Impact