Riz Ahmed talks turning Bait’s chilling hate crime scene into the surreal: ‘It’s about internalised racism and prejudice’

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**Warning: This article contains spoilers for Bait.**

In Prime Video’s Bait, things take a strange turn for Shah Latif (Riz Ahmed) as his life unravels and he unexpectedly finds himself in the public eye.

Shah carefully arranged for photographers to catch him leaving a studio, hoping to start rumors about him becoming the next James Bond. However, he was surprised to find that not everyone was excited about the possibility.

Although his family and friends are happy for him, he quickly faces harsh criticism online, including racist and Islamophobic attacks, which is deeply upsetting.

One disturbing part of the show depicts a pig’s head being thrown through the window of his parents’ house – a frightening act of hate that stands out against the show’s generally humorous tone.

It didn’t take long to realize Shah wasn’t just displaying the pig’s head; he was treating it like a studio audience! He’d actually talk to it, like he was recording a podcast. It was really strange, but fascinating to watch.

Ahmed, the creator and star of the series, explained that the idea for the pig’s head character – voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart – came from wanting to represent the critical voice inside all of us. He described it as a voice everyone has.

I wondered how we could make the scene more impactful. It turned out the answer was right in front of us – the pig’s head at the end of the first episode seemed to be staring us down.

We often internalize negative messages – criticism, racism, prejudice – from others, leading to a harsh inner critic that tells us we’re not good enough. What’s important to understand is that we can become overly reliant on this critical voice, almost as if it’s a part of us.

I used to be driven more by putting myself down than by happiness or affection. I realized this self-criticism could be both helpful and harmful – it could push me to achieve a lot, but at what price?

Throughout the show, Shah isolates himself in his parents’ garage to talk to the pig’s head. As his life becomes increasingly chaotic, he starts relying on it for guidance and support.

While the series uses a similar structure to James Bond stories, it’s really focused on themes of identity – how we present ourselves to the world versus who we truly are, and how that affects both ourselves and our relationships. This is particularly evident in the dynamic between Shah and his cousin, Zulfi, portrayed by Guz Khan.

It took Ahmed twelve years to create Bait. When discussing the most crucial aspects of the series, he told TopMob that he focused on building strong relationships and compelling characters. To achieve this, he needed exceptional actors, and he felt that Guz was the only person who could truly embody the role of Zulfi.

I had a strong feeling the show wouldn’t succeed without Guz playing Zulfi. He brings a genuine quality to the role and embodies a self-assuredness that Shah lacks. I specifically needed an actor who was completely comfortable in their own skin – someone who could confidently pull off those orange glasses, and Guz fit that perfectly.

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Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Hey, I’m Morgan Cormack, and I basically live and breathe TV drama! I write about everything happening in the world of drama for TopMob – that includes all the shows on streaming services too. Before this, I was writing about entertainment for Stylist. I’ve also done a bit of everything – content marketing, freelancing – and I studied English Literature in college, so I’ve always been a bit of a storyteller at heart.

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2026-03-27 00:35