Bait review: Brilliant Riz Ahmed shines in occasionally indulgent identity circus
British actor-rapper Riz Ahmed shines in Bait. It is a snappy six-part satire on the hurdles of being a minority in British showbiz. Stylish and sharp, the six-episode show is essential viewing that's as cool as it is cutting.
With British actor-rapper Riz Ahmed at the helm, expectations were always going to be sky-high, but Bait managed to cut through the noise with a sharp, satirical bite that feels incredibly urgent.
Spanning six episodes of 30 minutes each, the series isn’t just a meta-commentary on the industry; it is a restless, often hilarious autopsy of identity and representation in modern Britain.
Ahmed stars as Shah Latif, a British Pakistani actor who finds himself at the centre of a whirlwind when rumours start swirling that he is the next James Bond. Yes, you read that right!
It is a premise ripe for mockery, yet the show uses it as a Trojan horse to explore the exhausting weight of being a "representative" while just trying to get a job.
The series kicks off with Shah’s audition for the 007 role – a sequence that perfectly captures the cringe-inducing reality of being an actor of colour in rooms that don't quite know what to do with you. Instead of retreating, Shah leans into the chaos, fuelling the press fire and triggering a ripple effect that spirals out of his control.
Through this lens, the show dissects public perception, media manipulation, and the suffocating nature of racialised expectations.
Ahmed, alongside co-writers Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Azam Mahmood, and Karen Joseph Adcock, and directors Bassam Tariq and Tom George, has crafted a narrative that feels both absurd and deeply moving.
The storytelling prioritises a natural rhythm, sidestepping cliches to focus on Shah’s navigation of family dynamics, professional jealousies, and the darker side of internet fame. A particularly poignant arc involves an anti-Muslim hate crime that shatters his family’s Eid celebrations, grounding the satire in a sobering reality.
The ensemble cast is stellar. Ahmed is predictably brilliant, capturing Shah’s transition from a hopeful striver to a man drowning in the spotlight. Actor-comedian Guz Khan provides fantastic comic relief as the blunt cousin Zulfi, while Himesh Patel (who will be seen next in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey) is perfectly cast as the professional rival, Raj Thakker.
The Umbrella Academy's Ritu Arya adds a necessary layer of grounded friction as Shah’s former partner, Yasmin, who sees through his performative streaks. The supporting turns by Sheeba Chaddha, Soni Razdan, Sajid Hasan, Aasiya Shah, and Weruche Opia create a texture that feels like a living, breathing British South Asian community.
Technically, Bait is a visual treat. The cinematography oscillates between intimate handheld work and dramatic crash zooms that feel like a loving nod to 1960s and 70s South Asian cinema. A standout one-shot sequence on London’s Brick Lane is a masterclass in staging, while surrealist flourishes effectively mirror Shah’s internal anxiety.
The soundtrack is equally essential, serving as a sonic bridge across decades. It’s a curated mix featuring Pakistani legend Naheed Akhtar and the Sabri Brothers’ qawwali alongside British Pakistani new wave and modern hits from Jorja Smith and Amrit Maan. Shruti Kumar’s score pulls these disparate sounds into a cohesive, atmospheric whole.
Ultimately, Bait is a balancing act. It uses Shah’s ambition to ask uncomfortable questions about how ethnic minorities are packaged for the screen.
While the show occasionally dives deep into self-reflection that might feel indulgent to some, it never loses its pulse. It is a nuanced, stylish, and vital addition to the television landscape, proving that the struggle for identity is rarely a straight line – and often, it’s a bit of a circus.
All six episodes of Bait are now streaming on Prime Video.