Prime Video’s ‘Bait’ follows the story of a struggling actor, Shah, who gets an opportunity of a lifetime when he gets to audition for the leading role in the next James Bond. Determined to get the role at any cost, Shah embarks on a journey that takes him through some of the most trying times of his life. Over the course of the season, the story presents a deeply human portrait of a man who is trying to find his identity, lest he completely loses himself in the role. Created by Riz Ahmed, the comedy-drama series presents a flawed but realistic protagonist and explores the complexities of the human psyche.
Riz Ahmed Drew From His Own Experience to Create the Fictional Premise of Bait
‘Bait’ is a fictional story created by Riz Ahmed, who also stars in it as Shah Latif. The idea for the story originated from the actor’s own experience of living a dual life on the personal and professional fronts. The British-Pakistani artist recalled several incidents where, to the world, it seemed like he was in a perfect place in his career, but they had no idea what his personal challenges were at the time.
He mentioned the time when he was cast in ‘Star Wars,’ and the first pictures of the movie were released, he received many messages from his friends and acquaintances, congratulating him. At the same time, he was going through a health crisis that had him question the entire structure of his life. He later explored this personal struggle in his film, ‘Mogul Mowgli.’
In another incident, Ahmed recalled the time when ‘Venom’ was released. Once again, he received congratulatory calls and messages, and to an outsider, it may have seemed that there would be nothing wrong with his life at the moment. What most people didn’t know is that around the same time, he was banned from a Tesco after being mistakenly suspected of shoplifting.
“My washing machine was broken, so I had one of those massive laundry bags full of all my laundry, and the only clothes I had were insane—I had [on] this bright green puffer and pink fucking swim shorts or something,” he said, adding context to what the Tesco employees would have seen and perceived when he forgot to bill some candles.
Riz Ahmed Created Shah’s Character in His Own Image
The Emmy-winning actor wanted to explore the imbalance of the real and the fictional in an artist’s life, presenting it through the lens of a South Asian family. Like Shah, he is the son of Pakistani immigrants, grew up in Wembley, and turned towards rapping and acting. While Shah isn’t entirely based on him, the writer-actor used stories from his own childhood to create the background for Shah.
He even filmed in the neighborhoods he grew up in and the places that he frequented in his young years. In the same vein, to create Shah’s family members and friends, he borrowed elements from the personalities of the people around him. With this, he presented a realistic portrait of a struggling artist as well as his family.
While the audition for James Bond is a focal point of the story, it became a part of the show’s script at a later stage. Having created Shah’s character, Riz Ahmed wanted to put him in a “high risk high reward” situation in a professional capacity. Having once himself been in talks for James Bond, he had a sense of what it would be like for a struggling actor to get that opportunity.
Shah’s Journey in Bait Reflects a Greater Human Struggle
Describing the role as “the pinnacle of cinematic achievement, alpha masculinity, desirability, career success,” he confessed that, at one point, there was a part of him that wanted the role. So, that is the route he took for Shah’s story, noting that Bond’s espionage factor brought a sense of thrill to the story.
Through the Bond storyline, Ahmed also took the opportunity to address the importance of representation in Hollywood. At the same time, he also explored it from the perspective of an actor who, in order to further his career, has to fit into the boxes his job creates for him, but at the same time, he is also criticised by his community for becoming a sellout.
This push and pull, where he tries to find a way to have the role without losing himself and his community, becomes a major point of concern for Shah. At the end of the day, Ahmed said, it is about pulling off the masks and the performances we tend to put on for others, often losing our own selves in the process. This is something he hoped the audience could relate to, regardless of their profession.
Read More: Bait Ending Explained: Does Shah Become James Bond?
