Riz Ahmed challenges long-held interpretations of Shakespeare’s most famous character
After playing Danish prince Hamlet, actor Riz Ahmed has challenged long-held interpretations of Shakespeare’s most famous character.
Riz Ahmed has challenged long-held interpretations of Shakespeare’s most famous character.
The 42-year-old actor, plays Danish prince Hamlet in a new adaptation of the play, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and is set to screen at the Toronto Film Festival.
Riz’s new production relocates the tragedy to modern London, reimagining the royal court as the world of South Asian business dynasties.
The actor has now insisted Hamlet is not a man paralysed by indecision but one “continuously active” and psyching himself up for revenge.
Directed by Aneil Karia, 40, the film also trims Shakespeare’s text to focus squarely on its protagonist, omitting supporting figures such as Horatio.
Riz was quoted by Variety saying: “It’s not, ‘Should I end it all?’” speaking about the play’s best-known soliloquy.
“It’s about ‘Are we willing to live under injustice? Do you fight or do you give up?’”
Riz also does not accept the traditional view of Hamlet as paralysed by doubt.
He added: “He’s continuously active.
“He’s investigating, strategizing, gathering evidence while he psyches himself up to do the unthinkable.”
The production’s modern setting reflects a deliberate choice to align Shakespeare’s play with present-day concerns about corruption and abuses of power.
Aneil said about the update: “There used to be unspoken rules (with Shakespeare adaptations.)
“But now people aren’t even trying to hide their criminality.
“The ground is shifting under Hamlet’s feet. And like so many people these days, he’s revolted at what’s happening but feels powerless to change it.”
Riz explained the adaptation cut anything that did not serve the inner life of the character.
He said: “We did away with anything that didn’t heighten the subjectivity of the experience.
“We kept all the parts that brought us into Hamlet’s mind and give viewers a sense of what he’s feeling.” Riz’s personal connection to the play began in adolescence.
He added: “It was a time when I felt like I really didn’t belong,” recalling his teacher, Mr Roseblad, first encouraged him to read Hamlet.
Riz went on: “And like so many people over such a long time, I found myself in that play. I saw a character who also felt that he didn’t fit in.”
Riz has built a career across independent and mainstream cinema, from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to an Oscar-nominated turn in Sound of Metal.
He spent almost a decade developing the script for Hamlet before joining forces with Aneil, who previously directed him in the Academy Award-winning short The Long Goodbye.
Riz added: “We want to democratise Shakespeare and not make it something stuffy and distant.
“And Aneil understood how to make it feel lived in and urgent and contemporary, and have that action thriller feel to it.”
The new production, running at two hours, includes a re-staged “To be or not to be” speech delivered by Hamlet behind the wheel of a speeding car.
Aniel said: “The question was always, ‘how can this speech feel alive and visceral?’
“And the answer was to have him behind the wheel of a speeding car heading towards a lorry.”
