Riz Ahmed's Contemporary Hamlet Seeks Educational Role
Acclaimed actor Riz Ahmed has finally completed his long-awaited modern interpretation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, expressing his hope that this "visceral" version will become the standard adaptation shown in schools across the country. After a thirteen-year journey to bring this project to fruition, Ahmed believes his contemporary take on the classic tragedy speaks directly to current societal experiences.
A Thirteen-Year Journey to the Screen
Ahmed revealed that what he describes as "a musical chairs of studio executives leaving" contributed to the extended thirteen-year development period for his Hamlet adaptation. Despite the prolonged timeline, the Oscar-winning performer now believes this is precisely the right moment for this particular interpretation to reach audiences. He suggests that the themes of powerlessness and gaslighting resonate strongly with contemporary viewers navigating what many perceive as an unfair world.
The actor explains his connection to the material: "Hamlet is feeling the way a lot of us are, you know, he's feeling the world's an unfair place. He's powerless about it. He's being gaslit about it. He's complicit in it... and a lot of people feel that way."
Educational Aspirations for Modern Adaptation
Reimagined as an action thriller set in contemporary London, Ahmed's adaptation employs innovative cinematic techniques including a shaky first-person camera perspective. The film's stylistic approach feels distinctly edgy and original, with Hamlet's iconic "To be or not to be" soliloquy delivered at high speed within a moving vehicle.
Ahmed expresses his educational vision clearly: "Really, my biggest hope is that they show this to students, that this very visceral version is the one that people have in their minds when they think of a filmed version." He hopes this contemporary interpretation will replace what he describes as the "very-old filmed plays" traditionally screened in educational settings.
Creative Collaboration and Personal Connections
The project reunites Ahmed with director Aneil Karia, with whom he previously won an Oscar for their short film The Long Goodbye in 2022. Their creative partnership has proven successful, with Ahmed joking about their collaboration: "I thought, 'if it wins, I'll take [Hamlet] to him, if it doesn't, I'll delete his number' - and so it turned out alright!"
Both artists became fathers during the production period, with Ahmed noting that their shared experiences of sleep deprivation and parental challenges influenced the filmmaking process. He reflects: "We basically both were completely destroyed with lack of sleep. You know, parents get to that kind of breaking point, they hit that wall. We were going through that during the making of this thing."
Ahmed believes these personal experiences enhanced their creative approach: "This is a story about fatherhood, so we should have to experience some of that. A lot of that intense, irritable unravelling which you'll see on screen - that was just the truth of it."
From Childhood Obsession to Cinematic Realisation
The actor traces his fascination with Hamlet back to his teenage years, crediting an insightful English teacher who recognized his feelings of displacement and introduced him to the play. Ahmed describes becoming "obsessed" with the story during this formative period, a passion that has now culminated in this ambitious cinematic adaptation.
Ahmed's Hamlet adaptation represents a significant departure from traditional Shakespearean productions, blending contemporary settings with innovative filmmaking techniques while maintaining the emotional core of the original text. The film is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 6 February, marking the conclusion of Ahmed's thirteen-year journey to bring his distinctive vision of this literary masterpiece to the screen.
