Riz Ahmed: Dealing with grief, Tom Cruise & trying stand-up comedy

The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Monday, 2 November 2026 - 1 hour 15 minutes

Is Riz Ahmed about to become a stand-up?

This week, Romesh is joined by Oscar and Emmy-winning actor, rapper and writer Riz Ahmed. Romesh surprises him with a very special gift, and the two get into what it takes to create something as personal as Bait, the series Riz has spent a decade getting made.

They talk about code-switching, finding the space to be yourself, and why it’s so hard to enjoy success when you’re in the middle of it. Riz also opens up about his dad, and what Tom Cruise had to say about his mum at the royal premiere of Digger.

Plus, there’s a lot of hip hop talk (Biggie or Tupac?), a game of Misquoted, and a closing story that’s far darker than anyone expected.

A Ranga Bee Production.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:02 Why Riz changed his name
02:34 A gift for Riz
05:38 Why taste in stand-up beats ability
11:45 Riz on SNL
14:17 Riz's attempt at stand-up
24:40 Why Riz hates being boxed in
26:13 Bait and landing James Bond
31:55 Putting your own life on screen
38:09 A question from Shanthi
39:11 Riz's mum, Tom Cruise and the royal premiere
48:50 Losing his dad
50:51 What Romesh's dad said after a gig
54:59 Biggie or Tupac?
1:04:19 Misquoted
1:08:24 Riz's dark closing story
1:10:59 Outro