Hottie of the week: Riz Ahmed

Riz has a profile like a Roman emperor’s, a monkeyish grin and a reticence that makes him utterly charming.

Who is he?

Riz Ahmed is living proof that not all British born desis are merely confused – some are sensitive, artistic and politically aware. This lad caught Micheal Winterbottoms’s attention early on and was cast as one of the Tipton Three in the docudrama The Road to Guantanamo. But it was his role as a conflicted terrorist in the Bafta-winning film Four Lions that was the bomb. This year, he wrapped up working on The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the film adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s bestseller, in which he plays the lead character Changez opposite Kate Hudson. Riz is also a rapper and has just released his debut album, MICroscope. The tracks “Post 9/11 Blues” and “Sour Times” brought him much attention and revealed his politically aware artistry.

Why he’s droolworthy

A profile like a Roman emperor’s, a monkeyish grin and a reticence that makes him utterly charming. ‘Riz Ahmed girlfriend’ appears to be a popular search term on Google, but it is a search that leads to naught. We love him because we’re absolute suckers for great cheekbones and dreamy Brit accents. He takes up thought-provoking roles in films with substance, churns out songs with such controversial lyrics that they promptly get banned. His political activism makes us hold out hope for a better world.  Why pick up a newspaper when you can follow Riz’s musings on Twitter?

What you didnt know about him

Not only does he have a degree from Oxford in Philosphy, Politics and Economics, he also studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His parents are good ol’ Karachi walay.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, July 8^th, 2012.