Riz Ahmed to star in Obamas’ adaptation of ‘Exit West’

KARACHI: Riz Ahmed has been on a winning streak lately. After bagging two awards for his short film The Long Goodbye, the actor has now been nominated by the Golden Globes for his performance in Sound of Metal. After his continues success, Riz Ahmed is now said to star in the movie adaptation of Exit West, a novel by Mohsin Hamid. The movie is one of the projects being developed for Netflix by Higher Ground Productions, owned by Barack and Michelle Obama.

Hamid’s 2017 novel tells the story of a couple trying to find escape and revolves around themes of emigration and refugee problems. Other than Exit West, the Obamas are reported to have signed six projects for Netflix, including a science-fiction film Satellite, and Tenzing, a biopic on Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man who climbed the summit of Mount Everest.

These projects are being developed as part of a production deal made between Higher Ground Productions and Netflix in 2018. “From science fiction to the beauty of our natural world to the relationships that define us, Higher Ground continues to strive for fresh perspectives, compelling characters, and a healthy dose of inspiration,” Mr and Mrs Obama said in a statement quoted by The New York Times. While no official date has been announced for the projects, the movies and documentaries are said to be released on Netflix over the next few years.