Naman Shrestha
Directed by Malik Nejer, Netflix’s ‘Head to Head’ is a Saudi Arabian comedy thriller movie that follows a lovesick chauffeur named Darwish who mistakenly picks up a retired crime lord from the airport. When the passenger passes away and the driver realizes his mistake, he enlists the help of his company’s unqualified new CEO Fayadh. Both of them get pulled into a world of crime as they attempt to make the crime family believe that their old godfather is still alive and breathing.
Originally titled ‘Ras B Ras,’ the film features hilarious onscreen performances from a group of talented Saudi actors, including Abdulaziz Alshehri, Adel Radwan, Mohammed Alqass, Ziyad Alamri, Ida Alkusay, Hesham Alhosawi, and Ahmed Kaabi. Most of the action in the film unfolds in the fictional Saudi city of Bathaikha, which matches the ridiculous and animated storyline, making the viewers wonder where ‘Head to Head’ was filmed.
Head to Head Filming Locations
‘Head to Head’ was filmed in its entirety in Saudi Arabia, seemingly in and around Riyadh. Principal photography for the comedy film seemingly commenced in late October 2022 and wrapped up in January 2023. Now, let’s not waste any time and get a detailed account of all the specific locations that make an appearance in the Netflix movie!
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Almost all the pivotal sequences for ‘Head to Head’ were possibly lensed in Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. The production team probably made use of several modern as well as cultural locales that the city is popular for. As for the scenes set in the absurdist world of Bathaikha, they were seemingly taped in a film studio located in or around Riyadh. The filming unit constructed the expansive set of the fictional world to bring it to life. Whether it is the worn-out and luxurious rooms or the gloomy and desolate exteriors, all of the Bathaikha was supposedly custom-built, especially for the movie.
As the storyline transitions from the city of Riyadh to Bathaika’s absurdist shadows, the writer Abdulaziz Almuzaini found the perfect opportunity to introduce the viewers to the dark and unique fictional city. In a July 2023 interview with Arab News, Almuzaini expanded on the same, “That gave me a chance to really go crazy. The second you see that car go down the road, you know you’re headed to no ordinary town. The film tells you ‘Don’t take this seriously. You are now headed to a lawless land with its own rules.’ We wanted to create a disconnect, where it starts clean and tidy, and then boom — madness.”
In the backdrop of the scenes set in Riyadh, you might be able to spot a few local landmarks and iconic buildings, such as Deera Square, the King Abdullah Financial District, Burj Rafal, the Riyadh TV Tower, and the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre. Besides ‘Head to Head,’ Riyadh has hosted the production of several film and TV projects, including ‘Wadjda,’ ‘Alkhallat+,’ ‘The Perfect Candidate,’ and the Saudi remake of ‘The Office.’
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