BISMIL

CHAPTER 2

EXT. SAKEEB -AL HASSAN's HOUSE - NIGHT

Sakeeb -Al Hassan, his wife Rumaniya and son Shafeek live in a bungalow with a huge lawn in the front. There is a small tent like structure build in front of the lawn with a fire place in front of it.

The tent is usually used by Sakeeb -Al Hassan for having drinks with his friends or smoking a hookah pot.

Tonight, the fire place is lit. Sakeeb -Al Hassan has pulled a chair out of his tent and is sitting in front of the fire place. A small island stool is placed beside him to keep the hookah pot. He is smoking the pot while reading a book written in urdu.

Gate opens.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan turns around to see who has entered his premises.

Shafeek (announces)
"Baba... it's me."

Shafeek walks into the house.

INT. SAKEEB -AL HASSAN's HOUSE

After coming home, Shafeek takes a shower before joining with his parents for dinner.

Shafeek, Sakeeb -Al Hassan and Rumaniya are sitting around the table. They do a small prayer before eating their dinner.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"How much more time you need to toughen up ?"

Rumaniya looks at Shafeek in confusion.

Shafeek remains silent.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"I'm asking you Shafeek."

Shafeek (clears throat)
"I'm sorry dad. But...."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"I'm grooming you to be the leader. I want you to replace me and lead the men to happiness."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan cont'd
"But you are soft like your mother."

Rumaniya
"Sakeeb... he'll do better."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"How can he ?"

Sakeeb -Al Hassan cont'd
"He is afraid to look at gun shots. He close his eyes like a kid."

Rumaniya
"Maybe he is not like you."

Rumaniya cont'd
"He is different. Let him be what he wants to be."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"And what about the empire I have built?"

Sakeeb -Al Hassan cont'd
"Should I bury it into the ground? I have worked day and night to built Al-Amaniyat and I don't want someone else to lead it after me."

Rumaniya
"He..."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan (interrupts)
"You stop talking for him. He's a man. He can talk for himself."

Shafeek pushes the plate away and storms out of the house.

Rumaniya
"Shafeek..... Shafee...."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan continues to eat his dinner. Rumaniya gets up and starts walking out of the room.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"He's my blood. Don't worry about him."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan cont'd
"You sit and finish your dinner."

Rumaniya nods. She comes back and sit at the dining table.

LAKE

Shafeek runs to the lake. He sit by the side staring at the beautiful reflection of the moon on water.

Shafeek takes out the revolver gifted by his father when he was 16.

FLASHBACK STARTS

12/12/2015 -Shafeek's 16th birthday.

INT. SAKEEB -AL HASSAN's HOUSE

The house has been decorated with balloons. A huge chocolate cake has been placed at the center of the table.

The guests have arrived at the house. The guests include some high class police officers and politicians along with the neighbours and classmates of Shafeek.

Shafeek and Missiaha are sitting outside the house, on the stairs and trying to make a small whistle from a bay leaf.

Rumaniya comes to call Shafeek and Missiaha inside for cutting the cake. They go inside the house with her.

Shafeek stand between his father and mother, in front of the cake. The guests sing the birthday song for him while his cut the cake. He gave the first piece to his father.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan rubbed the cream on Shafeek's cheeks.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan (kisses on Shafeek's forehead)
"Happy birthday."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan gifts him a box wrapped in green glittering paper.

Shafeek opens the gift and finds a revolver and six bullets.

Shafeek looks at his father in confusion.

Sakeeb -Al Hassan
"You are a man. You will become better than me."

Sakeeb -Al Hassan smiles and hugs Shafeek.

Shafeek turns to his mother. Rumaniya gives his a small cardboard box with no gift wrap.

Shafeek opens the box to find a notepad, a pen and a pencil inside it. Shafeek gives a closer look at the pen to see his name engraved on it. Shafeek hugs his mother in joy.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Shafeek  points the revolver at the lake and tries to pull the trigger. He tries to pull the trigger but, he couldn't.

Missiaha (from behind)
"Are you going to do it  or you need more time?"

Shafeek turns around. He smiles looking at Missiaha and keeps the revolver in the pocket.

Missiaha walk towards Shafeek and sits next to him.

Missiaha
"I saw you storming out of your house. I knew you would be here."

Shafeek nods.

Missiaha
"So, did you ask your father about joining our drama?"

Shafeek
"No... He won't allow me. I know it."

Missiaha
"But you wanted to act."

Shafeek
"I'm doing it right now."

Shafeek stands up  and moves in front of Missiaha.

Shafeek
"Look at me. I'm acting right now as a strong boy."

Missiaha gets up.

Missiaha (pointing at Shafeek's heart)
"If you talk to your father, he'll know what's inside it."

Shafeek
"It's not that easy. And, he wants me to be like him."

Shafeek cont'd
"If I go and say I want to act in a drama, he would whip me."

Missiaha nods.

Missiaha,
"Shall I talk your father?"

Shafeek
"No...no.no."

Shafeek cont'd
"I'm happy the way I'm right now."

Missiaha (recites a poem written by Shafeek)
"Uss chidiya ko na pata tha
Uske panko mein chupa thakat
Uss hawa ko na pata tha
Usse dekh kar jo lagta tha Darr ...
Jab chidya thi phasi thoofan mei,
Tab pata chala khud ke liye kitne anjaan the dono.
Kyu ki hawa ko kaviyo ne pyaar bataya,
Aur toofan bhi khud ko pyaar samjh baita."

Missiaha cont'd
"You wrote this poem. And I don't think someone who wrote this can pick up a gun and lead a group."

Shafeek shows his revolver.

Shafeek
"Now I'm burying the dead. Soon I'll learn to bury the living."

Missiaha
"I know my childhood friend. I know what he can and what he cannot."

Missiaha cont'd
"It's getting late. Let's head back home."

Shafeek nods.

Missiaha and Shafeek heads back to their home.