Original subtitles

This programme contains some violent scenes, strong language

and scenes which some viewers may find disturbing.

No!

Dad!

THUMP

Dad!

SCREAMING

No, no.

Please, no! Dad!

SHE CRIES

Please somebody call an ambulance! Please.

SHE CRIES

YOUNG WOMAN: 'Dad, I'm sorry you're hurt.

'I'm sorry I let you down.

'I know this must be hard.

'This doesn't feel like you.

'The dad I know wants me to be happy...

'and I want you to be happy too.

'Do you think we can do that for each other?

'I hope so.

'Because I love you.

'And love makes us kind if we let it.

'So I think it's worth a try.'

Sal... Sal.

Sal!

PANTING

Sal!

How you doing? No, no, no.

You need this.

You save this for your daughter's wedding.

Go on. MUSIC ENDS

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Have a seat.

HE LAUGHS Stop it.

I said stop it!

No, that's enough, Im.

Shh. Someone will hear.

DRUMMING STARTS IN OTHER ROOM

Shit.

You should go first.

Hey. I'm glad you're back.

Me too.

You look really nice.

What happened to you?

Hairpins fell out.

Last ones.

BHANGRA MUSIC PLAYS

My boy tells me you're undercutting the council now, eh?

How about you sorting me out too, Shahzad?

We're...

we're actually quite busy at the moment.

No, it's cool, Dad.

Of course we'll sort you out.

Pleased to be next, huh?

Salma's a lucky girl.

Let's go dance.

He's a lucky boy.

INDISTINCT

He's still looking, you know?

Who? Don't!

My brother, that's who.

Oh, come on, Raf, that's done with.

You should tell him that. He knows.

And besides, don't matter what he thinks anyway.

I accepted the glory of the Haroon into my heart.

Afternoon, ladies.

Haroon. Mind if I, erm...?

See you tomorrow, Sal.

Fancy a dance, Sal?

Yeah, sure.

Wicked. Raf... Bye, then.

Oi, dickhead.

Leave it, yeah?

I'd prefer it if I didn't have to tell Mum why her darling putar

got his head kicked in at a wedding.

She's promised. Yeah, sorry.

It's good.

See the first one, yeah? Mm-hm.

What part do you do first?

Erm, just take it over to this side,

and then plus it or something.

This is so boring. Tell me about it.

DOORBELL RINGS

Who is it? Plumber.

Council says you've got an issue with flow in your main stack.

Hello, young lady, is your daddy in?

What the fuck?

Is he?

Well...no.

Oh, thank God. It weighs a tonne.

Imi, you can't just come to my front door.

Raf said you bailed on her.

Figured since you're clearly not going to come see me,

I'll come see you.

Has, I've got to show the plumber something.

Oh, yeah? Shut up.

Be back in a sec.

I think the drain's over here.

Seriously? Keep that on.

No-one's even watching, Sal.

Someone's always watching, trust me.

All right.

Right, what do you want?

How do you do that? Do what?

Just turn it on and off again, like it's nothing.

Are you kidding?

You turn up in the middle of the day and expect...?

Sal, there's something happening here, with us.

You don't feel that?

Imi... What, you don't think we're worth another try, a proper one?

I mean, I know I'm not from the village,

but there's a lot here to work with.

I've already been promised.

We have fun, yeah,

but there's only one way this goes.

Is that your excuse or your dad's?

OK, what if...

what if maybe you told him we're serious?

Serious people don't disappear when it suits them.

Come on, that's not fair. That was my course, I had to.

PHONE RINGS But now I'm here for a long... Fuck.

'Did you lock me in?'

Yeah, of course. Keeping you safe, ain't I?

I want to go to the shops.

Yeah, hang on and I'll come back.

I'm going to tell Dad what you did.

Look, look, look. I'll be back in two seconds and we'll both go, yeah?

I'll let you buy whatever you want. Hey. Hey what?

I'll call you.

You better bloody not.

Well, then I'll come back.

Electrician, brickie, Jehovah's Witness.

I'll empty out a whole costume shop, Sal,

until you at least say you'll meet me.

I'll let you know, yeah?

POLICE SIREN

Hurry up, we haven't got all day.

Oh, fuck!

Clear it up, now.

Watch it. Shahzad!

He is not a child.

It's getting there. Why wait, then?

Nothing focuses a boy's mind like marriage.

She needs to finish her studies first.

You're asking for trouble.

She's smart. I promised.

Zafar let his daughter be smart.

See how she thanked him for that?

Have you not heard about this yet?

That slag Ganjuri met some bastard at college - ran off.

They're living round the corner, laughing at him.

He doesn't dare show his face.

He might as well be in the fucking ground.

Whereas, Haroon - Haroon will only raise you up.

Huh?

MUSIC: The Beigeness by Kate Tempest

# "Who's bad?" said the kiddie in the Jacko hat

# To the kiddie in the Rooney shirt Dragging back

# The curtains in the room in her daddy's flat... #

What is this shit?

It's from Salma. The "keeping me young" collection.

She's good, this one -

Kate Temper?

It's very hip. Hmm.

The first thing I'll do when we're hitched - get you some real music.

Pissing on what they love is not how to kick-start a romance, Haroon.

It might help to start early, then.

All this rush.

If we weren't in such a hurry,

we wouldn't have 100 chicken corpses rolling around in the back.

No, no, no, it's not hurrying, yeah? It's noticing what's passing you by.

What?

Look, others are already looking at her, that's all I'm saying.

First you insult her taste and then her character?

I meant no disrespect, it's just...

when guys look, girls look back, don't they? They can't help it.

Not my girl.

At least try and pretend you like what she does.

It helps.

# When you are trying to hold your space

# But it's in you deep in your sinews

# And it comes out on the coldest days

# See the kid with the memory he can't shake

# See the man with the lover on his mind

# See the lady with the guilt and the heartache

# See the woman trying to battle for time

# See the man with the blood on his hands

# See the girl with the hands on her hips

# Everybody say nothing, stay bland

# If you don't show it then it don't exist

# Them things you don't show I can see

# Then things you don't say speak to me

# Them things you hide ain't hiding

# No firm ground but we ain't sliding

# Them things that haunt you Let them be

# That thing you weep for Leave it

# All life is forwards You will see

# It's yours when you're ready to receive it

# You're so focused on finding the differences

# You ignore the bonds that bind us... #

Who are you texting? Is it a boy?

No, you're a boy.

No, I'm a man.

Is it? That explains what I saw you doing in the loo the other day.

Huh?

Yeah, I saw that, you filthy little git,

so I'd mind my own business if I were you.

Go and do your work!

# Their scorn ignites what inhibits us

# And then we hate ourselves

# And our fear pickles us

# Sitting in jars cos it's safer. #

BIRDS TWITTER

BIRDS CHIRP

BIRD CHIRPS AND DOG BARKS

As-salaamu alaikum. Wa-alaikum-us-salaam.

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

HE GRUNTS

HE GROANS

HE GRUNTS

WATER SPLASHES

See you, Mum.

SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE

If Dad sees those, he'll go mental.

Normal people don't eat sweets for breakfast.

Normal people don't eat curry for breakfast.

TEXT MESSAGE TONE

Who's that?

No-one. It's...

It's just Rafia, Dad.

What's Rafia got to say?

Hm?

What's Rafia got to say?

Nothing.

HE SCOFFS

There must be something if she's texting during this meal.

Come on.

The password's like a pattern that you kind of draw...

HE SIGHS

PHONE LOCKS

OK. All right.

HE CLEARS THROAT

HE SIGHS

I can't lose this last inch.

SALMA LAUGHS

You know why that is, yeah?

This stuff.

Do you know...

You wouldn't believe it, but Haroon actually had an opinion last night.

No way. A whole one? Mm-hm.

Not as daft as he looks.

Really sorting himself out.

What?

What you doing? Haven't said anything.

People are asking me, why not now? So I'm asking you.

Who's asking? Everyone.

No-one.

Finish college. That's our deal.

Yeah. Yeah, I know.

Forget it. If it's about the money, I said I'd get...

I said forget it!

You don't need a job. You just... You study.

You be brilliant, I'll handle the money.

We speak about Haroon with respect from now on.

OK?

OK.

No more jokes.

Well, come on, eat.

I'm lost!

Already?

Go back the way you came.

I don't know where I'm going!

OK. Just follow my voice.

Salma Abbas has massive, hairy nipples!

I do not!

Salma Abbas once pissed herself in a year 9 assembly!

Stop it!

And even though she's smart and beautiful and...

Fuck it, just the most amazing person I've ever met,

she can still not get herself through

a maze made for six-year-old children.

THEY LAUGH

Hey. I like hairy nipples.

Shut up!

PHONE RINGS

Hello? 'Hi, Dad. I'm so, so sorry...' Where are you?

You're supposed to be here. Hassan's by himself.

Problems? No. No, she's coming.

This is unacceptable, Salma.

I got stuck at school and then I had to go... Haroon's here.

He wanted to see you.

I was getting flowers, weren't I? For Mum.

We go now, we miss the first stop. We forgot, didn't we?

This doesn't happen again.

Do you understand?

Hass, come on, you're coming with us.

I could stay here... No.

No, you should learn the family business.

Come on.

You OK?

Yeah. We're good.

BHANGRA MUSIC ON RADIO

Hey. What do you think of your old man in a boiler suit?

Neat look, huh?

Should get you one? Do you want a business proper?

It ain't easy, though. It's a lot of work.

Not a lot of money. Hell, no money, even.

Do you want to work hard for someone else for no money? No.

What mug would do that? Ah!

Me, that's who. Why?

Because it ain't just anyone I'm working for, Hass.

It's family.

It's hard, yeah?

But it's worth it so that we're strong, respectable.

Your mum, she was a great lady. She understood that.

That's why she made a deal with my dad.

Me and your sis, we're meant to be.

So we're going to be bros.

Making this business something to take care of all of us.

Imagine that, huh? All us guys working together for each other.

That'd be cool, right?

That'd be cool.

Yeah. I think so too.

So it's our duty to make that happen.

Even if it's hard, even if we don't like it.

Cos when we think only of ourselves, Hass...

it all falls apart.

Get me?

Very fast.

BHANGRA MUSIC ON RADIO

OK, go, go, go. Go.

HE GRUNTS AND STRAINS

SHOVELLING

Thanks.

OK.

Huh?

Salma.

Now set a date.

Thank you.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

MUSIC: Boyfriend by Best Coast

# I wish he was my boyfriend

# I wish he was my boyfriend

# I'd love him till the very end

# But instead... #

TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATION

# I wish he was my boyfriend... #

Sorry, Mum.

LAUGHTER

She's in the back seat.

Hiding.

I feel like a bloody cab driver!

SALMA LAUGHS

There she is.

There are literally hundreds of people here, Sal. Yeah, yeah.

Isn't that... Isn't that Mr Henderson? Shh!

You're getting a letter sent home.

'Hi, Salma here. Leave a message after the beep.'

BEEP 'Hi, Sal, it's Raf.

'Remember me?

'You're not at school, again. Where the fuck are you?

'Call me, yeah?'

PHONE RINGS

'Hello?' 'Hi, Shaz. It's Haroon.

'Dad says we can use the restaurant for the engagement.'

'Yeah? Yeah, he's on a rampage. Inviting everyone.'

Are we keeping this small?

Huh?

'You told her, yeah?

'Yeah, of course. She can't wait.'

Aargh!

Salma's cheating on me with a dinosaur.

I love you.

Ditto.

What?! You can't say "ditto"!

Salma?

Hm?

You're looking well.

Oh...

Thanks, Dad.

Not too bad yourself. Yeah?

You think so? Deffo.

Yeah.

Hass?

Come on! The food's ready.

Morning. Morning.

Dad?

Where were you last Friday?

School. Wednesday?

Why are you asking?

"We are concerned that Salma's lack of attendance

"is a product of distraction elsewhere...

"..in her life."

Where've you been?

Bet I know.

Bet it's a boy.

Aargh!

HASSAN GASPS

You don't say things like that. OK.)

Is there a boy? No! Good.

Then I've happy news. You're getting engaged.

What? Next weekend.

It'll be a small affair, Zubair's restaurant.

No, our deal was...

No, our deal was that you get married once you'd studied.

You clearly don't study.

Did you know?

You two are meant to be together.

Why are we meeting here?

Safe ground.

Well, that don't sound good.

It's pretty bleak now.

How's Birmingham this time of year?

What's going on?

Worth a trip, maybe?

Stop fucking around, Sal. What's happening?

I'm getting married, ain't I? How's that sound?

Wait, what? I thought you still had time. No.

It's happening. Serious. Unless...

You want us to leave?

Well... I don't know, yeah.

We can do all that.

I-I've only just got back.

I can't just go straightaway... Oh, yeah.

(Wouldn't want to inconvenience you or nothing!)

It's not me making this difficult, is it? It's you.

The options you give yourself - run away, or...

Jesus. Get out of your head!

I wasn't even fucking saying we should run away.

Or spend the rest of your life sleeping next to a guy that you hate

just because your dad wants to feel like the big man.

You don't know what he's been through.

How much he's done for me.

So what? My parents have done all that too, and they'd love you.

He's just medieval. He's not!

He's sweet. He's just...

Yeah, so sweet that you're too scared to even talk to him...

Oh, it's bigger than him, OK?

How can someone this smart be so dense?

Do you not get it?

What it means for me to do that? I do fucking get it.

I get all the traditions, the promises. I get all that.

I just don't fucking like it.

If that makes me dense, then fuck knows what that makes you.

Sal...

Come on, Sal, I didn't...

Sal!

SHE SOBS

KNOCK AT DOOR

DOOR OPENS

SHE SOBS

What is it?

Don't want that.

Take it.

Just...

HE CLEARS THROAT

It was your mother's. It was sitting in my drawer.

You'll look better in it than I will!

SHE SOBS

Salma, I...

I never thought I'd be here.

What, London?

Yeah, London, but...

But here.

Two children, no wife.

I was blessed and then cursed.

You're not cursed. It is what it is.

You're this family now, Salma.

Do you understand? You carry all of us with you, and...

I get scared because...

when they look at you...

..they see me.

I mean, you fail, I fail,

Hassan fails, and when you're safe, I'm safe.

So...

when you get married, then I can die happy.

Dad...

It seems strange to you, doesn't it?

No.

I get it.

Me and your mother...

we...

we started young.

And it was strange for us, too.

Wasn't a fairytale, but...

What we had in those few years...

wonderful.

She wanted that for you.

And I do too, cos...

you're the greatest thing that came from us.

Just don't tell your brother.

SHE LAUGHS

SONG: Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna

Fits, yeah?

Sorry?

The ring. Mine's a bit tight.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

Ah. Salma, there you are. Thank you. Salma, come, Jalanti's here.

She wants to say hello.

MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

Excuse me.

Is she all right?

It's OK. It's OK.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

Hey.

Go on. It's OK.

It's funny, I've been waiting for this day my whole life.

But now we're here, it's...

It's actually pretty weird, isn't it?

SHE LAUGHS It is, a bit.

But we've got this, yeah?

You and me, we'll smash it. Yeah.

CAR HORN

Hey... I'm a bit cold.

Could you get my shawl?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

Sal, look... You can't be here.

Believe me, I don't want to be. OK? But just give me a second.

I-I... I know I was being unfair before.

I'm sorry, OK? I shouldn't have made you...

It doesn't matter. Get out of here.

We could go. What?

Right now. Come on. We can leave before anyone sees us.

You not hear me?

It doesn't matter.

I'm not blaming you, OK?

It was me. I was wrong.

I should never have let it get this far.

I came back for you!

They offered me a job up there after the course. Permanent.

I said, "No, thanks. I've got someone waiting at home."

I hope.

I'm sorry.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

There she is. WHISTLE

Ah! Hello, everyone!

APPLAUSE

Here she is.

So how are you feeling?

Salma?

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY Fine.

Just a bit overwhelmed. Ah!

Overwhelmed! You hear that, Zubair?

Just wait till the wedding.

LAUGHTER

OK. Right.

Please, everyone, start eating.

Zubair! INDISTINCT CHATTER

Salma?

BACKGROUND CONVERSATION

Tell Moody over here. Go on. Which is your best, Salma?

Uncle Zubair looks real tired.

Yeah, he's tired. He is very tired.

But he works so hard, that's why.

What about when me and Uncle Zubair were dancing together? Yeah.

Looks good, doesn't it? It was embarrassing, man!

Come on, show us what you did. Show what Uncle Zubair did.

I'm not going to do what he did. Like this, look...

MIMICS MUSIC

Very good.

He was out of breath, though. Didn't have the stamina.

PHONE DIALS

'Welcome to Imi's hotline. Leave a message after the bleep.'

BEEP

TOILET FLUSHES

All yours.

Thanks. No, thank you.

For tonight.

You look beautiful.

Like your mother.

She'd be proud.

I can't do it. Hm?

Haroon.

I can't.

What happened? What did he do? Nothing.

Well... You're excited. That's natural, it's OK...

It's not too late, Dad.

Come on. You used to joke about him. He's...

You can't force...

I'm not forcing it. Don't talk like that!

He's not some stranger. We're doing right by you.

Your mum, and...

He's a good boy! He'll make you happy.

It's not forcing.

So why don't I have a choice?

If this is about me being happy,

then why are you the only one smiling?

You want a choice?

Another boy?

I don't mind getting married.

But what if it was someone else?

Still apna lok, but it's just...

Apna lok? You've been promised already. That's all that matters.

Do you know what people will say?

What will happen? To us, to Zubair?

We wouldn't even be able to give you away!

Have you told anyone?

Right, I'll deal with this.

You need time away from distractions. You stay here.

You go nowhere until you start thinking straight!

SHE SOBS

Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

SHE SOBS

HE GROWLS

SHE SOBS

SHE SOBS

BIRDS CHIRP

Me again.

I've done the afternoon drop, so don't worry about it,

but I'll be at your dad's in an hour.

I'll...

I'll meet you there, if you feel up to it.

Hass, are you there?

Hass?

If you're there, can you get my phone, please?

Please? It's in my cupboard.

The one in my bedroom. >

Come on! Hass!

Hass?! >

AEROPLANE OVERHEAD

INDISTINCT CHATTER

WHISTLE

Can you shift this?

What's going on?

Is this yours? Hey! Careful.

That's my rental, but, yeah.

Think it's time to bring this back to the family for everyone's sake.

Safeguard what I'VE built these last few years.

I am your family. No, no, no, no, no, no.

No-one in my family would shame us like you have, Shaz.

My family have a reputation worth saving, whereas yours?

Zubair, what's he talking about?

Don't look at me. I warned you.

You're a disgrace, Shaz.

You and your slag of a daughter.

You made me look like a monkey in front of everyone.

Don't talk about her like that. Oi, oi, oi, oi.

I'm not the one that you should be growling at.

I'm only showing you the stench under your own fucking nose.

And you, you must have smelt it.

You did?

You knew, didn't you?

You knew. You see, Dad?

You see all this time he knew, and he tried to pass...

Haroon! SHOUTING

Haroon!

What are you doing, Shahzad?! Fuck!

What you doing? What you doing?

Huh?

Aargh!

THEY GRUNT AND GROAN

What are you doing? What are you doing?

HE CRIES OUT

Get off! Get off!

Go easy... He went for me!

SHOUTING

Oi! What you doing?

Aargh!

Walk away! Walk away!

Aargh! Haroon!

SHOUTING

Enough, Shahzad!

Go home!

Take care of your filth!

GO ON! GO!

Oi!

Oi!

HE LAUGHS

GO!

HE CLICKS KNIFE

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

Dad?

I heard a noise.

Are you all right?

HE SIGHS I need milk.

Couldn't do that.

Go to bed.

Go on.

WATER RUNNING

Salma!

Salma!

What you doing?!

Nothing. Go to bed. You left this.

Will you bring it down to the walkway?

You're leaving.

Not for ever. Just...a little while.

But I'll be back soon, I promise.

So... Can I have the phone?

Dad? Dad?

(Fuck.)

Dad? What?

Dad! What?

Salma. She's going. What happened? What...?

Salma! She's going!

Where? Where? Where is she, where?!

Over the balcony! SHOW ME!

Salma!

OK, you stay here.

Salma!

Salma!

Salma!

Salma!

HE PANTS AND WHEEZES

HE GASPS

SHE PANTS

All right, I'm coming. Come on! Raf!

Raf! Open the door! All right, wait!

You utter cow.

Can't believe you had an engagement party without me.

I told him. I told him about Imi.

It's all right. Don't worry.

CLATTERING AND YELLING

Dad?

What's that? Salma's.

She said she'd be back soon.

Go to bed.

GO!

HE PANTS

PHONE BEEPS

Salma?

You OK? Dad knows now.

I had to tell him.

I'll take care of you.

SHE SOBS

It's not safe in here.

You'll need to leave.

First thing.

PHONE VIBRATES

PHONE VIBRATES

Sal?

Sal?

DOOR OPENS

HE CLICKS KNIFE Hassan?

HE CLICKS KNIFE

Hassan?

Yeah?

Come here. Do us a favour and, uh...

and get us those sweets that you like.

OK? Yeah.

Go on.)

Little bro!

SHE LAUGHS

Told you I'd be back, didn't I?

You don't hate me, do you? Course not.

Can't hate you, can I? It's not possible.

What's that for, then?

Dad sent me down the shops. Do you want anything? Nah.

I'm good. You go for it.

Salma?

He's in a really weird mood.

You know what? Get me some cola bottles, yeah?

Fizzy, not plain.

'Please mind the doors.'

Dad.)

(I'm sor...)

I'm sorry.)

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

I'm...)

I'm sorry.

But this doesn't feel like you.

The dad I know...

the dad I know wants me to be happy.

And I want you to be happy too.

And I want you to be happy too.)

Do you think we can be happy for each other?

Dad...

(I'm sorry.)

Took this.

Thought I could sell it if I had to.

I don't want to.

Don't want to lose her.

Or you.

Or Hass.

This could work.

You'd...

you'd like him.

If you tried.

I'll make us dinner.

We...

we can sit down and...

and talk about it. Maybe...

Talk about what?

What do I need to talk to a stranger for?

Dad... How did you think this would work?

Hm? After you've done this to our family.

After you shamed me.

Shamed us all.

HE SIGHS

How does this work when we have nothing?

Well, I wasn't trying to...

I didn't mean to... I was...

No-one knows. We can just...

THEY KNOW!

EVERYONE KNOWS!

HE SIGHS

I did everything for you, Sal.

I...

I never asked anything in return. Only...

only that you listen to me on this one thing. No, Dad.

You ask for loads.

Absolutely loads! You just don't get that you're doing it.

Hey. Just leave.

Dad, please...

I love you. We can...

Hass needs me to...

Hassan doesn't need a whore for a sister!

G-g...go now.

Stay away from us.

Or... You'll see what needs to happen.

Oh, nothing needs to happen!

SHE SOBS Not if you're not a coward.

HE GRUNTS

No!

HE YELLS

SHE SOBS No! Dad, no!

HE SCREAMS

ENGINE ROARS

PHONE RINGS

HE SCREAMS

No!

SHE SCREAMS Dad!

SHE SCREAMS

HE STRAINS

SHE GASPS AND SCREAMS

No!

HE STRAINS

SHE SOBS AND SCREAMS

HE SOBS

HE PANTS

Shhh.

PHONE RINGS

Shh!

PHONE RINGS

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

PHONE RINGS

HE GROANS

PHONE RINGS DISTANTLY

Salma?

Sal!

No. No!

THUD

HASSAN: Dad!

HASSAN SCREAMS SHOUTING

Please, no!

THEY SOB

Please, somebody call an ambulance! Please...

SALMA: 'Dad, I'm sorry you're hurt.

'I'm sorry I let you down.

'I know this must be hard...

'This doesn't feel like you.

'The dad I know wants me to be happy.

SIREN WAILS

VOICE BREAKING: 'And I want you to be happy too.

'Do you think we can do that for each other?

'I hope so.

'Because I love you.

'And love makes us kind if we let it.'

Sal?

Sal?

Sal!

SAL! HE GASPS

'So I think it's worth a try.'

SAL!

HE SOBS