Parizaad (پری‌زاد)

God has been very Merciful.

Go and distribute sweets.

Your wife just gave birth to a third son.

What’s with this name you’ve given him?

The whole neighborhood is laughing at us because of it.

Can a mother not give her own son a name?

Of course, she can name him and why not!

But look at the name you’ve given him!

‘Parizad!’

He should at least look like a Parizad but he’s - !

I am telling you

I won’t allow anyone to change my darling baby’s name and that’s it!

So many alleys,

so many lanes,

so many people,

so many faces...

and on these very roads, many a childhood..

turned into adulthood.

But what of those

who were never accepted by these very alleys and lanes

...No one even turned back to glace at them

They say that the Divine never leaves one incomplete.

But its us,

we’re the ones who are always searching for standards by which to measure ourselves.

Oh hey, you fool!

At least take your book with you!

Here you go aunty,

Parizad is here so why don’t you speak to him yourself.

Yes, of course.

Greetings

Hey Son..I really have some important work with you.

Yes?

Just take a little time out and teach my Naheed as well for a month?

You won’t get it if you only memorize it.

Urdu us something one needs to let sink into one’s heart slowly one drop at a time.

If you feel the words and emotions,

you will never have difficulty in remembering them.

You’re right.

I’ll now recite it as you tell me to recite it

Oh hey Parizad!

Yes, brother Shauky?

I want you to write me a love application.

To whom do I address it and what do you want me to write?

Let the name be for now buddy…

In fact, at the end of the letter, instead of writing my name…

just write ‘Your Unfortunate Lover.’

...Yes, thank you.

Make sure you add that poem in this.

What poem?

The heat is of the sweltering Sun

But it’s the earth that has to burn because of it

It’s those eyes that are at fault…

But it’s the heart that beats because of it

This is… Parizad’s writing.

Disgraceful man!

Is this writing yours?

But this letter is -

Is this writing yours or not?!

The handwriting is mine.

I feel like…

sending you to jail right now on the charge of trying to rob my house!

But what do I do…

I’ve been a neighbor of your late father and your brothers these past thirty years.

And having shared this neighborhood for so long and being a neighbor, is what’s stopping me now.

Did you feel no shame while doing all this?

What’s this?

No! No! No!

Did you look at your face before writing a letter to those respectable girls?!

Did you think you were equal to their status and position???

Why didn’t you tell everyone about that damn Shauky!

Frankly speaking,

By mentioning Shauky’s name….

I didn’t want to dishonor Naheed’s reputation

That night when I jumped onto Naheed’s roof top…

there was someone else there with her.

Yes Parizad, Naheed and I are both very ashamed.

So, you were the one on that roof that day brother Majid?

Meaning that Shauky was telling the truth.

It’s just that Majid was going to send his mother to our house very soon.

And had everyone known about us before his proposal

and had Majid taken the blame onto himself…

our match would never have been possible.

May you two always be happy.

If you’ve come with the intention of committing suicide,

then this isn’t the last train that’s expected at this platform.

Who are you???

Uh… I’m Parizaad.

What?!

Oh, but this is a girl’s name!

Your name should be something like the type from the scary Djinn family!

Be quiet!

Just let your father come home

and he’ll see to you then!

Bubbly doesn't need a man who will treat her like a woman in the beginning.

In fact, she herself wants someone who will treat her like a bridegroom

and kowtow to her whims and fancies.

But where can one find a man like that in our society?

Why don’t you take on the job?

So is Parizaad then willing to accept Bubbly with all her psychological problems?

Yes.

What’s happened?

Its exactly as one feared.

Brother Shabbir’s daughter Bubbly ran away

But she was willing until two days ago…

so why

this sudden need to run?

Bubbly decided to run the very day we asked her parents for her hand in marriage.

When you laugh in your gentle way

...you sound like the rain

You speak less of what’s in your heart

and keep most of it in your heart

Why should I go to the dyer for color?

when you look beautiful even in black

Let them adorn themselves…

you look beautiful even in your simplicity

Poetry.. is my weakness.

I would like you to write poetry for me.

Poetry…

one does it for one’s own satisfaction.

Please, for the love of God, don’t now say that your art…

isn’t for sale.

You’re right.

But right now

I haven’t come to the point where I want to sell my art.

If this ever does happen,

I will take my poems and come straight to your shop.

Your brothers and sisters-in-law are sitting on your share of your inheritance!

if at this time your brothers don’t support you…

then you may find yourself out of this house!

I’ve arranged Lubna’s marriage.

Congratulations on your marriage.

Thank you.

Why Noman of all people?

You could have gotten someone far better than him.

Noman or Kashif,

what difference does it make?

Whoever puts in the highest bid, can buy me.

People say

that love is blind.

I wish that the people we loved,

were also blind.

That would have been so wonderful.

If I had my way, I would actually make the whole world go blind…

so, they could see the inside of the person that’s you.

A man’s face,

his personality…

and his worth...

are all measured by his money.

Go on…

Go out into that merciless world out there and gather your share of the wealth to you.

So, you’ve come to my shop.

These are a collection of poems and odes that I had compiled for my first book.

Brother Salim,

I hope that this money will help you restart your failed business…

and that the worries you two are facing, will now end.

Kallu Sir.

I want to make money

I’ve now understood the secret of the world.

Everyone here bows before money.

You could say that your work is done!

Pack up and get ready to go to Karachi.

I would like to say something to you before I leave.

but while keeping in mind his mother’s command, Respect…and regard, …

if the son,

on behalf of his helpless wife…

takes a stand and says just two words..

then that woman comes alive.

Her life seems like it’s worth living!

You will make sure that you get my sister her right to live.

That’s all…I’m hoping of you.

This is my cousin Parizaad

who’s just arrived from Rawalpindi.

He needs a job.

It’s an interesting name.

Give him a job.

Your duty will be with Mrs. Laila.

You will go with her whenever she leaves the house to go anywhere.

Yes Sir.

Where she goes and who she meets…

I want a full report on everything

but she must never get to know about it.

Who is this evil eye charm you’ve got guarding me!

Come on then, think of him as a charm to ward-off the evil eye and let him sit with you.

Why are you looking at me like this?

Do you know something;

I’m always worried about you.

I can forget the morning breeze but not Laila Sabah.