01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

Dear Uncle Napoleon
Episode 2

Based on the novel Dear Uncle Napoleon
Written by Iraj Pezeshkzad

[Sound of horses galloping]

[Sound of g*nf*re and warriors shouting]

Subtitles: Iman Soleymani Zadeh

♪ Military march ♪

[Sound of crickets and a dog barking]

Help!
- Help!

- Help us!

- Help us!

- A thief!

- Help us!

- Thief!
- A thief came!

- A thief came, help us!

- Help us!

[Sound of crying]
- A thief came

Agha Joon, what’s all this noise?
- Help, thief!

Help us!
- Thief!

It’s coming from that side, I think!

Let’s go see!
[Sound of crying]

Help!

Now what dirt should we throw on our heads!
[An idiom meaning to show utter despair]

For God’s sake, help us!
- A thief came!

Help us, people!

A thief came!

Babam Jan!

Help, a thief came, help us!
- They stole Babam Jan!

[Sound of crying]

Help, thief!

Help, a thief came!

What’s going on? What’s all the noise?

What happened?

What happened? What’s wrong with Leili?
- What’s the matter? Why are you shouting?

Why all the screaming?
- They kidnapped Sir!

Th… thief!

Th… th… th…!

He says a thief came!
- Help, thief!

Help, thief!
- What’s going on here?

A thief came! A thief came!
- Why are you making such a fuss!

[Crowd murmurs]

Help us!

He must be in the building right now!

Yes, yes… Colonel… you… search over there.

Yes, yes
[Sound of crying]

Help, thief!

Poison-of-snake and thief… go search over there, quick!
[Poison-of-snake is a colloquial curse like “shut up”]

He wasn’t here!

Sir!

Sir!
- Check the end of the corridor

Where are you, Sir!

What’s happening? What’s all the noise?
- Sir vanished into smoke!

Babam Hey!

As if Sir turned into smoke and went up to the sky!

Where was he? Where was he sleeping?

In the mosquito net in the yard.

Babam Hey!

[Sound of crying and shouting]
- Find my dad!

[Sound of crying and shouting]
- They stole my dad! You tell me not to cry?

[Sound of crying and shouting]
- Which thief would steal Sir?

[Sound of crying and shouting]

[Sound of crying and shouting]
- They took Sir… they stole my dad!

Th… th
[He stutters]

Th… th… th… th… thief! Help, thief!

Thief… thief… thief

[His voice shakes]

Sir, what are you doing under the bed?!

Help thief, thief, thief, thief…
- Sir!

Where are you, Sir!

Ugh… what’s with the zaje mooye?
[Zaje mooye means wailing and lamenting]

Here he is, Babam Jan!

Th… th… th… th… th…
[He stutters]

Th… th… th… thief!

Thief! Thief!

Thief!… thief!

As if a snake bit Sir!
- Th… th… th…!

Snake what? Why are you talking nonsense?

Honestly, Sir, we had a fellow villager,
- Th… th… th… thief!

Ah, alright… alright

Tell the Colonel to come here.

Honestly, Sir, why lie!
- Th… th… th…

Mr. Colonel can’t come.

Can’t what? Run and tell him to come here!
- Agha Joon!

Agha Joon!

Dear Uncle Colonel fainted from fear of the thief,

In that room!
- Th… th… thief… thief… thief!

Thief!

Thief!

Th… th… th… th…
[He has developed a stutter from fear]

Dear Uncle, why did you go under there!

Why are you frozen? Do something!

Go tell them Sir has been found and stop all this shouting.

Yes, sir!

Saeid… go get Doctor Naser Al-hokama,

Tell him Sir’s condition has worsened, come quickly.

No! Don’t go!

I want to die,

But not see the face of that treacherous lying doctor!

I don’t want to see him!

Why! Are you joking?

This scoundrel his mouth no sew and no close has,
[It is an idiom for someone who has a loose tongue]

He makes the matter big!

He puts a thousand kinds of branch and leaf on it.
[It is an idiom meaning exaggerating something excessively]

It’s not bad not if he does an examination of you.

No! No! I don’t want to see him!

What kind of talk is this?
- Where? Where is he?

Where is he?

What happened to Brother Khan?

Why did you go under the bed?

Was it really a thief?

We saw him with our own eyes!

Nothing happened, please go…
- Babam Jan…

Sir got a little frightened.

Come in, Sir!

Come in!

- Babam Jan…

You think news of the conspiracy at my brother’s house,

Hasn’t reached me?

You’re mistaken, Sir, what conspiracy!

My brother’s house!

For God’s sake, don’t upset yourself…

What conspiracy?

It’s not good for your heart!

My heart is no one’s business!

Just like that night,

That sound,

To Ghamar’s belly wind was not related!

You said that?

You think hat on my head goes?
[Putting hat on someone’s head means deceiving and fooling someone]

You have authority, Sir!

I don’t make mistake, Mr. Doctor!

Come in!

At all my condition is good…

Need to your help also I don’t have!

Come in for lying,

Arrange another conspiracy!

Ghasem!

Yes, Sir!

These here, in my house what do they do?

Is my house caravanserai!

Throw them out!

Why your mouth frozen?

I said throw them out!

come on!

All of you out.

You too, Babam Jan, out.

But Brother Khan!
- Mash Ghasem, me?

Get up, you put the house on your head!
[It is an idiom meaning making a big fuss]

He likes this too! Come on… come on…

Come on, go outside… come on, deheee, come on, get moving ….
[The old woman is shouting and screaming]

- I won’t go… let go of me!

Brother Khan!

May I be your ransom.
[It is an idiom meaning may I be sacrificed for you]

At all it’s our own fault that,

We deprived sweet sleep from our own eyes.

Hero of Kazerun w*r,

From fear of thief is having stroke under the bed! Heh…

Ghasem…

Give that r*fle to me!

I’ll blow your whole family to the wind!

Place of traitor person in my house there is not!
- Agha Joon… Agha Joon!

At all who let this one in here!
- All of it is fault of this Poori Feshfeshoo news-carrier!

Let him go get lost!

Come!

Feshfeshoo!

Waaaaa….. thief!

Th… thth… thththief
[From fear he speaks with stutter]

Thief came to your house?
Thief!-

Th… th…. thii…. thiiii…. thithithithief

Where? Where is he?

There he is! There he is!

Babam Hey!

Ugh! As if Shir-Ali the butcher!

Yes.

It’s us.

Don’t panic!

A thief came to your house?

We saw his shadow with our own eyes!

Did he take anything?

Honestly, why lie!

We… we didn’t see him take anything with our own eyes!

He came toward us and hid,

We caught him too!

A nasnas came to our roof!
[Nasnas means demon]

[The thief with mouth closed tries to speak]

Agha Jan,

Was it not your water? Was it not your bread?!
[It is a reproach to reproach someone who has put
himself in trouble despite being safe and comfortable]

Then what was your stealing doing anymore?

[The thief with mouth closed tries to speak]

Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Hamdollah!

You who Hamdollah familiar!

Hamdollah!

Hamdollah!

Weren’t you servant of Mr. Doctor!

Since when have you become thief!

Devil says Shir-Ali,

With club hit on his crown,

Split him in two!

No! Don’t hit, Shir-Ali!

Then what should we do with him, Sir?!

Sir, if you ask us…

Hand him over to Ajan,

So our mind becomes comfortable!

Give him to Ajan?

Until I take confession from him,

I won’t let him go!

This man must confess,

That at the instigation of that vile man,

He came to my house to steal!

He must say that that man,

Instigated him!

If he doesn’t come to words!

If he doesn’t confess,

Tomorrow in the garden I’ll hang him on the gallows!

Conspiracy!

Conspiracy!

Conspiracy!

All these people conspired against me!

♪ Sound of military march ♪

What are you doing, Mash Ghasem?

Babam Jan, quickly return to your own house!

What happened!

Today is doomsday!

Tell your Sir and your Lady not to show up around here.
[He means his father and mother]

You too go faster, Babam Jan!

Why!

What happened again, Mash Ghasem?

Honestly, Babam Jan, why lie?

Till the grave, A-A-A-A!

We today very worried are.

Sir ordered,

If one of you his foot from this tree this side puts,

We with r*fle hit middle of his heart!

Why?

Didn’t you say what happened?

Last night when you went,

We caught the thief.

Meaning we didn’t catch…

This Shir-Ali… the same butcher,

On the roof caught him,

Brought him home!

What did you do with him?

Honestly, why lie!

Shir-Ali wanted right there with cleaver,

Split him in two!

But Sir didn’t let.

Meaning we also interceded for him.

Now also we tied him with rope, in basement imprisoned.

We also his guard are.

In the basement!

Why didn’t you give him to Ajan?

Where of the work are you, Babam Jan!
[It is an idiom to show that the other person has no idea about the situation]

Sir wants today in the garden,

Hang him on the gallows!

Hang him on the gallows?

Don’t talk much with us, go!

If Sir finds out you talked with us,

He might hang us too.

But Mash Ghasem,

Catching thief what relation to us has?

Why Dear Uncle angry with us?

If you knew who the thief is,

Then you would understand what relation to you it has!

The situation is bad!

Woe, woe, woe, woe, I take refuge in God!

God, yourselves make it pass safely.

Who is the thief, Mash Ghasem?

What did he steal?

Honestly, why lie…

Till the grave, A-A-A-A!
- Ghasem

Oh, Babam Hey! Sir is coming… go!

Come on, run… have mercy on your youth!

Escape!

Hide!

Ghasem!

Yes, Sir!

Wasn’t it agreed when your work finished,

You guard the thief!

Your mind be at ease, Sir!

The thief is in the basement,

We from right here his air are having.
[Having someone’s air means watching over someone]

You are having his air!

Without water and bread one cannot leave him!

Keeping him also expense has!

Now what do you want to do, Sir?

Hang him on the gallows?

- Huh?

We must take confession from him!

From whom, Sir?

From that one!

Your sister’s husband?!

That one is not my sister’s husband!

You remember that this same Hamdollah was his servant for several years?

Yes, Sir, at that time I wasn’t a thief,

I was a God-fearing person!

Now that same God-fearing person,

Came to my house to steal!

It’s clear they instigated him!

There is no doubt a dirty conspiracy is at work!

You know, Ghasem!

Now I am worried about this,

That this person without seam and mouth,
[An idiom for a person whose mouth is always open to insults and curses]

Goes here and there and sits,

makes us the laughing-stock!

Who you the laughing-stock make?

That one!

Now how is it, Sir,

You at all these words forget,

Kiss each other so the matter with safety ends.

I with this dirty man make peace!?

Huh!?

We… we no word said, Sir!

Why you not understand!

Last night’s matter you forgot?

Well… last night my health condition good was not and …

A little my stomach upset became.

You remember,

When from the door was going out,

Turned back what-what said?

Honestly, Sir, why lie?

Till the grave, A-A-A-A!

We at all nothing to our memory is not.

How nothing to your memory comes?

He said one word,

Whose meaning was this that meaning,

I from thief feared!

Astaghfirullah!

You and fear?

Exactly this!

If no one knows, you at least well know

You always,

In wars,

You know,

You were with me!

You know that in my dictionary,

Fear existence has not!

Beyni and Beynollah…
[It means “between me and my God”, but its colloquial equivalent is “honestly”]

Such patches to you do not stick!
[It is an idiom meaning “such accusations do not suit you”]

I remember…

Sultan Ali Khan, may God rest his soul…

Before the Kazerun w*r he was saying…

So much lack-of-head and fearlessness,

In the end will cause trouble for Sir!

You remember that night they poured into our tent?

As if it was yesterday…

Three of the bandits with one b*llet you laid on the ground!

Mashallah!
[It literally means “what God wished has happened”, but in popular culture it means “bravo”]

[He chuckles under his breath]

Those merciless thieves of that day too!

Today’s thieves…

Compared to them are milk-drinking babies.

Even we ourselves,

Who were so headless and fearless,

It is not hidden from God,

Let it not be hidden from you either.

That night we were very afraid.

You remember the leader of the thieves?

How he fell at your feet,

Begging and pleading!?

As if it was yesterday!

His name…

Wasn’t it Sed Morad?
[Sed is short for Seyed and refers to Muslims who trace their lineage to the Prophet [PBUH]]

We saw Sed Morads!

May his grandfather hit his waist!
[A colloquial curse]

What a merciless and dishonorable person he was!

But Ghasem…

This you and I know.

If today,

That vile man,

With that foul-mouthed doctor,

Sit here and there and say so-and-so,

From fear of thief his condition upset became…

Then what becomes of my reputation of many years!

Oh!

Who will believe, Sir?

In the land of Iran,

Who is there that your heart and gall does not know?

People their reason to their ear is!
[The proverb has been changed according to the situation.
People their reason to their eye is]

I am sure that that dishonorable man,

To damage my reputation and honor,

Arranged that conspiracy last night!

Today also,

All of them go,

Take sorna in hand on the roof,
[Sorna is the name of an ancient Iranian wind instrument]

[Makes the sound of playing the instrument]
[He means they will tell the story to everyone]

We too tell everyone that they are lying!

At all we say that Sir their condition upset became.

We say…

A snake bit Sir!

Why nonsense you say, Ghasem?!



Does a snake bite a person,

His condition this quickly comes right!

How it doesn’t come right?!

We had a fellow villager…

You had fellow villager that you had…

Instead of these words go bring the thief!

He must confess that,

That dishonorable man against me conspiracy did!

Why delay? Go bring the thief!

Sir if from us you ask…

I from you nothing asked!

M… M… M… meaning if from us you ask…

We say as if better is that the thief you let go.

Let him go!

Let the thief go!

If the matter of catching the thief becomes sun-lit,
[He means if others find out]

Then that one,

Your sister’s husband,

Will tell the story of last night everywhere!

Then in all the land of Iran “how” will fall,
[“How” falling or “chow” falling means a rumor and uproar breaking out]

That Sir feared a thief!
[He cries]

[Sound of birds singing]

It is not related to us, Sir…

But letting this Hamdollah go is better.

The “ghaza bala” will pass too.
[“Ghaza bala” is an idiom meaning bad events that happen by fate]

Right now no one except Shir-Ali the butcher,

Knows that we caught a thief.

Meaning a stranger doesn’t know that we caught a thief.

This Shir-Ali also is with us, he won’t say a word.

You do kindness and… throw it in the Tigris
[Do kindness without expectation of reward do]

So that God in your desert gives it back.
[ so that God in time of hardship helps you]

[A poem by Saadi, the famous Iranian poet]

Always, in our family,

Forgiveness and magnanimity has been customary.

For the health of the children,

From the sin of this wretch we forgave.
[He means I forgive the thief so that God in return gives health to my children]

Ghasem…

Go untie his hands and feet and,

Tell him to hit the road and go quickly.

Especially tell him,

That you yourself are doing this.

Tell him that if Sir finds out,

He’ll skin me alive!

So that God in your desert gives it back…

Are you going to the pharmacy?

No!

If they come from the pharmacy,

Tell them to stay, I’ll be back soon.

Maybe we’ll have a few guests tonight.

Guests?!

Then why didn’t you say sooner?

God give you long life, Mash Ghasem.

As long as I live, I’m your servant.
- Go… go, Hamdollah!

Don’t let yourself be seen around here again!

Go Babam Jan, go in health. May it be auspicious

May God never take your shadow from over our heads.

You don’t know how much he prayed.

You remember that same Sed Morad…

Until he begged and pleaded, you forgave him.

And!

You also gave him a travel expense.
[“Travel expense” means the cost of his journey back]

Ghasem…

Who appreciates these things?

Maybe it would have been better,

If I too, like all powerful people,

Had been merciless and cruel to others.

This very merciful heart of mine,

Has caused my falling behind in life.

Don’t say this word, Sir!

What we know, the whole world knows.

If the hand of Ajnabi in the matter was not,
[“Ajnabi” means foreigner but in colloquial speech it refers to a foreign person]

Just the day before yesterday…
[He speaks quietly and secretly]

Under the bazaar, talk of you was.

I said, Sir,

If the English with you bad were not,

By now what things you would not have done!

If the English were not,
[He speaks quietly]

If their Ayadi everywhere were not!
[“Ayadi” means agents and mercenaries]

By now what things I would not have done!

Really, Sir, why are the English so bad with you?

This treacherous wolf…

England!

With everyone who loves his water and soil,

Is enemy!

What sin had Napoleon committed,

That they sat him on his black soil like that!

Separated him from wife and child like that.

Exiled him to Saint Helena island!

Made him die of grief!

Only,

He loved his homeland.

This,

In the eyes of the English,

Was his greatest sin!

May water never go down their throats sweetly, by the right of Mortaza Ali,
[Mortaza Ali is the title of the first Imam of the Shia]

May water never go down their throats sweetly!

The English enmity with me,

Started from the time they saw,

I love my homeland!

I want freedom.

I want constitutionalism.
[Supporter of constitutional law and limiting the king’s power during the Qajar period]

Now everyone claims they want constitutionalism!

They suffered for freedom!

They did this, they did that.
[In colloquial speech it means they did this and did]

But these same ones,

When Mamdali Shah bombarded the parliament,
[In colloquial speech “Mamdali Shah” refers to Mohammad-Ali Shah Qajar]

Like mice they slipped into their holes!

But we didn’t talk about ourselves.
[He laughs]

We went into memories.

Son-of-a-b*tch worthless!

Eh…

Ghasem, r*fle!

Oh, Babam Hey!

The Cossacks of Colonel Liakhov too,
- I said give me the r*fle!

Now have become constitutional fighters!

I said give me the r*fle!

He has sin, Sir.

Give me the r*fle!

Forgive his sin.

Why you run, traitor!

Sir!

Give me the r*fle,

So I silence his voice!

Sir, they have sin!

I say stop!

Ghasem!

Sir, forgive.

Cursed!

If my hand reaches you,

I will rain b*ll*ts on you.

Sir!

They have sin!

I will hang you.

Forgive their sin.

I said give me the r*fle!
- Sir!

Traitor!

Ungrateful!
[Ungrateful]

Give me!

Give me the r*fle!
- Sir!

Sir… they have sin!
- I can’t

Give me the r*fle!

Give me!

Give!

Until I silence him!
[He starts panting]

Give me!

Give me!

I have no breath…

Traitor, give me that r*fle!

I’ll burn your father!

Oh, Babam Hey!

Ay ay we died, Sir!

[He groans]

Mash Ghasem, Mash Ghasem… what happened?

Run!

Run, bring Doctor Naser Al-hokama!
- Sir, you k*lled your Ghasem!

Why you stood?
- Are you alive, Mash Ghasem?

Run, my dear, run, bring the doctor…

[Sound of groaning]

Sir, you k*lled your Ghasem, Sir!

Sir, help us!
[He groans]

Ghasem…
- Sir…

Ghasem…

Sir…
[He groans]

What happened to Ghasem!
[He cries]

[He groans]

Ghasem!

Sir, don’t touch us,

Let us die right here…

The way you say,

Your patient must have caught cold stomach.
[Caught cold stomach means stomach ache]

Let me see… how is his digestion?

Does he answer nature’s call?
[Referring to the patient’s bowel movement status]

Eh, not bad, Mr. Doctor.

But his stomach ache doesn’t get better.

It will get better, mother… it will get better.

Don’t worry.

It wouldn’t have been bad if you gave him a hot rock-sugar tea.

We gave, Mr. Doctor, but it had no effect.

Very well… let’s go see what it is…

Sir!

Mr. Doctor!
- What is it?

Mr. Doctor…
- What is it, my dear?

Mr. Doctor, run!

Stay well.
- Run!

Mash Ghasem!

Stay well…
- What happened?

- He got shot!
- Anyone dead?

He got shot…
- Shot?

His condition is bad!

[Sound of crowd noise]

Let me see, my dear! Let me see…
- What happened, Mr. Doctor!

- Anyone dead?

- Same as you!

How do I know if he’s dead or not!

Ghasem… enough!
[Sound of groaning]

What is it?

What happened?
- Nothing’s wrong with him.

My stomach….. ouch…

It hurts…

It burns…

Very good… drink water

I took the wish of going to Mecca to the grave.

- Why are you talking nonsense, Mash Ghasem?

- Nothing’s wrong with you!
- Sir…

Sir dear…

Your Ghasem is dying!

- Mash Ghasem, stop it already!
[Sound of groaning]

Promise that us,

In the courtyard of Hazrat Masumeh,
[Hazrat Masumeh is the sister of the eighth Shia Imam]

They bury.

has grazed and carried away…
[Grazing and carrying away means the b*llet or projectile has made superficial contact with a person’s body or prey]

Oh God…

[Sound of groaning]

- Don’t touch, child!

God…

- Don’t move from your place!

Take that r*fle from his hand!

Get up, take it from him… get up already!
[Sound of groaning]

Go take it from him… run!

Go!

- Ah… God…!

Give…
- Surrender, surrender!

Dad… m… mom!

Mom dear!

Mom… mom!

Who said you take that r*fle?

- Stay well!

- As if a snake bit our stomach!

- Stay well!

Hello ladies!
- Hello Mr. Doctor

Very welcome.

[Sound of groaning]

Mash Ghasem… enough already!
- Oh Babam Hey

Oh woe…

Honestly nothing’s wrong with you!

Mash Ghasem, don’t be afraid!

Oh Babam Hey… don’t touch me!

Don’t touch me… oh…

Mash Ghasem!

It’s Mr. Doctor!

Hello Mr. Doctor!

- Stay well!

First you, then God!
[He says it backwards]

First God, Mash Ghasem!

No difference!

Stay well!
- Ay…

Stay well!
[Sound of groaning]

Astaghfirullah!

[Sound of groaning]

Well… tell me… how did it happen?

What happened?
- He got shot!

[Sound of groaning]

Where did the b*llet hit you?

Who shot you?

Where did it hit?

[He groans louder]
- Who shot you?

Tell who did it?

That one!

That m*rder*r, that merciless m*rder*r!

What are you saying now, spy!



I myself with my own hands,

Will throw the hanging rope around your neck!

What business do you have with people’s affairs anyway?

Are you nosy people, spy!

- May God k*ll me!
- I am the spy?

If I am the spy, you are the m*rder*r!
- You cheating b*stard!

- You cheating b*stard!

[Sound of commotion and fighting]

Saeid!

He wants to k*ll Agha Joon!
- If I don’t throw the hanging rope around your neck!

Who?

Dear Uncle!

[Sound of commotion and fighting]

For God’s sake, don’t get angry!

- With my own hands I’ll strangle him!
- Man, stop, be ashamed!

- Stay well, stay well!
- I’ll make you miserable!

- Man… be ashamed!

- I’ll bring the house down on your head!

It’s shameful! Come on, go!
[Sound of commotion and fighting]

- Crazy idiot!

- Brother Khan is the elder, go inside!
- I’ll get your father!

Honestly, Mr. Doctor, why lie!

Till the grave, A-A-A-A!

Where did the b*llet hit you?!

Tell a…
- As if in our side and flank…

Ouch…

We participated in so many wars and fights,

Our death must reach us in Sir’s garden!

Mr. Doctor…

By God,

This last moment tell us the truth.

If our work is finished,

If there is no hope for our living hope,

Say, so we read our shahada.
[Saying the sentence: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
by Muslims at the time of death]

Nothing has happened to you, my dear!
[He roars]

[He roars]

[Sound of groaning]

What is it?

Why are you crying so much?

So where did the b*llet hit you?

Honestly, Sir, why lie?

Truth is how do we know?

You are the doctor, you didn’t understand?

Stay well! Stay well!

He is healthier than me too!

Now you lie to me too, you cheating swindler?

Get up, go get lost!

When did we lie to you, Sir!

Meaning you say we didn’t get shot!

Then what was that pain and burning?

Then where had the b*llet hit us?

I wish it had hit your brain!

What business do you have with it!?

If really a b*llet had hit him,

Would your heart be satisfied?

[Sound of groaning]

Stay well, stay well…

Thank God a hundred thousand times,

That we didn’t get shot!

M… M… Mr. Doctor!

Mr. Doctor!

Yes? Come in!
- I had a request!

Come in?

I wanted to say an incident had happened that,
- Stay well!

I found it necessary to come to your service myself.
- Stay well!

move aside, nothing happened!

By God, nothing happened!
[Crowd murmurs]

A firecracker exploded in one of the kids’ hands,
[Crowd murmurs]

Nothing happened, you gathered for no reason!
[Crowd murmurs]

Mr. Doctor…

I…

With all shame,

I want to apologize to you.

Last night,

I was angry,

I wasn’t feeling well.

You know…

When I get angry, my heart seizes up.

Our health is in your hands.

You forgive us!

Stay well.

Stay well.
- You showed great kindness. Thank you.

Stay well.
- Well, when a person gets angry…

- Come, let’s go.

♪ Bayat-e Tork piece – Morteza Mahjubi ♪

Oh Agha Joon!

Home!

You too go home!

Don’t let yourself be seen around here again.

Feshfeshoo!

Poori!

dear uncle…

Eh… bring that r*fle home.

[Sound of cart wheels]

Help carry it to the end of the garden.
- Shaajoon!

Two by two.

Shaajoon!

What’s all this today?
- Rub it on the door!

How do I know! How do I know!

Go ask him yourself!

God willing he wants to celebrate my death!

How do I know!
- No… there, there!

There,

Put it all the way there.
- Agha Joon!

What’s all this today?

Where have you been until now?
- In the alley.

Go call the kids,

Help arrange the chairs in the garden.

Tonight is celebration!

What celebration, Agha Joon?

What celebration?

Hello… hello…

One, two, three!

Can’t this get any louder?

No, Sir, this is already too much!

People’s ears will go deaf!

[Testing the microphone]

Tonight,

Is the anniversary of my marriage with your mother.

We’re holding a celebration.

Wedding anniversary celebration,

With this kind and united family.

Tonight,

Everyone is here!

All relatives…
[The sound distorts]

What’s wrong with it!

Why did it do that!
- What are you saying, Sir!

It’s broadcasting from the loudspeaker already!

Hello… hello!

One, two, three…

Hello! One, two…

One, two, three, four…

One, two, three, four…

One… testing…

One, two, three, four…

One, two, three, one, one, two

One, two…

Oh man…

Hello, hello!

- It’s good now, Sir!
- One…

One… hello…

Tonight we’re celebrating!

Wedding anniversary celebration.

Eh… by the way, let me see!

Did you invite Shamsali and Asdollah Mirza?

All relatives must be invited!

Hello…

Hello… hello…

Hello…

Man,

Do you even know what you’re doing?

I want to tell beautiful stories to the guests.

Music and singing.

I want,

To invite Ghamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri,
[The first female singer in Iran and pioneer of traditional women’s music in Iran]

To come here,

To sing for the guests in front of this loudspeaker.

♪ Sound of singing ♪

Ghasem!

Sir!

Sir, my hand to your skirt!
[It is an idiom meaning begging for help from someone]

As if it is doomsday!

We were inside the house when,

We almost our liver burst!

In all the country of Ghias Abad,

Until now such a sound we had not heard!

Ghasem, why have you become crazy!

As if a wounded lion has been released in the garden!

At first we didn’t know,

That Mr. Doctor one, two, three,

Are practicing arithmetic!

Why have you become crazy, Ghasem!

Which arithmetic practice?

This loudspeaker!

That vile man tonight has thrown a party,

Has brought and placed a loudspeaker,

So that he takes away my reputation and yours!

I have known this vile man for years!

Meaning you say trick is in the work?

Tonight we have invited musicians too.

Tonight we have invited musicians too.

Takhte-houzi singer!
[Performer of a type of popular urban music in the past]

Ah, by the way…

Lady Aziz-Saltaneh, don’t forget!

Saeid!

Come here, son.

Run, tell Shir-Ali,

To send two fat sheep here.

Find Hamdollah too.

Tell him to come tonight to help your mother.

Go!

Tell Hamdollah to wear new clothes!

I need him tonight.

[Turns on the gramophone]

Ah, ah, ah, ah…
[Sound of sad music from gramophone]

♪ Sound of sad gramophone music ♪

He wants to send for Hamdollah so that,

He comes here

Tonight for the guests,

He tells the story of last night’s theft!

He wants to ruin my reputation in front of the guests!

He wants the loudspeaker voice to echo in the whole neighborhood!

Our neck got eaten, Sir!

I wish this morning,

We had let you hang Hamdollah.

It became your fault!

Now the only way is,

That tonight’s party,

Somehow we ruin until…
[The singer starts singing]

[Sound of the singer’s voice]

Let me see!

In your opinion, in your opinion how can we,

Close the mouth of this vile man?

We thought of something, Sir!

What idea?

It’s good to send someone to inform the guests,

That tonight is the death anniversary of Sir, your uncle,
[He means the anniversary of his death]

Maybe they won’t come to the party!

Ah! Shut up, that’s a month from now!

As if your word is right, Sir!

Ghasem!

Yes, Sir!

‫بدو به تاخت،

At the house of Sir Seyed Abolghasem the preacher.
[Preacher is a religious scholar who advises people and calls them to piety]

He has water in his hand, tell him to put it down…
[It is an idiom meaning “drop everything and come immediately”]

Run and come here!

Tell him Sir has urgent business with you!

Yes, Sir!

Run, my dear!

Run, let me see!

[Sound of loudspeaker feedback]

♪ Singer’s voice ♪

[Sound of loudspeaker feedback]

Poori!

Poori!

Answer them, dear uncle!

[Sound of loudspeaker feedback]

Yes, sir!

Hello, hello, hello

One, two, three, four. We’re testing.

We’re testing.

Hello, hello

One, two, three, four

One, two, three, four

Is the sound good? We’re testing.

We’re testing too!

We’re testing!

Hello, hello! One, two!

We’re testing too

We’re testing!

Is it good, dear uncle?

Louder! Louder!

We’re testing too! We’re testing!

Hello, one two, set, four.

Hello, hello…

Hello! Is the sound good? Is the sound good?

Hello, hello!

One, two, three, four

We’re testing!

Cursed!

Hello, hello!

Hello, hello!

One, two, three, four

We’re testing!

We’re testing!

[Sound of Quran recitation from loudspeaker]

Mash Ghasem!

Why are you putting up a black flag?

Leave us alone, Babam Jan!

You scared us too!

Let us do our work!

But tell me why?

Ghasem!

Has your father miscarried that you’re putting up a black flag?

I wish my late father,

Had died on such a dear night!

Tonight is the night of the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil!
[Muslim ibn Aqil is the cousin of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam]

We have a rowzeh.
[A religious gathering where people come together and
religious texts are recited or a preacher speaks]

May Muslim ibn Aqil hit your waist, your master, all the liars!

In my opinion your master when,

From fear of thieves fainted,

Gabriel descended to him that tonight is the night of his martyrdom!

Huh?

Honestly, Sir, why lie!

Till the grave…

Four fingers!

We ourselves Gabriel with our own eyes didn’t see!

But we know that,

Tonight is the night of the martyrdom of Hazrat Muslim ibn Aqil!

Sir Seyed Abolghasem himself also knows.

If you don’t believe our word, ask himself!

May I bring calamity on you and your master,

That Seyed Abolghasem,

So that the two children of Muslim,

[The children of Muslim ibn Aqil]

Cry bitterly for you!

Oh Hazrat…

Oh Babam Hey…

Oh Hazrat Muslim ibn Aqil!

Help us!

Agha Joon let him go… Agha Joon he’ll fall and die!
- Oh Babam Hey… help!

Help…

Oh Babam Hey…
- What happened?

Help us!
- What is it? What happened?

If I had married the people of Lot,
- Help…

It would have been better than this family!

Shame on you! What fault does this poor guy have?

[He cries]

Over there in the garden, rowzeh and chest-beating…

Here music, singer, and drinking!

I know that this matter of the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil,

Is fake!

I know they made it up themselves!

You know but the people don’t know!

Our honor and dignity in the neighborhood will go!

The chest-beaters don’t know!

They’ll pour out and mince us all!
[Referring to cutting meat into small pieces for ghormeh]

Now come down from the devil’s donkey.
[Get off your wrong behavior]

Leave the party for another night!
Yes… yes… yes… you are right!

Tonight is a dear night.

The night of the martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqil.

May I be sacrificed for that calamity of his!

May I be sacrificed for that innocent one!

The fatherless infidels, how they separated his head from his body!

May God curse them!

Did Brother Khan teach you these?

Then go tell him that,

No one cut off the head of this Muslim ibn Aqil!

They threw him down from the top of the tower!

Astaghfirullah!

Even God can’t handle your tongue!

Now that it’s like this, go do whatever your heart desires!

Play whatever bambool you want!
[Bambool means trick and deception]

Go give the party!

Start music and singing!

You yourself know you have to sit alone in the middle of the gathering!

You yourself drink liquor and listen to music and singing!

No one dares to come to your house!

You played with your own life or with Brother Khan’s!

Very good… very good!

Go tell the guests not to come tonight.

I’ll come to the rowzeh with you.

Anyway tonight is a dear night!

Tonight I will definitely come to the rowzeh!

It has reward.

May I be your vanguard.

Come there so that maybe you two make peace.

I’m coming to the rowzeh!

Tell Brother Khan tonight,

I will definitely come to serve him.

♪ Avaz-e Abu Ata Hejaz – Morteza Mahjubi ♪

Mash Ghasem!
- Huh?

Mash Ghasem!

What is it, Babam Jan?

Mash Ghasem, do you know what Agha Joon is planning?

Babam Jan, go play, kid!

If Sir finds out we talked to you,

He’ll skin us alive. Go…

But Mash Ghasem,

We have to do something so this fight ends!

It’s getting worse every day.

Only God knows where it will end!

Honestly, we’re scared of its outcome too!

Sir canceled his own party,

To come to Dear Uncle’s rowzeh tonight!

We have to make sure that,

Agha Joon doesn’t come to the rowzeh tonight,

Or if he comes, he doesn’t talk about last night’s theft!

If Agha Joon wants to tell everyone,

The story of the thief,

There will be fights,

And only God knows the end of it!

Don’t worry about tonight, Babam Jan!

Sir has planned everything!

Sir made an arrangement with Sir Seyed Abolghasem,

That if your Sir comes,

They won’t let him speak!

I made a vow that if this fight ends,

I’ll go light a candle at the saqqa-khaneh.
[Saqqa-khaneh is a place for free distribution of holy water
where people usually light candles to make wishes]

Oh Babam Hey!

Sir, Poori came.

Now with that beak and muzzle of his,

He’ll go tell Sir we talked to you!

Run, Babam Jan, go back home, run!

[Sound of Quran recitation]

Come in.

Have some sharbat.

How are you feeling, Mr. Colonel?

Come in, come in—

Come in.

Please.

Sit up there so you can hear the voice better.
- Thank you.

Salaam alaikum
- Alaikum salaam.

Inshallah it will be accepted.

Thank you.
- May you receive its reward.

Thank you very much.

Welcome, Shazdeh.

Please come and sit.
- May it be accepted, Sir.

Brother.

There!

I’ll go there, brother… over there
[He mumbles under his breath]

You need to learn manners…

Have you become rude, Asdollah?

Ya Allah!
- Salaam alaikum.

Please come and sit.
- We are your servants.

Whenever you go to a bloody rowzeh,

Try to sit close to the women’s section!

Shameless! It’s disgraceful!

Eh!

[Crowd murmurs]

[Sound of Quran recitation]

Didn’t you see, brother?

On that side too there are always women who,

Want to sit on the edge of the men’s section!

Salaam!

Ya Allah!

Hello Mr. Doctor.
- Alaikum salaam Mash Ghasem, no no…

How are you feeling, Mash Ghasem?

Sorry!

Salaam!
- Come in.

Go sit there.
- No… over there.

Come in, sit there.

But that…

Come in, please Mr. Doctor.

Come in.

Mash Ghasem… you know that…
- Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.

That…

You probably want to know where Lady Leili is sitting?

Be careful! Don’t let him speak under any circumstances!
[They speak quietly]

Your mind can be at ease.

Yes, sir.

Read louder.

During the recitation of God’s word, you must not let,

Any human voice be heard!

Enjoy it, Babam Jan…
- Saeid!

Go sit next to your Agha Joon.

Go get lost!

Asdollah!

Shazdeh!

Shazdeh!

How are you, Prince Asdollah?

I can’t hear!

I was talking to you and your brother.

Honestly, I can’t hear!

I’ll see you later.

Just…
- Eh Sir, sit down!

In a rowzeh gathering,

They don’t make this much noise!

What inconsiderate people have become!

Married five years,

Has six kids!

Still just wants to keep having kids!

You’re right!

Cover your child’s face.

Agha Joon, are you looking for someone?

Dustali-Khan!

I haven’t seen him either, seems he hasn’t come yet.

Look!

Go to the women’s section,

If Lady Aziz has come,

Tell her to come behind the curtain, I need to talk to her.

‫بگو آقام یه چیزی می خواد بهتون بگه. بدو!

‫بدو!

I want to go to the women’s section…

Shaajoon!

May your hands never hurt.

Shaajoon!

Go!

Get out!

Let me see!

Where!

I have business!

In there!

What business do you have in the women’s section?

You big shameless b*stard!

Go!

Male donkey kid… run!

What is it? What do you want?

Why did you come here?

Hasn’t Lady Aziz-Saltaneh come?

No, not yet!

What do you want with her?

Agha Joon needs her.

Tell him she’s not here!

Shameless, what are you doing here?

Go to the men’s section!

Hey kid, go sit down!

Why are you dangling around the ladies’ legs!

Asdollah, enough already!

It’s disgraceful!

Brother Khan, why are you telling me it’s disgraceful?

Tahereh Khanom is looking at you!

Me!

A… a… at me!
Moment… Moment—

Shir-Ali the butcher’s wife!

The same guy who’s two and a half meters tall?

Yes!

A few years ago,

He cut off his adulterous wife’s head with a cleaver.

So now he’s in prison?

No!

Later it turned out,

His wife had run off with the guy to San Francisco,

He only served six months,

Then they released him!

Hey Seyed Abolghasem, get up and shut this vile man’s mouth!

Your mind can be at ease!

Ya Allah!

I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed and stoned!


In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
[In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful]

Blessings and peace be upon the noblest of all His creation.
[Blessings and peace upon the most honorable of all God’s creatures]

Where is Shir-Ali?

And the Seal of the Prophets—
[And upon the Seal of the Prophets]

He went to Shabdol-Azim.
[Among the common people, Shabdol-Azim; officially Shah Abdol-Azim]

[Shah Abdol-Azim Hasani [AS], a descendant of Imam Hasan Mojtaba]

Abul-Qasem Mohammad…
[Kunya of the Prophet of Islam [PBUH]]

O Allah, send blessings upon Mohammad and the family of Mohammad.
[May God send blessings upon Mohammad [PBUH] and his household]

From the cruelty of fate and the turning of time, Muslim.

Remained in Kufa, how bewildered and lost, Muslim.

Agha Joon! Lady Aziz-Saltaneh still hasn’t come.

Last night your place was empty…
- With weary body, parched lips and…

Agha Joon, give your heart to the rowzeh!

It is a dear night.

With weary body, parched lips and…

A funny thing happened here.
- Wounded and afflicted state

I can’t hear!

Agha Joon, give your heart to the rowzeh!

It is a dear night!

Unwillingly wandered, fell c*ptive to the accursed, Muslim.

You’re right, the voice isn’t reaching… I’ll come to you now.
- From sorrow of separation and…

- And the exile of child and…

Last night,

It was almost midnight when…
- Wife.

A thing happened…
- Sir, aren’t you a partner in mourning!

Then why are you circling the women’s section!

A thing happened that everyone must know!

Last night, midnight…

We were all asleep in the mosquito net when…

Suddenly we heard shouting.

Help thief…

Help thief…

If someone is not a partner in mourning…

If someone belongs to another religion…
- O dear of Fatemeh…

If someone has enmity with the people of the faith…
- Don’t come to ruined Kufa.

Let him go to his own house!
- O dear of Fatemeh…

- Don’t come to ruined Kufa.

Let him go to his own house!

- O dear of Fatemeh…

Let him go to his own house and drink liquor!
- Don’t come to ruined Kufa.

Let him follow his own religion…

What is this clowning?

May your eyes go blind!

- Don’t come to the lane of blood-drinkers.

- Don’t come to the lane of blood-drinkers.

Saeid!

Go tell your mother to come home quickly.

- The people of Kufa broke their covenant with me…

- O may I be sacrificed for you, don’t come to the lane of blood-drinkers!

- Don’t come to the lane of blood-drinkers!

- Don’t come to the lane of blood-drinkers!

O dear of Fatemeh, don’t come to ruined Kufa!

O dear of Fatemeh, don’t come to ruined Kufa!

♪ Sound of military march ♪