03x02 - Sort of Chaaliswan

[bunniefuu]

[bright music]

So, yeah, um.

I've been thinking
about it a long time.

I'm like, all
researched up on HRT.

I pretty much know
what to expect,

like medically speaking.

HRT is hormone
replacement therapy.

Yeah, I, I know
what it is.

Cool.

You just weren't
saying anything, so.

Next steps would be
for you to like,

refer me to a
gender affirming specialist.

Sabi, I've been
treating your family

since pretty much the
beginning of my practice.

You were one of
my first families.

I remember.

You looked thirteen.

Which is amazing
I thought that

since I was
actually thirteen.

I'm aware of what your
family's been going through,

since your father's passing.

And I guess I'm wondering,

have you considered...

well, them?

I'm not sure what they have
to do with, like, this.

Right. I guess I'm asking,
I think,

have you considered
the timing?

Oh. Happy birthday.

It's your birthday tomorrow,
isn't it?

♪ I'm a bird in flight,
I'm a butterfly high

♪ I know my darkness
will not go away, so I

♪ Threw away logic,
so I'd find a way

♪ Will we be okay?

♪ Tell me we will be okay

♪ Mind, I made up my mind ♪

♪ I made up my mind ♪

♪ I'ma put my fears aside

♪ I made up my mind
I made up my mind ♪

♪ Say you'll
stay by my side

♪ Me I've got
nothing to prove

♪ When it's
just me and you

♪ Used to have
nothing to lose

♪ Now you're someone
I could lose ♪

♪ I, I, yeah ♪

♪ Me I got
nothing to prove

♪ When it's
just me and you

♪ Used to have
nothing to lose

♪ Now you're someone
I could lose

♪ Ha, ha ♪

Hiii.

Sabi, I think I remembered

that maybe it's your
birthday today?

Is it your birthday?

Oh God, yeah.

I'm so sorry.

Happy birthday.

Suno, they need you inside
to help set the chairs.

Uh, FYI?

Today should remain, you know,
chill and on the down-low

for your father's
Chaaliswan, Alhamdulillah.

If not for Allah,
then for Aunty.

Hey, I think you
should probably Google

what on the
down-low means

if you wanna
keep using it.

Oh, it has another meaning?

Just Google it.

Happy birthday, Sabi.

♪ I'm a bird in flight,
I'm a butterfly high ♪

[people murmuring]

It's important not
to grieve too much.

Is what I'm doing too much?

I'm only warning,

it-it might impede

the departing
soul's journey

if there is too
much grief.

I will try to find
the right amount.

[pleasant music]
[people murmuring]

[pleasant music continues]

You didn't make it yourself?

Isn't it nice your mommy
brought so few dishes?

People usually make such
a show for the Chaaliswan.

Shehraz:
Excuse me one moment, please.

[Mumtaz sighs]

How is Aqsa doing?

Effectively disrespecting
your brother's memory.

[gentle hip hop music]

Buon compleanno!

[7ven squeals]

If that means happy birthday
please don't say it again.

I know the circumstances
are not ideal

but you can still acknowledge
the day you came to earth.

Okay, I'm acknowledging it.

This is me acknowledging it.

Today is a solemn day of
grieving for Papa Mehboob.

And only if you're
feeling up to it,

a little c*ck with your
devoted BFF afterwards?

Maybe.

Asalaam-walaikum,
Mrs. Mehboob.

Hi, 7ven.

It's so nice that you came.

Of course.

How you holding up?

I'm wearing maybe
the wrong thing

and I made maybe
not enough food.

Doesn't matter what
anyone thinks.

This is your time to grieve.

Arre.

Awww.

What's this for?

Birthday hug.

Oh God.

Imam-sahib,
where should Sabi be?

It's a very good question.

Um...

Where would Imran have
wanted Sabi to be?

With the men.

Would he?

With the women.

Um...

Ah, I don't know anymore.

[gentle music]
[people murmuring]

Okay.

That's good.

Yes, fine.

[Imam saying prayers]

♪ By the time you get the
message I (be gone baby baby)

♪ Over to the other side

♪ Please don't chase me baby

♪ Irreversible for us

♪ Probably best that
we pull the plug

♪ But you still think it's
still worth holding on, baby

♪ I think it's more like
a four alarm, blazing

♪ You and the horse
you rode up on lately

♪ Going places where
I don't belong

♪ You been callin'
off and on

♪ Want me back with
open arms, crazy

♪ Saw the wagon now
you jumping on, shady

♪ Changed your tune when
sh*t was popping off, baby

♪ Dropped the bag like
you was dropping bombs

♪ You done chose
to walk up on ♪


Hey, so wow,

what's just happened here is
that Imran's been released

from apparently his earthly
life through prayer.

[people murmuring]


Oh my God.

[whispering] Sorry.

I can't even.

[whispering] Where you going?

Should I come with you?

♪ You and the horse you
rode up on, lately

♪ Goin' places where
I don't belong

♪ Callin' off and on ♪

[rain pattering]

It's raining.

Weird.

Hey, wanted to say,

the inheritance thing, I-

That's so not an
issue for me, Kareem.

Just saying, if my dad
left you a bunch of shares-

Kareem, I'm good.

[rain pattering]

[thunder rumbling]

My dad really loved you,
you know?

I loved Imran Uncle, too.

That's actually
nice to hear.

I haven't been to a Chaaliswan
since my brother died.

Mm, totally.

Kareem:
Been thinking about
Samir so much these days.

[Sabi chuckles]

Are you laughing?

That's weird.

Sorry, just when I
think about Samir

sometimes it just
makes me laugh,

I can't help it.

Remember when he tried to
drink from a snow globe?

He went to
emergency for that.

He got in so much trouble.

Really upset your
parents, too.

He was self-destructive.

Yeah, but like, I don't
think he wanted to, like, die.

The amount of drugs he
did says maybe otherwise.

You know that the
drugs and stuff,

that only got worse

when your parents threatened
to send him to Pakistan.

Then he got, like,
super reckless.

They were gonna send
him to Pakistan?

Yeah, you didn't
know about that?

I mean, your dad was
maybe not so into it,

but Mumtaz Aunty
really pushed.

[door creaks]

OhmyGod, that woman could
harvest organs with her glare.

Kareem:
My mom?

Oh. 'Sup Kareem?

Hey, 7ven.

You clean up nice.

What's happening?



Where do I look?
Where's 10?

I can't tell round time.

Round time?

Old-timey clocks and sh*t.

You can't tell time?

I also can't dial a
rotary phone, Kareem,

you gonna shame
me for that?

sh*t. What's she doing here?

Did you invite her?

No.

Hi.

[soothing music]

What are you doing here?

Who's this?

Kareem, this is Bessy.

Hey.

Happy birthday, Sabi.

Oh my God.

Sabi.

[gentle music]

Hey, Bessy.

Hey, 7ven.

How you been?

♪ I wonder if another
universe would give me you

♪ Without the pain
of losing time

♪ Or living
life without you

♪ If time's a thief
then let pain teach

♪ Don't wanna wind up on
the street again without you

♪ I never really did

♪ Here and now

♪ I'm sitting waiting for
a chance to recompense

♪ For the almosts
and the ends

♪ How it never really ♪

You're Aqsa, right?

Who are you?

I'm Bessy.

Oh, wow!

I kinda feel
like I know you.

Yeah, same.

I couldn't make it
to the funeral so...

how you holding up?

I feel a massive
f*cking void.

Sabi:
She, like,
totally cut me off.

Said she can't even be in
the same room with me.

So, yeah, it's a bit weird
that she's crashing this

and, like, meeting my sister.

What the?

Why didn't you tell
me any of this stuff?

I'm not sure
that's the point.

Okay, yeah, that
was about me.

So frustrating.

You want Bessy gone?

She's gone.

Thank you, but maybe
someone less 'k*lling Eve'

can go ask her
politely to leave.

You got it.

That's nice.

[people murmuring]

Bessy?

Hey, Kareem.

I'm Sabi's cousin.

Yeah, we met outside.

This is sort of a
family event, so...

Well, I'm kinda
like family, so.

I'm at least as much
family as 7ven is.

Sabi sort of wants
you to leave.

Okay.

Can I just talk to them for
a second before I leave?

Sabi, you shouldn't
be alone right now.

Hi.

I'm a human.
Standing right here.

Maybe you should mingle
with your family

is what I'm saying.

Hi.

Hi, I'm 7ven.

Sullivan?



Are you saying the number?

I am.

[people murmuring]

Aqsa:
Yeah, I can grab it.

Oh my God, she's like
a specimen on display.

Jealous?

I am hating her hating me.

No. No look, she
doesn't, ah, hate you.

I just think that she'd
like to be the controversy,

once in her life.

God, that was such a
weird thing to say.

Please don't tell
her I said that.

sh*t.

What?

What's up, Bess?
-What's up, 7ven?

I hope you can see
this from Sabi's lens

but you, here, right now?

Massively aggro.

Is it?

You weren't invited

and you're not leaving
when being asked.

You're right, that
is what's happening.

I don't really know
what I'm doing here.

That's weird.

I wasn't at the funeral.
-Bessy.

Can I just speak to
Sabi for a second?

Bye now, Bessy.

Now.

Now.

Now!

Sabi!

Look, I-I know
this is-is weird.

I just, I-I couldn't
make it to the funeral

and I-I just felt like,
like literally compelled

to be here for you.

And I guess I'm sorry.
I-I know I'm sorry.

And I just,
for everything!

[softly] Big blanket apology
not accepted I guess.

[gentle music]

[people murmuring]

Thank you for being here,
Dr. Malik.

Of course.

How are you doing?

Not sure how I'm allowed
to be, to be honest.

Well, there's a certain amount
of showbiz to our rituals.

Sometimes you just gotta give
people the tears they want.

Sorry if that
sounded insensitive.

It did a little bit,
if I can be honest.

Kareem:
You were gonna send
Samir to Pakistan,

and you didn't tell me?

There's a time and
a place, Kareem.

Kareem:
He was my brother!

What is going on with you?

She needs to chill out!

Okay, okay, relax.

Your son is disrespecting
your brother and his mother.

And your sister-in-law is
disrespecting her husband.

And Sabi and that woman-

Okay, enough!

[Mumtaz gasping]

Hi, hello family.

We must remember,

extreme emotions can inhibit
Imran Bhai's soul from rising.

Dad.

[objects crashing]
[people shouting]

Ah...

I...

[people murmuring]

[gentle music]
[people murmuring]

[gentle music]

Um, you asked for me?

Shehraz:
I owe you and Aqsa,

Raffo-Bhabhi and
Imran Bhai all an apology.

Bhai, there's no need.

My whole family
owes you an apology.

Kareem:
For sure.

I'm super sorry.

[gentle music continues]

♪

Listen to me.

It's okay.

Feel whatever
you are feeling.

All of you.

[Shehraz sniffling]

[Shehraz sighing]

[gentle music]

I'll wait for
you in the car.

[Shehraz sighing]

[Aqsa sniffling]

[Aqsa crying]

[gentle music]

♪

[people murmuring]

Go out with 7ven.
For your birthday.

Hm, another night.

When things
aren't so weird.

When are things not
going to be weird, jaanu?

Jaanu, Aqsa will
come back with me.

Sabi:
Why don't we
all just go home?

Have some leftovers?

If Sabi's going with you

then maybe I'll just go
back to the apartment.

I'm not feeling great.

Yo.

Yo.

[7ven sighing]

[upbeat electronic music]

You can tell me stuff,
you know?

I know.

I say that because
there's stuff

you're not telling me,
like with Bessy?


-Right.

So, listen.

Hey, I'll just stop
you right there

'cause I feel like you're about
to talk about my birthday.

Oh sh*t,
you can read me.

Well, I'm a one-person


hotline, okay?

You text me the
words "f*cked" and "up"

and I'll be there to make
those words a reality.

Whenever.
Forever. All over.

Thank you.

I'm gonna go catch my mom.

Okay.

[upbeat music]

Sabi:
Okay, I'm ready to go.

Dr. M:
It was pretty emotional.

Totally.

And your chacha
really lost it.

He reeeally did.

Dr. M:
And your mom,

she needs you so
much right now.

She's doing okay.

My opinion,

your family can't
take much more.

[Sabi sighing]

Sabi:
Hey, can I ask
you a question?

Dr. M:
Sure.

How's your fam?

They're good.

Sabi:
Yeah?

There's always,
like, stuff going on

all the time,
isn't there?

Never really a good
time to stir the pot.

Well, some times are better
for some things, though.

Sabi:
I feel really sad that
my dad is, like, gone,

but if he, like,
didn't die, I...

I don't think I'd be able to
make this decision for myself.

Out of this total tragedy
there's like this,

I don't know what to call it,

like, not-not freedom, but-

[sighs] Sabi, I understand-

What I need from
you, um, Dr. M,

is a referral to a
gender-affirming specialist.

And if I can't
get that from you

then I'm gonna have to
go to someone who will

and that's gonna,
like, really suck

because I have to tell
this total stranger

everything I've told you,

a person I've known
since I was thirteen.

And I don't wanna do that.

["Dreaming" by Carmen Elle]

♪ I walk, and walk,
so am I just dreaming?

♪ Am I dreaming? ♪

♪ Am I dreaming ♪

♪ Am I dreaming ♪

♪

♪ Take a longer look at me

♪ Tell me what
you think you see

♪ You'll just betray
what you believe ♪