Akhri Khat
by Ramil Ahsan
8 minutes | Comedy
Shocked and intimidated in learning to whom the love of his life is engaged to, Haadi finds he has two options: give up or confess his love.
Akhri Khat
is a Pakistani short film which follows Haadi through his regret in writing to his crush before her wedding day. Haadi is both wrought with insecurity and deeply passionate about Mehwish. While the film traces Haadi and his attempt to retrieve the letter and essentially confess to her in person, what’s most intriguing about the film is Haadi’s friendship with Bilal. The film starts with Haadi on the ledge of the rooftop, deeply ashamed and distressed about his hopeless romantic future.
His mother and Bilal try talking him down; his mother, telling her how much she loves him and will find someone better while Bilal makes fun of how the drop won’t make an impact. It isn’t until Bilal says “You are my only friend. What will happen to me?” that Haadi crawls off the ledge. Bilal convinces Haadi that they could try to get the letter back from Yasir Bhai, which lifts Haadi’s spirits. Bilal isn’t perfect, though. He puts Haadi down because of his stutter (“if you read the sign, it’ll take all day”) and leaves him hanging as he faces Mehwish’s fiance (Yasir Bhai). These moments are meant to come off as comedic moments, but it nonetheless is what it is. What’s interesting about him is that he starts off with the best intentions. He mentions to Haadi that it might be best to forget the letter because they can’t get it back from Mehwish’s house anyway. Haadi’s struck by the idea and Bilal’s mortified by what he’s said.
Even though he’s arguing with Haadi every step of the way, Bilal still helps Haadi climb over the gate to Mehwish’s house. He waits outside for Haadi at night for what could be taken for a substantial amount of time before hearing Yasir Bhai’s name and running away. The friendship that Haadi got off the ledge for isn’t one without vanity and insecurities of its own. Instead, it’s about challenging each other to fulfill their imaginations without letting their inhibitions prevent them from making otherwise completely rational decisions.
From the mocking way that Bilal convinces Haadi not to hurt himself to the way he offers Haadi a mango that he’s already slobbered all over, Bilal values Haadi as someone who won’t judge him. It’s certainly true, as Haadi follows through with Bilal’s rhetorical suggestion to retrieve the letter even if it’s already delivered. Perhaps Haadi sees Bilal needs him. Despite being the squirmy one, Haadi proves himself the hero as he’s willing to show up for Bilal. When Haadi was on the ledge, his mother said, “What will happen to your old mother? You’re my only child.” The emotional baggage doesn’t work with his mother, but it does with his friend.
While his mother reminds him that she can find a match for him, Bilal expresses that there is someone who validates him for who he is outside the conventions of an arrangement. What Hadi seems to pine for is a love marriage and though that’s not what he receives in that moment, he’s reminded that there is someone who has chosen him. By making the gesture to leave the world because Mehwish rejected him (or likely will), he’s reminded that he’s indicating a rejection of his friendship with Bilal. While Haadi emotionally self-destructs throughout the short, he stays present with Bilal to validate Bilal despite his own eccentricities.
Ramil Ahsan
Ramil Ahsan is filmmaker and have done multiple commercials and 3 feature length film as 1st assistant director. He also works as producer and director in Pakistan, helping other Pakistani filmmakers tell their stories.
His most recent film, “Nayab” released in January 2024.
To find updates on his work, connect with him on Instagram.
Help Ramil continue making work like “Akrhi Khat” by donating today.
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