The Effects of Lying (2023) Movie Script
1
(Chickens clucking)
(Door opens)
(Naveen) Hello. Hello, Sita.
Excuse me.
Sorry. Thank you.
'Sometimes I wonder if this is
really it.
'Dust from stars.
'Millions of years of evolution
'to bring my consciousness into
being,
'to observe for one brief moment...
'..this.
'This is it. The gift of life.
The game of life.
'It's temporary,
but surely it must mean something.'
Do you ever get that feeling
you can't shake off, hm?
My lovely Sita.
(Gasps)
(Sighs heavily)
(Lighter flicking)
Eugh!
- Are you ready?
- I'm not going.
Right.
Sangeeta, did you hear that?
- It's her life.
- Thanks, Mother.
And will you shut the door?
You have to go.
I'm not really into
weekly organised masochism.
You might be, but I'm not.
- I think it helps.
- Well, you go, then.
Can you stop fighting her?
What, and sign up
to your policy of appeasement?
No, thanks.
- Can't you compromise just...?
- Oi, Josh!
- H-Hey, Sim.
- Hey.
- Er... Hi, Mr and Mrs Sanghera.
- What are you doing?
Oh... I was... I was just jogging.
- In our garden?
- Yeah.
Yeah, sorry. Sorry, Mr Sanghera.
Why have you got that on your head?
Oh, um... I was, um...
I was... I was hedging. It's like
this online, like, viral thing.
- Right.
- (Josh) Yeah, you, um...
You strap one of these cameras
to your head,
then you run through as many gardens
as you can, and, um...
and you upload the footage to...
- I'll see you later, Josh.
- Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Sorry. I'll just, er...
just go back over the wall.
(Giggles)
- Are you and, er...?
- Dad.
- You know, um...
- Oh, God, stop. He's just a friend.
Will you stop interrogating her?
Right, I'm off to the office.
- I'm going to college.
- What shall I say to Dr Russell?
- She's a therapist,
she'll understand!
Yes, but you're the
one with the...
(Front door slams)
(Ringing)
- (Man) 'Hello?'
- Hello. Yes, it's Naveen Sanghera.
Yes, hello, again, um...
You said you had the materials.
- 'Yeah, I do.'
- Good. When can I see it?
OK. Any idea when?
Sure.
Oh, at my house? I'd, um...
I'd rather meet somewhere else,
to be honest.
OK, I'll wait to hear from you.
- Thank you.
- 'But Naveen...'
(Sighs)
(Clears throat)
- What the fuck?
- My phone.
What, you're fucking spying on me?
That's sick! You're fucking sick!
Simran!
- Simran!
- Piss off, Dad!
(Simran stomps upstairs)
(Door slams)
(Loud music playing upstairs)
(Sighs)
(Music volume intensifies)
(Heavy drum and bass music)
(Music stops)
Can we talk?
It's always so... so nice up here.
This was wasted on the guest room.
Look, I don't want...
The last thing I want to do,
me or your mum,
is to make things worse.
We want to help.
I want to understand.
I'm not dictating to you, am I?
I-I don't stand over you,
I don't think,
but I'm not gonna stand back,
and let you screw up your chances.
- It's heart-breaking.
- This isn't about you.
Dr Russell said it's more likely
to be nature than nurture anyway,
so you're off the hook.
- I'm trying to do the right thing.
- Well, then, do nothing!
Just be my dad.
Just stand there and take it!
If I behaved like this
to my dad...
What would he have done?
He wouldn't have been
so understanding.
Good old-fashioned
corporal punishment?
Tough love, he called it.
Well... if you need to beat me,
can we get on with it?
Try not to batter anywhere
that I'll show.
You're supposed to be at work.
We're supposed to be
at the therapist's.
(Mobile chimes)
- What's that?
- Um... nothing.
Something I have to do later.
Fancy going down the arcade?
We could play on the fruit machines.
We could score some crack
off the estate lads.
There's a bit behind the bus shelter
that's the perfect place
for an overdose.
Do that, and I will batter you.
(Front door slams)
(Laughter)
Who's that?
(Laughter)
I think it's Mum.
Who's she with?
I only saw that he was wearing
a suit.
Perhaps she's showing him around.
Why would she do that?
Maybe he's an estate agent. We're
trying to get the house evaluated.
We're not selling. Why would she
show an estate agent round?
It's good to know the value
of your real estate, Simran.
It's good practice.
(Indistinct chatter and giggling)
(Moaning)
Jesus!
Are you sure it's your mum?
Definitely.
Your wife, the mother of your child,
with some... bloke.
It's probably nothing.
Do something, then.
- Think I should go beat him up?
- Yes!
No, just... I don't know,
go in there and scare him away,
defend your territory.
(Naveen sighs)
(Scoffs)
Could this be more dysfunctional?
How does this make you feel?
Like a blob of jelly.
(Sangeeta shrieking)
Are you even jealous?
I don't know.
Bloody hell!
Simran, wait.
(Moaning and shrieking continues)
(Sangeeta) Harder! Harder!
Harder!
(Shrieking continues)
Dad! Stop. Just...
come back.
OK. I'm coming back.
(Sighs)
It'll be over soon.
I can't believe I have to listen
to my mother
have sex with another man.
Think of something else.
Something nice.
Look...
Simran, we have been married
for 20 years.
- And?
- A long time for two people to...
You know.
You're unhappy?
No, I...
I'm happy.
But?
- But nothing, it's just...
- Yes?
Your mum and me, we...
I don't know, I can't explain.
Don't know what?
What don't you know?
Do we have to have
this conversation now?
No, I think we should wait
another 20 years,
really ruminate on it.
Your mum and me...
We don't exactly... relate,
that-that's all.
It's not unusual, it's not
remarkable.
But turns out we... weren't
actually...
aren't particularly compatible.
Tell me you didn't stay together
for my sake.
Not that cliche, please.
(Naveen sighs)
Fuck!
(Naveen) You don't understand
married life.
(Simran) Well, it's my life too,
trapped here with you and her.
It turns out not being happy is the
backdrop to everything I hold dear.
We are happy... enough.
People expect too much.
Is it too much to expect you
to love each other?
Lots of couples don't.
Stupidly, I thought that you'd...
you'd be looking forward
to me going away to uni.
- Simran, I...
- Going for coffee, going on dates,
getting dressed up.
Not this.
Not listening to her
get frisky with another man.
That's more than frisky.
- She's so... guttural.
- Isn't she?
(Moaning and shrieking continues)
Is that it?
Do you remember when I was little
and you'd wrap me up in a bath towel
and pretend I was the baby
and you were the stork?
And I'd carry you in my beak.
All that time... you were unhappy.
I was happy then.
I love you, and despite myself,
I do love Sangeeta.
But the happiness,
it-it's supposed to be like this...
lovely warm blanket
over everything.
Dr Russell keeps going over it
again and again in the sessions.
- Over what?
- My childhood, my upbringing.
Over and over it,
like she's obsessed.
- What does she say?
- She doesn't say anything.
What do you say, then?
Whatever comes to mind.
Stuff, memories.
And?
I just never realised
you weren't happy.
It doesn't matter.
I think it's pretty fundamental
to my take on the world.
I mean, I stupidly assumed
that you were... well, happy.
That this is
what happiness looks like.
(Moaning starts up again)
(Simran sighs)
(Naveen) I put happiness
to one side.
Never to be seen again.
I imagined your mum and me
would be brought closer by you,
Our beautiful daughter.
(Loud banging)
What is he doing to her?
This is when I wish I still smoked.
I think you should leave her.
I think you should just
strike out on your own.
Why?
- Why?
- Why?
Well, because...
because so many reasons.
Go on, then.
One, you're not getting
any younger.
Thanks.
Two, she clearly doesn't love you.
Thanks again.
Three... because you deserve
to find something better.
I love this house.
- It's just a prison.
- It's not a prison.
It is.
And we're all trapped here together.
- Bloody hell, Simran.
- It's true.
We need to leave.
Don't you ever dream about escaping?
I don't think about it.
Well, I do.
I've got too much keeping me here.
Baba for example,
I... I couldn't abandon him.
He would be fine.
He probably wouldn't even notice
you'd gone.
Just... Just put yourself first for
once.
I wasn't brought up to think like
that.
And there are other things,
things you don't know about.
Like what?
(Screaming)
What the hell?
Oh, God, I'm calling the police.
Don't be silly,
you're not calling the police.
What if he's beating her up?
You're not doing anything. Just...
Simran!
Simran!
I've never seen you play hockey.
The junk we buy you!
(Banging and slapping)
(Room falls silent)
(Man) Ah, shit!
Harvinder.
(Voicemail) 'Hello, this is Naveen
Sanghera. Please leave...'
Oh, I...
Sangeeta, my trousers, please.
Simran, please.
(Sangeeta) I think
you should leave too.
- (Naveen) Oh, do you?
- (Sangeeta) Yes.
This is my bedroom too, Sangeeta.
Maybe you should leave.
(Door opens and closes)
(Harvinder) Some privacy
would be really appreciated.
Fuck off.
(Doorbell rings)
Fuck.
- Naveen.
- Brian, really not a good time.
I've got some answers for you,
finally.
Although it throws up
more questions, really.
Um... I thought you'd want
to know straight away.
I'm in the middle of something
with my wife.
- Something important.
- It won't take a minute.
I think we should
go through this stuff together.
We'd better be quick.
Through here.
It's all here, Mr Sanghera.
I've clipped photographs
to the relevant documents.
Yes, I'm... I'm sure
you've been very thorough.
Yes, that's right.
- That's my, er...
- Birth certificate.
- And that's er, his...
- Employment details.
From the asphalt plant,
when he first arrived in 1978.
There is another person involved.
Valerie.
Now, I have a connection to her
that you might be interested in...
Thank you, Brian.
Er... the remaining balance
is all there.
As I said, I'm in the middle
of something right now.
Uh... but I will take a look later,
OK?
I think it's all clear.
I've detailed all the relationships
in the correct order,
with relevant images attached.
(Front door opens and closes)
Well, lovely. Thank you...
Well... as I've said,
I really need you to go now, Brian.
OK. OK, Naveen.
It's a lot to take in, I know.
(Door opens)
Thanks, Brian.
(Door closes)
What's that?
Nothing, um... just some post.
Did I just see Harv leave?
- Yeah.
- I need to get to work. Don't you?
- Um, I-I'm gonna take the day off.
- So am I.
Good idea. I'll try
and get back early.
Fun's over. You should change.
(Front door opens)
(Door closes)
Hello? I've got lunch.
Sam said it was fine for me to leave
early,
said it was OK to work from
home,
so, er, I went to that new Mexican
place,
thought we could give it a try.
I've got, er...
you know, nachos, burritos,
sauces...
So, here you go.
Enjoying that, are we?
- Please, can we just, um...?
- What, carry on as normal?
Come on, Sim, you have to eat.
- You could show some remorse.
- Will you just stop?
Or what? Are you gonna slap me
with your little truncheon?
Maybe I will.
(Naveen) Sit down.
Sit down!
(Doorbell rings)
(Front door opens)
(Front door closes)
Look who's come to see us.
Well, well...
Dirty Uncle Harvinder.
You left your gimp mask behind.
I know this is difficult.
It is for me.
You've surpassed yourself.
No, I can't explain it.
You think I want an explanation?
Look, I didn't intend for this
to happen.
After you boasted
about the single life.
I didn't want this.
About your freedom,
all the casual relationships.
Sangeeta chose me.
She did.
So, does that mean anything?
Her choice, her commitment.
Even in your twisted cynical world.
- It wasn't like that.
- Wasn't it?
Don't tell me.
She came chasing after you.
She came running back.
No, no, that's not it.
- What, then?
- It just...
..happened.
Don't you remember
what you said back then?
- I said...
- You said it was over between you.
And don't give me that bullshit.
Nothing just happens!
All right, OK!
This is not meaningless,
casual sex, OK?
- Is that what you wanna hear?
- No.
- I don't wanna hear that, no.
- And I wish it was different.
But it's not.
You mean, you love each other?
Oh... I didn't want this.
Didn't you?
I didn't want this...
to be the way that you found out.
Fantastic.
And the timing...
You have... no idea.
- I bloody knew it!
- You didn't know.
On some elemental, instinctive level
I bloody did know it.
You, my brother!
I didn't mean this to happen,
Naveen. You gotta believe me, man!
So?
What?
I'm processing.
Adjusting.
You... and my wife.
You... and me.
It's not personal, huh?
It's not about you.
You are a colossal prick.
- Look, it's not that we didn't...
- Shut the fuck up
before I ram that mask
down your throat!
(Mobile ringing)
- Hello, Dad.
- Naveen, is that you?
'Yeah, yeah.
How are you, Dad?'
Er... not bad.
'They changed the soap.'
- What?
- The soap, the berry.
Now they're giving me coconut.
You know I hate bloody coconut.
- Have you said anything to them?
- 'Yeah.'
They said they've run out of berry.
Maybe they'll be able
to order you some more.
No, no, no.
They said they've run out of berry.
You know, they'll never ever be able
to bring back the berry,
'not in my lifetime.'
How are you today, Dad?
You sound quite well.
'Bloody uncomfortable.'
I wanted to go out for a walk,
but they said I can't go outside my
room.
I'll speak to Mrs Kureshi, OK,
about the berry wash.
She won't be there now.
Only Hungarian Steve,
and he always says he'll leave her
a post-it and never does.
- A what?
- A post-it, a note.
'I thought you said something else.'
I thought you said something
about her tits.
No. What?
Look, it doesn't matter.
'Listen... I'd better get going.'
Yeah, it's not like you to talk like
that.
(Sighs) What?
I thought you said
Mrs Kureshi's tits.
Right, OK. I'll see you tomorrow.
No, no, no, no. Listen, son,
I... I need to talk to you.
- Not now, Dad.
- Naveen, it's very important.
It's about your inheritance.
We already had this conversation.
Don't you remember?
Are you sure?
But there's a problem.
'We need to get it straight.'
Gurpreet said that we must never
tell you, and she was right.
- Enough, enough.
- 'No, but, Naveen!'
- It's very important.
(Naveen hangs up)
(Sighs)
I assume you didn't wanna speak to
him.
Oh, don't start that.
- You started this!
- Hey!
Your father. You could help.
It wouldn't be impossible
for you to lift a finger.
I do my bit.
I don't need validation from you.
Really? And what about Simran in all
of this?
What about her?
- You selfish bastard!
- Pack it in.
She's got a fucking eating disorder.
It's a mental fucking illness.
- Did you know that?
- Listen...
Did you and Sangeeta discuss that
after you fucked each other's
brains out?
Did you have a chat
about Simran's fucking issues?
Did you?
I know...
Sangeeta deeply cares about her.
Bollocks! You don't get
to say that.
What do you want me to say, man?
It's not that easy.
It looks easy to me.
Your bachelor lifestyle,
your car, your flat, your stuff.
And on top of that
you get to screw my wife!
Stop it!
While I get the screwed-up
daughter, the crazy old dad,
and the wife who's catatonically
pissed off the entire time!
Commitment is what I had, family,
while you dicked around endlessly.
(Mobile ringing)
So...
..what are you gonna do
to sort this out?
Your lungs must look like
a frying pan.
Here we go.
Well, you do whatever you'd like.
Who wouldn't want the freedom
to destroy themselves?
Have you finished?
Stops me committing murder.
But not adultery.
- Wow!
- It's just the truth.
Did I do this to you, Simran?
Did I make you ill? Is it my fault?
Don't try and deflect.
This is about you having sex
with your husband's brother
dressed as a strippergram
policewoman, nothing else.
We could hear you from the attic,
by the way,
but I imagine they could hear you
from the bottom of the street.
God.
When did it start?
When did it start?
I don't know.
Days? Months? Years?
I had to choose.
For your sake, Simran. For you.
This has nothing to do with me.
You've got all your freedom
and you don't even realise it.
- I couldn't do what you do.
- You're not making any sense.
I-I thought I was mature,
I thought I would...
..break away
from this boring, traditional world.
By having it off with Uncle Harv?
No.
No, not now.
When I was young.
That was years ago.
You see, Harv and I, we...
Naveen was so...
He was so nice to me,
he was so kind, but...
- Harvinder is...
- A dick?
He cares about me, Simran.
He doesn't.
No, all he cares about is himself.
I should have seen that...
..that I love Harv.
And you wonder why I'm fucked up?
I know why you're fucked up.
Why?
All these bloody lies.
It's not that she was unhappy
with you.
(Naveen laughs)
We just thought it would fizzle out.
- Me and her?
- No, me and her.
After you got married.
Twenty years.
There are people who kill each other
for things like this.
Brothers shagging brothers' wives.
- Do you wanna be with her?
- What?
Properly, I mean.
Do you or don't you?
It's not gonna be like that.
Do you want to be with her
as your wife?
Your lawful wedded wife
to have and to hold?
- I do.
- You sure about that?
For better or for worse?
Did you always wanna be with her?
Yes.
With all your heart?
Hey, come on.
With all your heart?
I was loyal.
I was faithful.
I did what I promised.
But why?
You didn't even fancy her.
You said that she was loud
and flashy.
You said that she was cheap.
I must have changed my mind.
But you knew how I felt about her.
You were my older brother.
You only wanted her
because she chose you,
and you love being chosen.
You were jealous because
for once I got what you wanted.
So, you were getting back at me?
- You're an idiot.
- Ah!
See, now we're getting somewhere.
It was her choice
and she went for me.
I loved her, end of story.
But you could have said no.
I told you I wanted to be with her.
It's not my fault you never got
over it, being dumped.
- She made a mistake.
- She didn't want you.
She was getting back at me.
No-one tells someone
that they love them
and then gets bloody married to them
to get back at someone else.
She chucked you,
and you're so arrogant
you never got over it.
- You...
- Actually, that's not true.
Pour me one, will you?
I need to tell the truth.
He doesn't wanna hear it.
All right.
All right, if it's your undying
love,
I get that already.
Sangeeta, where's Simran?
She's upstairs.
Sangeeta, can we talk?
If she's got anything to say,
she's gonna say it to me first.
No.
No, you both need to hear this.
One sec.
Shit!
- Do I really wanna know this?
- Too late.
Simran is Harv's daughter.
(Spits out drink)
- No, she's not.
- What the fuck?
- How? She can't be.
- It was 50-50. I got it wrong.
- But you'd already dumped him.
- You were certain the baby was his.
I know, but it could
have been either of you.
Don't be ridiculous! How?
Well, you see,
when a man and a woman...
Shut the fuck up.
I didn't know what to do.
I felt like the baby was yours.
- Felt?
- Felt?
Well, I-I-I worked the dates out
and-and-and that was no good.
It was still 50-50,
but I-I... I had a feeling.
Did you ever give him up?
(Harvinder) Will you let her speak?
Why don't you?
- I wanted to give him up.
- No, you didn't.
- Believe me, I did.
- But you weren't with him then.
- Sangeeta had finished with you.
- Don't you get it?
- Shut up, Harvinder.
- When you were pregnant,
you said it was all my fault.
I know!
I know I did.
I wanted the baby to be yours.
She didn't know what she wanted.
She knew she didn't want you.
(Sangeeta) No, just listen!
I prayed that you would be
the father.
Why?
Yeah, why?
Because I thought you...
I thought life would be easier.
I thought you would make
everything OK.
I thought that you would make
a better father.
I'd have made a good father.
You'd have been bloody useless.
It's not as if you've done
a bloody brilliant job.
What's that supposed to mean?
Well, maybe it's because of you
that Simran is so screwed up.
I don't think so. It's genetics,
she said. They told her.
Her pain-in-the-arse fuck-ups
are all yours, mate.
Except we're brothers, mate.
Same DNA, innit, blood?
She takes after you:
self-centred, rude, obsessive,
not half as bloody clever
as she thinks she is.
In fact, it makes total sense
you're her father.
You're both completely
mentally fucked!
You want to have a go
at parenting that?
You're very welcome to try, mate!
Obsessive?
Says the man with 15
fucking dustbins.
They're for the fucking environment,
you fuck!
Stop! Just stop!
- Jesus Christ!
- Both of you!
This is bollocks!
She must be mine!
You're wrong.
You don't know for sure.
I do. I know now. I...
..I had her DNA analysed.
It was making me feel ill,
the not knowing.
It just eats away at you,
day after day after day,
until the only thing that's left,
the only thing,
is guilt.
And it makes you do things.
It makes you hate yourself.
Sometimes I can't even bear
to look at Simran.
Sangeeta, I love you.
He does not.
We're good.
We can be good.
We have our daughter to think of.
What are you on about?
She's not yours!
Hang on a minute.
What about me in all of this?
The actual father.
You know, it's been tough for me
the last couple of years.
Has it?
(Sangeeta gasps)
Sangeeta is still my wife.
(Doorbell rings)
Great.
(Mobile ringing)
It's your mum.
Brilliant.
Right on cue.
Yes? Hello?
- 'Mr Sanghera?'
- Who is this?
It's Steve Nagy
from the Laurel Bush.
Actually, one second.
This is Dad's care home.
Why don't you take it this time?
Do your bit.
Fine. No problem!
- Hello?
- There's a problem, Mr Sanghera.
Er... a problem with your father.
I'd love to use the front door
sometime.
- Your parents don't mind.
- Shh. My room, quickly.
- (Harvinder) Hello? Hi, this is...
- Are you all right?
I'm fine.
You've been rowing again.
Your instincts are strong,
I'll give you that.
- We're fine.
- And Simran? How is she?
I've got a feeling
something bad is going to happen.
- Where is she?
- She's upstairs.
Go check on her now.
Go on.
Simran?
And you, Naveen?
Are you all right?
Shall we go in here for a minute?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
but what is he actually doing?
Er... I don't know
how else to explain, Mr Sanghera.
He-he-he's outside.
He's gone outside.
He won't come back.
Mr Sanghera? Mr Sanghera?
- 'Have you got it?'
- 'No, Mr Sanghera.'
You can't go out there.
You have to come down.
Steve, I'm telling you,
I'm gonna jump.
I'm gonna bloody jump!
What the hell is he doing?
Er... I-I don't know.
He left his room
and found the fire escape.
- There is a little balcony there.
- 'Oh!'
- OK, so he's just on his balcony?
- 'No.'
No, he's on the edge.
Standing on the edge.
You have to come here, Mr Sanghera.
Er... I don't think that's
necessary.
- You have to speak to him.
- 'Mm.'
Mm-hm.
- Mr Sanghera?
- Yeah, leave it with me. Thank you.
(Swears in Hungarian)
We need someone down here right now.
Suresh in on the roof.
Sim? Are you there?
Your nani's here. We just wanna
make sure you're here and safe.
- Sim!
- (Simran) Fuck off!
Thank you.
That's all I wanted to know.
Are you sure
that's what you heard, Sim?
Yeah.
They all just spoke about me
like I was a piece of shit.
It's... It's heavy, man.
- Josh?
- Yeah?
Fuck me.
- Fuck me really loudly.
- Are you all right, Sim?
No, that's what she does.
She just fucks anyone she likes,
whenever she likes.
You're not doing anything.
Yeah, well, I didn't think
you liked me like that.
Yeah, well, obviously
I've changed my mind, so just...
I... I don't think that...
that you should be peer-pressuring
me into having sex with you.
Sorry, it just...
It doesn't feel right.
- Sorry.
- No.
Sim...
Did you know Harvinder
was, er... Simran's father?
(Tuts)
Tell me what the hell happened.
Please.
All those years ago,
Sangeeta came to me
and told me she was pregnant,
so I said we'd sort out
a termination
and we wouldn't breathe a word
to her dad.
But she was determined
to have the baby.
Yeah, it was terrifying.
She said the father could be you
or your brother.
But she was adamant
she wanted to be with Harvinder.
So, I took her to your mum.
I mean, you were both her boys,
after all.
Her sons.
You went to see Mum?
And she called Sangeeta a slut.
She thought Sangeeta's sexuality
was my responsibility.
Wait, so Mum knew that the baby
could have been Harvinder's?
Of course.
And Gurpreet was very clear
what was going to happen.
She said if we told anyone
the baby could be Harvinder's,
she's send him away.
She said she wouldn't allow him
to mess up his life.
Mum said that?
When I told her
Sangeeta was pregnant,
she just said,
"These things happen."
For once, I thought
she was really on my side.
She said
I had to do the right thing.
Other boys wouldn't have.
(Harvinder) You knew
how I felt that night.
You hurt me, called me a slut.
No. I said,
"My mum thinks you're a slut."
Big difference.
I hated what you did that night.
I know.
I wanted to be with you.
And I let you go.
- Why?
- It wasn't the right time, Harv.
Not then.
But you knew
the baby could have been mine.
There was no baby.
It was a foetus.
It was a foetus
and that foetus was mine.
Can a foetus ever be yours? Really?
It was all mine.
It was my mess, my choice.
I still can't believe
why you chose him.
Cos you're such a good catch (!)
- Hey, we had fun.
- Too much fun.
Naveen was good for me.
He was boring, dependable.
And you went out of your way
to be neither, right?
Why didn't you tell me
about Simran before?
(Sangeeta sighs)
I was waiting for the right moment.
Your deathbed or mine.
Well, you don't have to wait
any longer.
It's like this huge weight
has been lifted.
Your sham marriage is over.
We can do whatever we want.
Yeah, cos this feels
like total liberation (!)
Right?
I mean, this... is amazing
if you think about it.
I have a daughter.
You're drunk.
Naveen will understand.
He's not stupid.
Well, not that stupid.
Now, Simran can come
and live with us...
..and we can show her
how happy we are.
(Front door opening)
Simran!
Simran!
Simran?
Shit.
Simran?
She's not in her room.
I told you to keep an eye on her.
'Hey, it's Simran.
You know what to do.'
It's gone to voicemail.
Look, she's probably
switched her phone off. She's upset.
She needs a bit of time and space.
- She's not well, Sangeeta.
- I do know that.
- I'll get my bike.
- No, take my car.
- Where's my phone, you cock?
- It's on the table, you wanker.
Thank you.
(Front door opens and closes)
Sim! Sim, where are you going?
You can't just run away
from your problems.
I'm not running away, I'm breaking
free. There's a difference.
- Yeah, but what about school?
- I'll catch up.
No, you'll...
You'll mess up your A Levels.
It'll ruin your prospects.
Your prospects are, like,
one of the best things about you.
There's nothing for me
here any more, Josh.
I'm here.
I've gotta go.
I-I've gotta do this for myself.
Go where?
Away.
Josh, I'm going away.
It's my fault she's gone.
No, it's no-one's fault.
Today's been rough.
She'll be all right.
She'll probably just go
to a supermarket car park somewhere,
have a cry, come to her senses,
and come back home.
You don't know her.
She's stubborn.
If she's running away,
she's gonna make a good go of it.
How far can she go?
I shouldn't have been so hard on
her.
She's so mature...
..I forget her age sometimes.
(Mobile vibrating)
Oh.
(Sighs)
It's the Laurel Bush again.
Is everything OK?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's fine, probably nothing.
Just, er...
Dad was on the balcony. They're
getting a bit worried, that's all.
What? Answer the phone!
Oh, he just makes me
feel a bit sheepish, you know.
He makes me feel guilty
because I don't call him.
Answer the phone.
OK...
Hello?
He keeps saying he'll jump,
Mr Sanghera. Are you coming?
(Harvinder) What do you mean, jump?
'The police have been saying
'they're on their way
for 20 minutes now.'
What do you mean, jump, Steve?
I told you, Mr Sanghera, just now.
He's on the roof.
Ah, fuck...
(Suresh) Don't try
and stop me, Steve!
No, Mr Sang... Mr Sanghera,
go back!
They say he's gonna jump.
Er... OK.
(Ringing tone)
Er...
Dad, what are you doing?
What am I doing? Have you got it?
- 'Got what?'
- The whatsit, the berry soap.
They changed it!
- (Steve) Mr Sanghera!
- Steve, I want my berry wash.
- What?
- How many bloody times?
I want my berry wash!
- Dad...
- (Steve) 'Hello, Mr Sanghera...'
Who's this?
Hey, you're not Naveen.
I want my Naveen.
Or I'll do it, you know,
I'll bloody well jump.
It's... It's Harv, Dad.
Listen, you go and get Naveen
or... I'm gonna bloody jump.
It-it-it's your youngest, Dad,
it's Harv.
I-I-I'm coming to you now.
What are you blabbering on about?
Dad, you-you're confused.
I'm not, I'm not confused.
I know what I know.
- Is she on her way?
- Who?
Gurpreet, you prick!
My wife, Gurpreet.
Listen, she'll sort this out.
Uh... Dad, Dad...
- (Steve) Mr Sanghera! Suresh!
- What?
Don't move, please.
Ah, fuck!
I have to get to him. Jesus!
- You can't drive.
- Why not?
Because you're drunk.
- You drive me.
- No. No, we sold our car.
- Fucking eco-warrior twats!
- Look...
If you take the side street, you'll
get there quicker walking anyway.
- So, go, walk.
- OK. Yeah.
OK, good. Yes, OK.
Bastard vase!
Sorry.
(Front door opens and closes)
'Hey, it's Simran.
You know what to do.'
- (Beep)
- Simran, I know you're upset.
I'm upset too,
but I need to know you're safe.
Please give me a ring.
Please. I'm really worried
about you.
Where have you got to, Simran?
(Ringing tone)
Naveen?
No use, can't see her anywhere.
She's been talking a lot
about going away.
Maybe she's gone to the
airport.
Er... Sim would never fly. It would
take her weeks to offset the carbon.
St Pancras.
- I'll take the train there.
- 'OK, I'll see you there.'
(Ringing tone)
- Dad? It's Harvinder.
- (Suresh) 'Harvinder?'
I remember.
You're the one who never listens.
- That's right.
- 'Oh, we all make mistakes.'
There's no point in feeling guilty,
huh, Harvinder?
Yeah.
Harvinder was an accident.
No, Dad, I am Harvinder.
After all that time of trying and
trying and... not getting there,
'Gurpreet feeling miserable
and I'm thinking...'
"Am I firing blanks?", and she said,
"I want a son of my own."
Er... yeah, OK, Dad.
'But you were such a gift,
you were, Harvinder.'
After all that, it was true.
We couldn't believe it
that she fell pregnant.
'But it was such
bad bloody timing, it was.'
All the setting-up we had done
for little Naveen.
We had put everything into
getting him.
What do you mean, getting him?
Gurpreet paid a price too.
After Harvinder was born
she was in such a state.
They locked her up
in a... in an asylum place.
- 'Did you know that?'
- No.
'No? Yeah,
she was in such a way that...'
she wouldn't look
at poor little Naveen, poor sod.
Not wanted by his real mum,
and not wanted by anybody.
So you'd better get Gurpreet.
- She'll sort this out.
- 'Wait, no...'
- Dad, don't hang up. No, no...
Fu... (Beeping)
Shitting, fuck, shit.
(Ringing tone)
- 'What?'
- Simran!
- 'Get lost!'
- Come home. Please, Simran.
'I heard what you said.'
I didn't mean
for you to hear any of that.
'You're not my dad.'
(Line disconnects)
(Ringing tone)
Come on, Sim. Come on!
Suresh!
Suresh, what are we going
to do with you?
(Speaks Urdu)
- Come out here.
- Don't turn round.
I know why you are here.
I never breathed a word to anyone.
Just like you wanted.
I promise you, I-I never...
never told anyone anything.
Don't turn, Suresh.
(Suresh) Naveen,
he's a good boy, isn't he?
He's always there for us.
Hard-working, reliable...
Not like the other one.
It... It's OK now, Suresh.
You don't have to worry yourself.
- I'm gonna come to you now, OK?
- You be careful.
(Mobile ringing)
- Simran?
- (Suresh) 'What? No, it's your dad.
'Harvinder, it's your dad.'
- It's Naveen, Dad.
- 'Oh, Naveen? Yeah, yeah.
'That's what I said,
my lovely boy Naveen.'
Listen, Dad, I can't talk right now.
I'm looking for Simran.
You remember her, don't you?
My daughter. She loves you.
She's in trouble.
'You were our little miracle, you
were. Oh, poor boy.
'I'm sorry, Naveen,
for all we did to you.'
Dad, it-it's all right.
Listen, call Harvinder.
He'll come and see. I can't talk
right now. I'll see you later.
'No, but you're the one I need to
talk...'
(Mobile chimes)
We're OK, aren't we, Suresh?
- It's OK.
- 'Right, Dad, you listen to me.'
- Are the police there yet?
- 'No. I told you.'
I want my Gurpreet, not you.
Oh, fuck's sake. How many times?
She's not coming!
All right. I know.
I know.
I-I-I'm sorry. OK?
- My Gurpreet?
(Nurse speaks Urdu)
She's been gone for years, Dad.
Naveen knows the secret?
Did I tell him that?
Naveen knows what secret, Dad?
'I promised her.'
- I let her down.
- 'No.'
No, y-y-you didn't let anybody down.
(Police Officer) Can you all just
stand back?
I'm so sorry.
(Nurse speaking Urdu)
No, you stay on the line. You stay
on the line, Dad, you don't...
(Line disconnects)
Fuck!
(Police Officer) No, I understand,
but I just need to...
(Screaming)
Dad, answer the phone,
answer the phone, answer the phone!
(Grunts)
Come on, please. God, no!
(Ringing tone)
I understand.
It's not easy, hm?
You didn't say he was here.
How did you find her?
She finally answered her phone.
She hasn't disowned me,
by my reckoning.
Simran, no-one wants to disown you.
You said I was self-centred,
obsessive...
Um...
I would have thought you'd be
pleased to see the back of me.
Simran, don't say that.
What else did you say?
I was... mental.
- Rude.
- You are a bit rude.
Fuck off, Dad.
Or... Uncle or whatever
I'm supposed to call you.
Look, the point is...
you don't have to put up with me
irritating you any more, so...
- Simran...
- Don't try and be nice,
whatever you do.
Don't go.
Well, why would I stay?
To be paralysed by my own happiness
forever like you?
- We'll sort it.
- We won't.
- I didn't mean those things.
- You said it.
- I didn't know you were listening.
- That makes it worse.
I was trying to get back at him.
Look at it from my perspective.
Empathy is not my strong point.
You paid a psychiatrist 300 an hour
to figure that one out.
Look, you're not going
anywhere, Simran.
(Scoffs) Nice try.
But you're not my dad.
I mean, I'd stick around
just to see Dr Russell's face
when I tell her.
I need to tell you something.
See the machinery whirring
in her posh little brain as...
as she took in the fucked-up-ness
of this entire situation.
Sorry, Nani.
- It's important.
- (Simran) What is?
What I have to tell you.
Are you gonna come out?
Oh, my God, not now, not here.
No, just listen to me.
My trauma's been bad enough,
I really don't think I need...
Please. Let him speak, hm?
I said those things
because I was hurt too, Simran.
She betrayed both of us.
Don't.
Just don't.
Look, at this point, I feel...
absolutely no love
for her whatsoever.
I'm certainly not gonna stick around
here,
whatever shite he comes out
with in his fucking beat-me mask.
Sorry, Nani.
It just makes me want to...
gorge and purge
and burn up every ounce of fat
and smash things and...
I know you're angry
and you've got every right to be,
but you're only hurting
yourself, huh?
I need to show you this.
(Doorbell ringing)
Mrs Sanghera?
- Where is she going?
- I don't know if I can say.
No, tell me. I... I won't stop her.
- She's gone away.
- Good.
Good. She's doing
what I could have done.
Getting away from all the
expectations
instead of playing by
the rules.
I mean, you hardly play
by the rules, do you?
I'm here, aren't I?
Twenty years.
And now Simran's doing
what I didn't have the guts to do.
But you do what you want, don't you?
I wasn't allowed boyfriends
at her age.
Yeah, well, I'm not her boyfriend.
I had them,
but I wasn't allowed them,
I had to keep them secret.
Do you have any idea
how much effort that takes?
What it does to you, inside.
Because I love men.
And my mother understood that.
She'd never admit to it, but there
was this guy from the badminton club
that used to come over
when my father was away.
I remember how she'd close her eyes
when he was holding her from behind.
Why did you come over this morning?
Because you're usually alone
at that time.
Risky.
Sangeeta...
Mrs Sanghera, Josh.
Mrs Sanghera.
Mrs Sanghera, today has been
an extremely confusing day...
Shh.
Have you got your camera?
Steve? Steve, now, you listen to me.
He didn't..
He didn't do it, did he?
I'm so sorry, Mr Sanghera.
The police have arrived now.
There was nothing we could do.
Well, how is he?
Is he OK?
- 'Mr Sanghera, it is so high...'
- No.
- 'There's no chance.'
- No, he didn't...
He didn't do it.
D-don't you lie to me, Steve.
Don't you lie to me.
- Dad...
- 'Mr Sanghera...
'I tried. I'm so sorry.'
He's dead.
Naveen Singh?
(Naveen) That's me.
That's my birth certificate.
- This is you?
- Mm.
Did you know?
Bibi and Baba never told you?
I guess they thought
it was the best way.
What you don't know...
That's my father.
My real father, Kundun Singh.
Bloody hell.
He has four kids,
official kids that he recognises.
Who's this?
That's my mother, Valerie.
Valerie Holloway?
- She's white!
- Yeah.
She was a secretary at the factory.
Holloway.
It says she was married,
but had no other children and...
Shit, she died.
In 1981, aged 32.
How did you even get onto
all of this?
Dad told me something
when... when he lost his marbles.
It didn't make sense.
He kept going on and on.
I think he found it difficult
to live with the secret and...
But, er... when he told me,
ironically he thought he was
confessing to the police.
Dad...
I'm not, though, am I?
I don't know who I am.
You're my dad.
No-one else, no-one could be.
And you're the one that got to me
in time,
that stopped me
from running away.
I love you, Simran.
I want you to be OK.
That's why you...
You have to go.
Go out into the world.
And shine.
I will.
Yeah.
OK, I've got to go.
My... My train, it's...
Yeah, you've gotta go.
- Can I keep these?
- Of course you can.
To remind me of you.
Here...
- I love you, darling.
- Love you.
- Say bye to Mum for me.
- Yeah.
Don't think I'll be speaking to her
for a while.
Priya, I've just got to...
make a phone call.
Yeah.
(Brian) 'Hello?'
Brian, I've been looking closely
at everything.
'You noticed it too, then?'
Yeah. What does it mean?
'I don't know yet, Naveen. I've been
trying to put it together myself.'
- Could we...?
- 'Yeah, I think we could.'
Why don't you come round?
We can talk about it.
(Front door opens)
Fuck! Fuck!
(Front door closes)
Quick, quick, quick! Shit!
Harv... How's Suresh?
How is he?
Harv? How's Suresh?
He's gone.
Gone?
What do you mean, he's gone?
Where has he gone?
- He jumped.
- What?
Well, what are you doing here?
Shouldn't you be with him?
I couldn't go. I couldn't...
Naveen's right.
I'm fucking selfish.
That's why I didn't go to see him.
My own dad.
I didn't have the courage
to go and visit him.
Let alone see him now, like that.
(Sangeeta) You did your best.
That's... That's all you can do.
Don't be too hard on yourself.
I always had this feeling...
..that everything was gonna be OK.
If I followed my heart's...
..desires and...
did what felt good and
comfortable, everything would be OK.
I'd be protected from...
..life's fucking evils.
I was so wrong...
..Sangeeta, so wrong.
It's a lot to take in.
Why don't we get to the care home?
Come on, get up.
Come on, up you get.
- (Harvinder) OK.
- (Sangeeta) This way.
- OK.
- This way, this way.
This way.
- You little bastard.
- OK... Harv?
Harv, calm down. Look at me.
Why the fuck would I do that,
Sangeeta?
Shit! Run!
Josh!
Oh, shit!
- Sangeeta, please help.
- She can't help you now, boy.
- Mate, please.
- If you're gonna fuck grown-ups,
you're gonna have to deal with real
fucking grown-up consequences.
I'm gonna fuck you up,
you little shit!
Harv!
- Harv!
- Come on.
- Stop.
- I'm gonna break your fucking ribs.
You perverted wanker!
Yeah? Yeah?
(Speaks Urdu)
Fucking hell! Thanks.
Sita!
Oh, my God!
- Hey, Brian.
- All right, Naveen?
Holloway.
Valerie Holloway.
Did you know her?
No, never met her.
But my mum always used to talk about
her niece Val, who lived in London
and who died young.
Must have been very hard
for her, Naveen.
- Having a child with a...
- Paki.
She must have suffered
from the prejudices of the time.
I've tried to work it all out,
but both my parents have passed away
so I can't ask them.
But I've made enquiries
through my professional channels.
So, that would make us cousins?
Once removed.
Well...
Hey, cousin.
(Priya) That is what it meant,
the shoes.
The blood, this man...
You're related.
- What?
- Oh, nothing.
It's interesting.
There are no more battlefields,
no epic sagas.
This is how cosmic energies
play out, I suppose.
A kind of suburban Mahabharat.
(Naveen) Right.
(Screaming)
What the...?
(Screaming continues)
(Naveen) Stop!
- (Priya) Sangeeta...
- Stop, Sangeeta! Stop!
- (Sangeeta) Shut up!
- Sangeeta!
What? Where's my girl?
Where's my little girl?
She's all right.
(Groaning)
He wouldn't listen to me.
He was stubborn.
I couldn't drive and he just...
Your dad fell.
He just... jumped off the roof.
(Groans)
What? Where is he?
He's...
- He's...
- He's dead.
But he called me. He was fine.
That doesn't make any sense.
Maybe that's what it meant.
I tried talking him down,
but he didn't know who I was.
I'm sorry, Naveen.
Who the hell are you?
That's Brian.
Yeah... yeah, sorry, Mr Sanghera.
Josh, what the hell
are you doing here?
He was messing around with her.
And filming it, for fuck's sake.
Oh, really, Sangeeta!
He's just a boy.
You shut up, Mum!
She hit me with this spade.
You could have killed me!
Smashed this whole place up,
crazy woman!
I'm... I'm so sorry, Naveen.
(Naveen) I should have done
something.
I just wanted to keep it all going.
All this stuff...
it's not important.
We can do better than this.
Sita...
Oh, Sita...
Sita.
She gave us an egg every day.
She was one of the few things
that gave me peace.
Who did this?
He did! Harv did it!
By accident! It was an accident.
You're both so selfish!
All you care about is yourselves.
You've always wanted him,
God knows why.
But you can have him.
And you, you finally get what you
want, like you always do in the end!
It's what should have always
happened.
- Don't you point that spade at me.
- Gentlemen...
Shit, man. Are you all right?
You idiot!
Everything you touch turns to shit!
(Harvinder) You know what? I am done
with your sanctimonious,
morally aggrandising bollocks.
You eat and you shit
and you fuck, or at least you want
to, just like the rest of us.
We're just not little, repressed...
(Groans)
Do you think he's all right?
Brian! Brian?
- Brian?
- (Brian) I'm gonna be sick.
- Brian...
(Brian groans softly)
How are you doing?
I'm all right.
I just need a bit of a sit-down.
Oh, shit, Brian! Keep your hand on
it, keep pressure on it.
I'm calling an ambulance.
Oh, no, don't bother. I'll be fine.
Brian, I think you've got
a really deep cut, mate.
- Have I?
- Keep your hand on it, Brian!
- Someone get me a fucking cloth!
- Josh, go.
(Josh) Yeah, I'll get one.
Oh, fuck, Brian. You're the only
family I've got left.
Just keep pressure on it,
it'll be all right.
I'll be OK, Naveen.
Oh, no.
This is what it meant.
(Naveen) 'I took the ashes
to a beautiful spot the other day.
'Not exactly the Ganges,
but... it will have to do for her.
'Sita was such a calm bird.
'She'll be happy there, I think.
'So, Mum's probably told you
her news.
'She's decided to keep the baby.
'Said it would give her
something positive to focus on,
'something else to build.
'And good luck to her,
up the duff at 47.
'A lot hinges on the paternity test.
'It's between Harv and Josh.
'Poor kid.
'You'll be glad to know
I'm moving out.
'Feels good to just start afresh.
'Blank canvas.
'The past is... gone.
'Brian is on the mend.
'Lost two and a half pints of blood,
poor sod.
'God bless the ambulance service
and the blood donors.'
- OK?
- Yeah.
'It turned out
his Aunt Valerie Holloway
'wasn't the same Valerie Holloway
as my mother.
'Different Valerie Holloways.
Can you believe it?
'It's Suresh's funeral tomorrow.
'Fuck it, Dad's funeral.
'I wish he'd still had his marbles,
'to help me find out about all
of this.
'Carrying all this inside of you all
the time, it does things to you.
'Maybe that's what got to him
in the end.
'Rome sounds amazing, by the way.
'I'm proud of you, Sim.
'You've really managed
to do something I never did,
'get away from the chaos
and process all this stuff.
'I wanna check out this pasta place
you're on about.
'Can we do that when I visit?'
Anyway, I'd better get going. I'm
just outside Kundun Singh's house.
Just felt like I needed to come here
to see where it all started.
To imagine my mother,
not in a gross way...
..but here...
...all that time ago with him is...
is where it started for me.
Whatever happens,
Suresh is still my dad and...
you're still my beautiful daughter.
Anyway, best meet this guy,
see what he's all about.
I love you, Sim.
MUSIC: 'I'll Be With You'
by Keiran T Merrick
# When the sun shines
# On the morning dew
# And the birds
# Greet the day
# When the world
# Is feeling new
# And the lonely mist clings
To the bay
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# When our shadows
# Are getting long
# And the hours are golden brown
# When our work
# Is almost done
# And the evening's coming round
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# When you're away
I am counting the days
# Till I know that
I'll see you again
# The tunnel is long
But I'll remain strong
# If I know that there's light
At the end
# When the stars
# Are on our doorstep
# And the darkness is close behind
# When the world
Has slowed its turning
# And sleep is on our minds
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# I know I'll be with you
# I know I'll be with you. #
(Chickens clucking)
(Door opens)
(Naveen) Hello. Hello, Sita.
Excuse me.
Sorry. Thank you.
'Sometimes I wonder if this is
really it.
'Dust from stars.
'Millions of years of evolution
'to bring my consciousness into
being,
'to observe for one brief moment...
'..this.
'This is it. The gift of life.
The game of life.
'It's temporary,
but surely it must mean something.'
Do you ever get that feeling
you can't shake off, hm?
My lovely Sita.
(Gasps)
(Sighs heavily)
(Lighter flicking)
Eugh!
- Are you ready?
- I'm not going.
Right.
Sangeeta, did you hear that?
- It's her life.
- Thanks, Mother.
And will you shut the door?
You have to go.
I'm not really into
weekly organised masochism.
You might be, but I'm not.
- I think it helps.
- Well, you go, then.
Can you stop fighting her?
What, and sign up
to your policy of appeasement?
No, thanks.
- Can't you compromise just...?
- Oi, Josh!
- H-Hey, Sim.
- Hey.
- Er... Hi, Mr and Mrs Sanghera.
- What are you doing?
Oh... I was... I was just jogging.
- In our garden?
- Yeah.
Yeah, sorry. Sorry, Mr Sanghera.
Why have you got that on your head?
Oh, um... I was, um...
I was... I was hedging. It's like
this online, like, viral thing.
- Right.
- (Josh) Yeah, you, um...
You strap one of these cameras
to your head,
then you run through as many gardens
as you can, and, um...
and you upload the footage to...
- I'll see you later, Josh.
- Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Sorry. I'll just, er...
just go back over the wall.
(Giggles)
- Are you and, er...?
- Dad.
- You know, um...
- Oh, God, stop. He's just a friend.
Will you stop interrogating her?
Right, I'm off to the office.
- I'm going to college.
- What shall I say to Dr Russell?
- She's a therapist,
she'll understand!
Yes, but you're the
one with the...
(Front door slams)
(Ringing)
- (Man) 'Hello?'
- Hello. Yes, it's Naveen Sanghera.
Yes, hello, again, um...
You said you had the materials.
- 'Yeah, I do.'
- Good. When can I see it?
OK. Any idea when?
Sure.
Oh, at my house? I'd, um...
I'd rather meet somewhere else,
to be honest.
OK, I'll wait to hear from you.
- Thank you.
- 'But Naveen...'
(Sighs)
(Clears throat)
- What the fuck?
- My phone.
What, you're fucking spying on me?
That's sick! You're fucking sick!
Simran!
- Simran!
- Piss off, Dad!
(Simran stomps upstairs)
(Door slams)
(Loud music playing upstairs)
(Sighs)
(Music volume intensifies)
(Heavy drum and bass music)
(Music stops)
Can we talk?
It's always so... so nice up here.
This was wasted on the guest room.
Look, I don't want...
The last thing I want to do,
me or your mum,
is to make things worse.
We want to help.
I want to understand.
I'm not dictating to you, am I?
I-I don't stand over you,
I don't think,
but I'm not gonna stand back,
and let you screw up your chances.
- It's heart-breaking.
- This isn't about you.
Dr Russell said it's more likely
to be nature than nurture anyway,
so you're off the hook.
- I'm trying to do the right thing.
- Well, then, do nothing!
Just be my dad.
Just stand there and take it!
If I behaved like this
to my dad...
What would he have done?
He wouldn't have been
so understanding.
Good old-fashioned
corporal punishment?
Tough love, he called it.
Well... if you need to beat me,
can we get on with it?
Try not to batter anywhere
that I'll show.
You're supposed to be at work.
We're supposed to be
at the therapist's.
(Mobile chimes)
- What's that?
- Um... nothing.
Something I have to do later.
Fancy going down the arcade?
We could play on the fruit machines.
We could score some crack
off the estate lads.
There's a bit behind the bus shelter
that's the perfect place
for an overdose.
Do that, and I will batter you.
(Front door slams)
(Laughter)
Who's that?
(Laughter)
I think it's Mum.
Who's she with?
I only saw that he was wearing
a suit.
Perhaps she's showing him around.
Why would she do that?
Maybe he's an estate agent. We're
trying to get the house evaluated.
We're not selling. Why would she
show an estate agent round?
It's good to know the value
of your real estate, Simran.
It's good practice.
(Indistinct chatter and giggling)
(Moaning)
Jesus!
Are you sure it's your mum?
Definitely.
Your wife, the mother of your child,
with some... bloke.
It's probably nothing.
Do something, then.
- Think I should go beat him up?
- Yes!
No, just... I don't know,
go in there and scare him away,
defend your territory.
(Naveen sighs)
(Scoffs)
Could this be more dysfunctional?
How does this make you feel?
Like a blob of jelly.
(Sangeeta shrieking)
Are you even jealous?
I don't know.
Bloody hell!
Simran, wait.
(Moaning and shrieking continues)
(Sangeeta) Harder! Harder!
Harder!
(Shrieking continues)
Dad! Stop. Just...
come back.
OK. I'm coming back.
(Sighs)
It'll be over soon.
I can't believe I have to listen
to my mother
have sex with another man.
Think of something else.
Something nice.
Look...
Simran, we have been married
for 20 years.
- And?
- A long time for two people to...
You know.
You're unhappy?
No, I...
I'm happy.
But?
- But nothing, it's just...
- Yes?
Your mum and me, we...
I don't know, I can't explain.
Don't know what?
What don't you know?
Do we have to have
this conversation now?
No, I think we should wait
another 20 years,
really ruminate on it.
Your mum and me...
We don't exactly... relate,
that-that's all.
It's not unusual, it's not
remarkable.
But turns out we... weren't
actually...
aren't particularly compatible.
Tell me you didn't stay together
for my sake.
Not that cliche, please.
(Naveen sighs)
Fuck!
(Naveen) You don't understand
married life.
(Simran) Well, it's my life too,
trapped here with you and her.
It turns out not being happy is the
backdrop to everything I hold dear.
We are happy... enough.
People expect too much.
Is it too much to expect you
to love each other?
Lots of couples don't.
Stupidly, I thought that you'd...
you'd be looking forward
to me going away to uni.
- Simran, I...
- Going for coffee, going on dates,
getting dressed up.
Not this.
Not listening to her
get frisky with another man.
That's more than frisky.
- She's so... guttural.
- Isn't she?
(Moaning and shrieking continues)
Is that it?
Do you remember when I was little
and you'd wrap me up in a bath towel
and pretend I was the baby
and you were the stork?
And I'd carry you in my beak.
All that time... you were unhappy.
I was happy then.
I love you, and despite myself,
I do love Sangeeta.
But the happiness,
it-it's supposed to be like this...
lovely warm blanket
over everything.
Dr Russell keeps going over it
again and again in the sessions.
- Over what?
- My childhood, my upbringing.
Over and over it,
like she's obsessed.
- What does she say?
- She doesn't say anything.
What do you say, then?
Whatever comes to mind.
Stuff, memories.
And?
I just never realised
you weren't happy.
It doesn't matter.
I think it's pretty fundamental
to my take on the world.
I mean, I stupidly assumed
that you were... well, happy.
That this is
what happiness looks like.
(Moaning starts up again)
(Simran sighs)
(Naveen) I put happiness
to one side.
Never to be seen again.
I imagined your mum and me
would be brought closer by you,
Our beautiful daughter.
(Loud banging)
What is he doing to her?
This is when I wish I still smoked.
I think you should leave her.
I think you should just
strike out on your own.
Why?
- Why?
- Why?
Well, because...
because so many reasons.
Go on, then.
One, you're not getting
any younger.
Thanks.
Two, she clearly doesn't love you.
Thanks again.
Three... because you deserve
to find something better.
I love this house.
- It's just a prison.
- It's not a prison.
It is.
And we're all trapped here together.
- Bloody hell, Simran.
- It's true.
We need to leave.
Don't you ever dream about escaping?
I don't think about it.
Well, I do.
I've got too much keeping me here.
Baba for example,
I... I couldn't abandon him.
He would be fine.
He probably wouldn't even notice
you'd gone.
Just... Just put yourself first for
once.
I wasn't brought up to think like
that.
And there are other things,
things you don't know about.
Like what?
(Screaming)
What the hell?
Oh, God, I'm calling the police.
Don't be silly,
you're not calling the police.
What if he's beating her up?
You're not doing anything. Just...
Simran!
Simran!
I've never seen you play hockey.
The junk we buy you!
(Banging and slapping)
(Room falls silent)
(Man) Ah, shit!
Harvinder.
(Voicemail) 'Hello, this is Naveen
Sanghera. Please leave...'
Oh, I...
Sangeeta, my trousers, please.
Simran, please.
(Sangeeta) I think
you should leave too.
- (Naveen) Oh, do you?
- (Sangeeta) Yes.
This is my bedroom too, Sangeeta.
Maybe you should leave.
(Door opens and closes)
(Harvinder) Some privacy
would be really appreciated.
Fuck off.
(Doorbell rings)
Fuck.
- Naveen.
- Brian, really not a good time.
I've got some answers for you,
finally.
Although it throws up
more questions, really.
Um... I thought you'd want
to know straight away.
I'm in the middle of something
with my wife.
- Something important.
- It won't take a minute.
I think we should
go through this stuff together.
We'd better be quick.
Through here.
It's all here, Mr Sanghera.
I've clipped photographs
to the relevant documents.
Yes, I'm... I'm sure
you've been very thorough.
Yes, that's right.
- That's my, er...
- Birth certificate.
- And that's er, his...
- Employment details.
From the asphalt plant,
when he first arrived in 1978.
There is another person involved.
Valerie.
Now, I have a connection to her
that you might be interested in...
Thank you, Brian.
Er... the remaining balance
is all there.
As I said, I'm in the middle
of something right now.
Uh... but I will take a look later,
OK?
I think it's all clear.
I've detailed all the relationships
in the correct order,
with relevant images attached.
(Front door opens and closes)
Well, lovely. Thank you...
Well... as I've said,
I really need you to go now, Brian.
OK. OK, Naveen.
It's a lot to take in, I know.
(Door opens)
Thanks, Brian.
(Door closes)
What's that?
Nothing, um... just some post.
Did I just see Harv leave?
- Yeah.
- I need to get to work. Don't you?
- Um, I-I'm gonna take the day off.
- So am I.
Good idea. I'll try
and get back early.
Fun's over. You should change.
(Front door opens)
(Door closes)
Hello? I've got lunch.
Sam said it was fine for me to leave
early,
said it was OK to work from
home,
so, er, I went to that new Mexican
place,
thought we could give it a try.
I've got, er...
you know, nachos, burritos,
sauces...
So, here you go.
Enjoying that, are we?
- Please, can we just, um...?
- What, carry on as normal?
Come on, Sim, you have to eat.
- You could show some remorse.
- Will you just stop?
Or what? Are you gonna slap me
with your little truncheon?
Maybe I will.
(Naveen) Sit down.
Sit down!
(Doorbell rings)
(Front door opens)
(Front door closes)
Look who's come to see us.
Well, well...
Dirty Uncle Harvinder.
You left your gimp mask behind.
I know this is difficult.
It is for me.
You've surpassed yourself.
No, I can't explain it.
You think I want an explanation?
Look, I didn't intend for this
to happen.
After you boasted
about the single life.
I didn't want this.
About your freedom,
all the casual relationships.
Sangeeta chose me.
She did.
So, does that mean anything?
Her choice, her commitment.
Even in your twisted cynical world.
- It wasn't like that.
- Wasn't it?
Don't tell me.
She came chasing after you.
She came running back.
No, no, that's not it.
- What, then?
- It just...
..happened.
Don't you remember
what you said back then?
- I said...
- You said it was over between you.
And don't give me that bullshit.
Nothing just happens!
All right, OK!
This is not meaningless,
casual sex, OK?
- Is that what you wanna hear?
- No.
- I don't wanna hear that, no.
- And I wish it was different.
But it's not.
You mean, you love each other?
Oh... I didn't want this.
Didn't you?
I didn't want this...
to be the way that you found out.
Fantastic.
And the timing...
You have... no idea.
- I bloody knew it!
- You didn't know.
On some elemental, instinctive level
I bloody did know it.
You, my brother!
I didn't mean this to happen,
Naveen. You gotta believe me, man!
So?
What?
I'm processing.
Adjusting.
You... and my wife.
You... and me.
It's not personal, huh?
It's not about you.
You are a colossal prick.
- Look, it's not that we didn't...
- Shut the fuck up
before I ram that mask
down your throat!
(Mobile ringing)
- Hello, Dad.
- Naveen, is that you?
'Yeah, yeah.
How are you, Dad?'
Er... not bad.
'They changed the soap.'
- What?
- The soap, the berry.
Now they're giving me coconut.
You know I hate bloody coconut.
- Have you said anything to them?
- 'Yeah.'
They said they've run out of berry.
Maybe they'll be able
to order you some more.
No, no, no.
They said they've run out of berry.
You know, they'll never ever be able
to bring back the berry,
'not in my lifetime.'
How are you today, Dad?
You sound quite well.
'Bloody uncomfortable.'
I wanted to go out for a walk,
but they said I can't go outside my
room.
I'll speak to Mrs Kureshi, OK,
about the berry wash.
She won't be there now.
Only Hungarian Steve,
and he always says he'll leave her
a post-it and never does.
- A what?
- A post-it, a note.
'I thought you said something else.'
I thought you said something
about her tits.
No. What?
Look, it doesn't matter.
'Listen... I'd better get going.'
Yeah, it's not like you to talk like
that.
(Sighs) What?
I thought you said
Mrs Kureshi's tits.
Right, OK. I'll see you tomorrow.
No, no, no, no. Listen, son,
I... I need to talk to you.
- Not now, Dad.
- Naveen, it's very important.
It's about your inheritance.
We already had this conversation.
Don't you remember?
Are you sure?
But there's a problem.
'We need to get it straight.'
Gurpreet said that we must never
tell you, and she was right.
- Enough, enough.
- 'No, but, Naveen!'
- It's very important.
(Naveen hangs up)
(Sighs)
I assume you didn't wanna speak to
him.
Oh, don't start that.
- You started this!
- Hey!
Your father. You could help.
It wouldn't be impossible
for you to lift a finger.
I do my bit.
I don't need validation from you.
Really? And what about Simran in all
of this?
What about her?
- You selfish bastard!
- Pack it in.
She's got a fucking eating disorder.
It's a mental fucking illness.
- Did you know that?
- Listen...
Did you and Sangeeta discuss that
after you fucked each other's
brains out?
Did you have a chat
about Simran's fucking issues?
Did you?
I know...
Sangeeta deeply cares about her.
Bollocks! You don't get
to say that.
What do you want me to say, man?
It's not that easy.
It looks easy to me.
Your bachelor lifestyle,
your car, your flat, your stuff.
And on top of that
you get to screw my wife!
Stop it!
While I get the screwed-up
daughter, the crazy old dad,
and the wife who's catatonically
pissed off the entire time!
Commitment is what I had, family,
while you dicked around endlessly.
(Mobile ringing)
So...
..what are you gonna do
to sort this out?
Your lungs must look like
a frying pan.
Here we go.
Well, you do whatever you'd like.
Who wouldn't want the freedom
to destroy themselves?
Have you finished?
Stops me committing murder.
But not adultery.
- Wow!
- It's just the truth.
Did I do this to you, Simran?
Did I make you ill? Is it my fault?
Don't try and deflect.
This is about you having sex
with your husband's brother
dressed as a strippergram
policewoman, nothing else.
We could hear you from the attic,
by the way,
but I imagine they could hear you
from the bottom of the street.
God.
When did it start?
When did it start?
I don't know.
Days? Months? Years?
I had to choose.
For your sake, Simran. For you.
This has nothing to do with me.
You've got all your freedom
and you don't even realise it.
- I couldn't do what you do.
- You're not making any sense.
I-I thought I was mature,
I thought I would...
..break away
from this boring, traditional world.
By having it off with Uncle Harv?
No.
No, not now.
When I was young.
That was years ago.
You see, Harv and I, we...
Naveen was so...
He was so nice to me,
he was so kind, but...
- Harvinder is...
- A dick?
He cares about me, Simran.
He doesn't.
No, all he cares about is himself.
I should have seen that...
..that I love Harv.
And you wonder why I'm fucked up?
I know why you're fucked up.
Why?
All these bloody lies.
It's not that she was unhappy
with you.
(Naveen laughs)
We just thought it would fizzle out.
- Me and her?
- No, me and her.
After you got married.
Twenty years.
There are people who kill each other
for things like this.
Brothers shagging brothers' wives.
- Do you wanna be with her?
- What?
Properly, I mean.
Do you or don't you?
It's not gonna be like that.
Do you want to be with her
as your wife?
Your lawful wedded wife
to have and to hold?
- I do.
- You sure about that?
For better or for worse?
Did you always wanna be with her?
Yes.
With all your heart?
Hey, come on.
With all your heart?
I was loyal.
I was faithful.
I did what I promised.
But why?
You didn't even fancy her.
You said that she was loud
and flashy.
You said that she was cheap.
I must have changed my mind.
But you knew how I felt about her.
You were my older brother.
You only wanted her
because she chose you,
and you love being chosen.
You were jealous because
for once I got what you wanted.
So, you were getting back at me?
- You're an idiot.
- Ah!
See, now we're getting somewhere.
It was her choice
and she went for me.
I loved her, end of story.
But you could have said no.
I told you I wanted to be with her.
It's not my fault you never got
over it, being dumped.
- She made a mistake.
- She didn't want you.
She was getting back at me.
No-one tells someone
that they love them
and then gets bloody married to them
to get back at someone else.
She chucked you,
and you're so arrogant
you never got over it.
- You...
- Actually, that's not true.
Pour me one, will you?
I need to tell the truth.
He doesn't wanna hear it.
All right.
All right, if it's your undying
love,
I get that already.
Sangeeta, where's Simran?
She's upstairs.
Sangeeta, can we talk?
If she's got anything to say,
she's gonna say it to me first.
No.
No, you both need to hear this.
One sec.
Shit!
- Do I really wanna know this?
- Too late.
Simran is Harv's daughter.
(Spits out drink)
- No, she's not.
- What the fuck?
- How? She can't be.
- It was 50-50. I got it wrong.
- But you'd already dumped him.
- You were certain the baby was his.
I know, but it could
have been either of you.
Don't be ridiculous! How?
Well, you see,
when a man and a woman...
Shut the fuck up.
I didn't know what to do.
I felt like the baby was yours.
- Felt?
- Felt?
Well, I-I-I worked the dates out
and-and-and that was no good.
It was still 50-50,
but I-I... I had a feeling.
Did you ever give him up?
(Harvinder) Will you let her speak?
Why don't you?
- I wanted to give him up.
- No, you didn't.
- Believe me, I did.
- But you weren't with him then.
- Sangeeta had finished with you.
- Don't you get it?
- Shut up, Harvinder.
- When you were pregnant,
you said it was all my fault.
I know!
I know I did.
I wanted the baby to be yours.
She didn't know what she wanted.
She knew she didn't want you.
(Sangeeta) No, just listen!
I prayed that you would be
the father.
Why?
Yeah, why?
Because I thought you...
I thought life would be easier.
I thought you would make
everything OK.
I thought that you would make
a better father.
I'd have made a good father.
You'd have been bloody useless.
It's not as if you've done
a bloody brilliant job.
What's that supposed to mean?
Well, maybe it's because of you
that Simran is so screwed up.
I don't think so. It's genetics,
she said. They told her.
Her pain-in-the-arse fuck-ups
are all yours, mate.
Except we're brothers, mate.
Same DNA, innit, blood?
She takes after you:
self-centred, rude, obsessive,
not half as bloody clever
as she thinks she is.
In fact, it makes total sense
you're her father.
You're both completely
mentally fucked!
You want to have a go
at parenting that?
You're very welcome to try, mate!
Obsessive?
Says the man with 15
fucking dustbins.
They're for the fucking environment,
you fuck!
Stop! Just stop!
- Jesus Christ!
- Both of you!
This is bollocks!
She must be mine!
You're wrong.
You don't know for sure.
I do. I know now. I...
..I had her DNA analysed.
It was making me feel ill,
the not knowing.
It just eats away at you,
day after day after day,
until the only thing that's left,
the only thing,
is guilt.
And it makes you do things.
It makes you hate yourself.
Sometimes I can't even bear
to look at Simran.
Sangeeta, I love you.
He does not.
We're good.
We can be good.
We have our daughter to think of.
What are you on about?
She's not yours!
Hang on a minute.
What about me in all of this?
The actual father.
You know, it's been tough for me
the last couple of years.
Has it?
(Sangeeta gasps)
Sangeeta is still my wife.
(Doorbell rings)
Great.
(Mobile ringing)
It's your mum.
Brilliant.
Right on cue.
Yes? Hello?
- 'Mr Sanghera?'
- Who is this?
It's Steve Nagy
from the Laurel Bush.
Actually, one second.
This is Dad's care home.
Why don't you take it this time?
Do your bit.
Fine. No problem!
- Hello?
- There's a problem, Mr Sanghera.
Er... a problem with your father.
I'd love to use the front door
sometime.
- Your parents don't mind.
- Shh. My room, quickly.
- (Harvinder) Hello? Hi, this is...
- Are you all right?
I'm fine.
You've been rowing again.
Your instincts are strong,
I'll give you that.
- We're fine.
- And Simran? How is she?
I've got a feeling
something bad is going to happen.
- Where is she?
- She's upstairs.
Go check on her now.
Go on.
Simran?
And you, Naveen?
Are you all right?
Shall we go in here for a minute?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
but what is he actually doing?
Er... I don't know
how else to explain, Mr Sanghera.
He-he-he's outside.
He's gone outside.
He won't come back.
Mr Sanghera? Mr Sanghera?
- 'Have you got it?'
- 'No, Mr Sanghera.'
You can't go out there.
You have to come down.
Steve, I'm telling you,
I'm gonna jump.
I'm gonna bloody jump!
What the hell is he doing?
Er... I-I don't know.
He left his room
and found the fire escape.
- There is a little balcony there.
- 'Oh!'
- OK, so he's just on his balcony?
- 'No.'
No, he's on the edge.
Standing on the edge.
You have to come here, Mr Sanghera.
Er... I don't think that's
necessary.
- You have to speak to him.
- 'Mm.'
Mm-hm.
- Mr Sanghera?
- Yeah, leave it with me. Thank you.
(Swears in Hungarian)
We need someone down here right now.
Suresh in on the roof.
Sim? Are you there?
Your nani's here. We just wanna
make sure you're here and safe.
- Sim!
- (Simran) Fuck off!
Thank you.
That's all I wanted to know.
Are you sure
that's what you heard, Sim?
Yeah.
They all just spoke about me
like I was a piece of shit.
It's... It's heavy, man.
- Josh?
- Yeah?
Fuck me.
- Fuck me really loudly.
- Are you all right, Sim?
No, that's what she does.
She just fucks anyone she likes,
whenever she likes.
You're not doing anything.
Yeah, well, I didn't think
you liked me like that.
Yeah, well, obviously
I've changed my mind, so just...
I... I don't think that...
that you should be peer-pressuring
me into having sex with you.
Sorry, it just...
It doesn't feel right.
- Sorry.
- No.
Sim...
Did you know Harvinder
was, er... Simran's father?
(Tuts)
Tell me what the hell happened.
Please.
All those years ago,
Sangeeta came to me
and told me she was pregnant,
so I said we'd sort out
a termination
and we wouldn't breathe a word
to her dad.
But she was determined
to have the baby.
Yeah, it was terrifying.
She said the father could be you
or your brother.
But she was adamant
she wanted to be with Harvinder.
So, I took her to your mum.
I mean, you were both her boys,
after all.
Her sons.
You went to see Mum?
And she called Sangeeta a slut.
She thought Sangeeta's sexuality
was my responsibility.
Wait, so Mum knew that the baby
could have been Harvinder's?
Of course.
And Gurpreet was very clear
what was going to happen.
She said if we told anyone
the baby could be Harvinder's,
she's send him away.
She said she wouldn't allow him
to mess up his life.
Mum said that?
When I told her
Sangeeta was pregnant,
she just said,
"These things happen."
For once, I thought
she was really on my side.
She said
I had to do the right thing.
Other boys wouldn't have.
(Harvinder) You knew
how I felt that night.
You hurt me, called me a slut.
No. I said,
"My mum thinks you're a slut."
Big difference.
I hated what you did that night.
I know.
I wanted to be with you.
And I let you go.
- Why?
- It wasn't the right time, Harv.
Not then.
But you knew
the baby could have been mine.
There was no baby.
It was a foetus.
It was a foetus
and that foetus was mine.
Can a foetus ever be yours? Really?
It was all mine.
It was my mess, my choice.
I still can't believe
why you chose him.
Cos you're such a good catch (!)
- Hey, we had fun.
- Too much fun.
Naveen was good for me.
He was boring, dependable.
And you went out of your way
to be neither, right?
Why didn't you tell me
about Simran before?
(Sangeeta sighs)
I was waiting for the right moment.
Your deathbed or mine.
Well, you don't have to wait
any longer.
It's like this huge weight
has been lifted.
Your sham marriage is over.
We can do whatever we want.
Yeah, cos this feels
like total liberation (!)
Right?
I mean, this... is amazing
if you think about it.
I have a daughter.
You're drunk.
Naveen will understand.
He's not stupid.
Well, not that stupid.
Now, Simran can come
and live with us...
..and we can show her
how happy we are.
(Front door opening)
Simran!
Simran!
Simran?
Shit.
Simran?
She's not in her room.
I told you to keep an eye on her.
'Hey, it's Simran.
You know what to do.'
It's gone to voicemail.
Look, she's probably
switched her phone off. She's upset.
She needs a bit of time and space.
- She's not well, Sangeeta.
- I do know that.
- I'll get my bike.
- No, take my car.
- Where's my phone, you cock?
- It's on the table, you wanker.
Thank you.
(Front door opens and closes)
Sim! Sim, where are you going?
You can't just run away
from your problems.
I'm not running away, I'm breaking
free. There's a difference.
- Yeah, but what about school?
- I'll catch up.
No, you'll...
You'll mess up your A Levels.
It'll ruin your prospects.
Your prospects are, like,
one of the best things about you.
There's nothing for me
here any more, Josh.
I'm here.
I've gotta go.
I-I've gotta do this for myself.
Go where?
Away.
Josh, I'm going away.
It's my fault she's gone.
No, it's no-one's fault.
Today's been rough.
She'll be all right.
She'll probably just go
to a supermarket car park somewhere,
have a cry, come to her senses,
and come back home.
You don't know her.
She's stubborn.
If she's running away,
she's gonna make a good go of it.
How far can she go?
I shouldn't have been so hard on
her.
She's so mature...
..I forget her age sometimes.
(Mobile vibrating)
Oh.
(Sighs)
It's the Laurel Bush again.
Is everything OK?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's fine, probably nothing.
Just, er...
Dad was on the balcony. They're
getting a bit worried, that's all.
What? Answer the phone!
Oh, he just makes me
feel a bit sheepish, you know.
He makes me feel guilty
because I don't call him.
Answer the phone.
OK...
Hello?
He keeps saying he'll jump,
Mr Sanghera. Are you coming?
(Harvinder) What do you mean, jump?
'The police have been saying
'they're on their way
for 20 minutes now.'
What do you mean, jump, Steve?
I told you, Mr Sanghera, just now.
He's on the roof.
Ah, fuck...
(Suresh) Don't try
and stop me, Steve!
No, Mr Sang... Mr Sanghera,
go back!
They say he's gonna jump.
Er... OK.
(Ringing tone)
Er...
Dad, what are you doing?
What am I doing? Have you got it?
- 'Got what?'
- The whatsit, the berry soap.
They changed it!
- (Steve) Mr Sanghera!
- Steve, I want my berry wash.
- What?
- How many bloody times?
I want my berry wash!
- Dad...
- (Steve) 'Hello, Mr Sanghera...'
Who's this?
Hey, you're not Naveen.
I want my Naveen.
Or I'll do it, you know,
I'll bloody well jump.
It's... It's Harv, Dad.
Listen, you go and get Naveen
or... I'm gonna bloody jump.
It-it-it's your youngest, Dad,
it's Harv.
I-I-I'm coming to you now.
What are you blabbering on about?
Dad, you-you're confused.
I'm not, I'm not confused.
I know what I know.
- Is she on her way?
- Who?
Gurpreet, you prick!
My wife, Gurpreet.
Listen, she'll sort this out.
Uh... Dad, Dad...
- (Steve) Mr Sanghera! Suresh!
- What?
Don't move, please.
Ah, fuck!
I have to get to him. Jesus!
- You can't drive.
- Why not?
Because you're drunk.
- You drive me.
- No. No, we sold our car.
- Fucking eco-warrior twats!
- Look...
If you take the side street, you'll
get there quicker walking anyway.
- So, go, walk.
- OK. Yeah.
OK, good. Yes, OK.
Bastard vase!
Sorry.
(Front door opens and closes)
'Hey, it's Simran.
You know what to do.'
- (Beep)
- Simran, I know you're upset.
I'm upset too,
but I need to know you're safe.
Please give me a ring.
Please. I'm really worried
about you.
Where have you got to, Simran?
(Ringing tone)
Naveen?
No use, can't see her anywhere.
She's been talking a lot
about going away.
Maybe she's gone to the
airport.
Er... Sim would never fly. It would
take her weeks to offset the carbon.
St Pancras.
- I'll take the train there.
- 'OK, I'll see you there.'
(Ringing tone)
- Dad? It's Harvinder.
- (Suresh) 'Harvinder?'
I remember.
You're the one who never listens.
- That's right.
- 'Oh, we all make mistakes.'
There's no point in feeling guilty,
huh, Harvinder?
Yeah.
Harvinder was an accident.
No, Dad, I am Harvinder.
After all that time of trying and
trying and... not getting there,
'Gurpreet feeling miserable
and I'm thinking...'
"Am I firing blanks?", and she said,
"I want a son of my own."
Er... yeah, OK, Dad.
'But you were such a gift,
you were, Harvinder.'
After all that, it was true.
We couldn't believe it
that she fell pregnant.
'But it was such
bad bloody timing, it was.'
All the setting-up we had done
for little Naveen.
We had put everything into
getting him.
What do you mean, getting him?
Gurpreet paid a price too.
After Harvinder was born
she was in such a state.
They locked her up
in a... in an asylum place.
- 'Did you know that?'
- No.
'No? Yeah,
she was in such a way that...'
she wouldn't look
at poor little Naveen, poor sod.
Not wanted by his real mum,
and not wanted by anybody.
So you'd better get Gurpreet.
- She'll sort this out.
- 'Wait, no...'
- Dad, don't hang up. No, no...
Fu... (Beeping)
Shitting, fuck, shit.
(Ringing tone)
- 'What?'
- Simran!
- 'Get lost!'
- Come home. Please, Simran.
'I heard what you said.'
I didn't mean
for you to hear any of that.
'You're not my dad.'
(Line disconnects)
(Ringing tone)
Come on, Sim. Come on!
Suresh!
Suresh, what are we going
to do with you?
(Speaks Urdu)
- Come out here.
- Don't turn round.
I know why you are here.
I never breathed a word to anyone.
Just like you wanted.
I promise you, I-I never...
never told anyone anything.
Don't turn, Suresh.
(Suresh) Naveen,
he's a good boy, isn't he?
He's always there for us.
Hard-working, reliable...
Not like the other one.
It... It's OK now, Suresh.
You don't have to worry yourself.
- I'm gonna come to you now, OK?
- You be careful.
(Mobile ringing)
- Simran?
- (Suresh) 'What? No, it's your dad.
'Harvinder, it's your dad.'
- It's Naveen, Dad.
- 'Oh, Naveen? Yeah, yeah.
'That's what I said,
my lovely boy Naveen.'
Listen, Dad, I can't talk right now.
I'm looking for Simran.
You remember her, don't you?
My daughter. She loves you.
She's in trouble.
'You were our little miracle, you
were. Oh, poor boy.
'I'm sorry, Naveen,
for all we did to you.'
Dad, it-it's all right.
Listen, call Harvinder.
He'll come and see. I can't talk
right now. I'll see you later.
'No, but you're the one I need to
talk...'
(Mobile chimes)
We're OK, aren't we, Suresh?
- It's OK.
- 'Right, Dad, you listen to me.'
- Are the police there yet?
- 'No. I told you.'
I want my Gurpreet, not you.
Oh, fuck's sake. How many times?
She's not coming!
All right. I know.
I know.
I-I-I'm sorry. OK?
- My Gurpreet?
(Nurse speaks Urdu)
She's been gone for years, Dad.
Naveen knows the secret?
Did I tell him that?
Naveen knows what secret, Dad?
'I promised her.'
- I let her down.
- 'No.'
No, y-y-you didn't let anybody down.
(Police Officer) Can you all just
stand back?
I'm so sorry.
(Nurse speaking Urdu)
No, you stay on the line. You stay
on the line, Dad, you don't...
(Line disconnects)
Fuck!
(Police Officer) No, I understand,
but I just need to...
(Screaming)
Dad, answer the phone,
answer the phone, answer the phone!
(Grunts)
Come on, please. God, no!
(Ringing tone)
I understand.
It's not easy, hm?
You didn't say he was here.
How did you find her?
She finally answered her phone.
She hasn't disowned me,
by my reckoning.
Simran, no-one wants to disown you.
You said I was self-centred,
obsessive...
Um...
I would have thought you'd be
pleased to see the back of me.
Simran, don't say that.
What else did you say?
I was... mental.
- Rude.
- You are a bit rude.
Fuck off, Dad.
Or... Uncle or whatever
I'm supposed to call you.
Look, the point is...
you don't have to put up with me
irritating you any more, so...
- Simran...
- Don't try and be nice,
whatever you do.
Don't go.
Well, why would I stay?
To be paralysed by my own happiness
forever like you?
- We'll sort it.
- We won't.
- I didn't mean those things.
- You said it.
- I didn't know you were listening.
- That makes it worse.
I was trying to get back at him.
Look at it from my perspective.
Empathy is not my strong point.
You paid a psychiatrist 300 an hour
to figure that one out.
Look, you're not going
anywhere, Simran.
(Scoffs) Nice try.
But you're not my dad.
I mean, I'd stick around
just to see Dr Russell's face
when I tell her.
I need to tell you something.
See the machinery whirring
in her posh little brain as...
as she took in the fucked-up-ness
of this entire situation.
Sorry, Nani.
- It's important.
- (Simran) What is?
What I have to tell you.
Are you gonna come out?
Oh, my God, not now, not here.
No, just listen to me.
My trauma's been bad enough,
I really don't think I need...
Please. Let him speak, hm?
I said those things
because I was hurt too, Simran.
She betrayed both of us.
Don't.
Just don't.
Look, at this point, I feel...
absolutely no love
for her whatsoever.
I'm certainly not gonna stick around
here,
whatever shite he comes out
with in his fucking beat-me mask.
Sorry, Nani.
It just makes me want to...
gorge and purge
and burn up every ounce of fat
and smash things and...
I know you're angry
and you've got every right to be,
but you're only hurting
yourself, huh?
I need to show you this.
(Doorbell ringing)
Mrs Sanghera?
- Where is she going?
- I don't know if I can say.
No, tell me. I... I won't stop her.
- She's gone away.
- Good.
Good. She's doing
what I could have done.
Getting away from all the
expectations
instead of playing by
the rules.
I mean, you hardly play
by the rules, do you?
I'm here, aren't I?
Twenty years.
And now Simran's doing
what I didn't have the guts to do.
But you do what you want, don't you?
I wasn't allowed boyfriends
at her age.
Yeah, well, I'm not her boyfriend.
I had them,
but I wasn't allowed them,
I had to keep them secret.
Do you have any idea
how much effort that takes?
What it does to you, inside.
Because I love men.
And my mother understood that.
She'd never admit to it, but there
was this guy from the badminton club
that used to come over
when my father was away.
I remember how she'd close her eyes
when he was holding her from behind.
Why did you come over this morning?
Because you're usually alone
at that time.
Risky.
Sangeeta...
Mrs Sanghera, Josh.
Mrs Sanghera.
Mrs Sanghera, today has been
an extremely confusing day...
Shh.
Have you got your camera?
Steve? Steve, now, you listen to me.
He didn't..
He didn't do it, did he?
I'm so sorry, Mr Sanghera.
The police have arrived now.
There was nothing we could do.
Well, how is he?
Is he OK?
- 'Mr Sanghera, it is so high...'
- No.
- 'There's no chance.'
- No, he didn't...
He didn't do it.
D-don't you lie to me, Steve.
Don't you lie to me.
- Dad...
- 'Mr Sanghera...
'I tried. I'm so sorry.'
He's dead.
Naveen Singh?
(Naveen) That's me.
That's my birth certificate.
- This is you?
- Mm.
Did you know?
Bibi and Baba never told you?
I guess they thought
it was the best way.
What you don't know...
That's my father.
My real father, Kundun Singh.
Bloody hell.
He has four kids,
official kids that he recognises.
Who's this?
That's my mother, Valerie.
Valerie Holloway?
- She's white!
- Yeah.
She was a secretary at the factory.
Holloway.
It says she was married,
but had no other children and...
Shit, she died.
In 1981, aged 32.
How did you even get onto
all of this?
Dad told me something
when... when he lost his marbles.
It didn't make sense.
He kept going on and on.
I think he found it difficult
to live with the secret and...
But, er... when he told me,
ironically he thought he was
confessing to the police.
Dad...
I'm not, though, am I?
I don't know who I am.
You're my dad.
No-one else, no-one could be.
And you're the one that got to me
in time,
that stopped me
from running away.
I love you, Simran.
I want you to be OK.
That's why you...
You have to go.
Go out into the world.
And shine.
I will.
Yeah.
OK, I've got to go.
My... My train, it's...
Yeah, you've gotta go.
- Can I keep these?
- Of course you can.
To remind me of you.
Here...
- I love you, darling.
- Love you.
- Say bye to Mum for me.
- Yeah.
Don't think I'll be speaking to her
for a while.
Priya, I've just got to...
make a phone call.
Yeah.
(Brian) 'Hello?'
Brian, I've been looking closely
at everything.
'You noticed it too, then?'
Yeah. What does it mean?
'I don't know yet, Naveen. I've been
trying to put it together myself.'
- Could we...?
- 'Yeah, I think we could.'
Why don't you come round?
We can talk about it.
(Front door opens)
Fuck! Fuck!
(Front door closes)
Quick, quick, quick! Shit!
Harv... How's Suresh?
How is he?
Harv? How's Suresh?
He's gone.
Gone?
What do you mean, he's gone?
Where has he gone?
- He jumped.
- What?
Well, what are you doing here?
Shouldn't you be with him?
I couldn't go. I couldn't...
Naveen's right.
I'm fucking selfish.
That's why I didn't go to see him.
My own dad.
I didn't have the courage
to go and visit him.
Let alone see him now, like that.
(Sangeeta) You did your best.
That's... That's all you can do.
Don't be too hard on yourself.
I always had this feeling...
..that everything was gonna be OK.
If I followed my heart's...
..desires and...
did what felt good and
comfortable, everything would be OK.
I'd be protected from...
..life's fucking evils.
I was so wrong...
..Sangeeta, so wrong.
It's a lot to take in.
Why don't we get to the care home?
Come on, get up.
Come on, up you get.
- (Harvinder) OK.
- (Sangeeta) This way.
- OK.
- This way, this way.
This way.
- You little bastard.
- OK... Harv?
Harv, calm down. Look at me.
Why the fuck would I do that,
Sangeeta?
Shit! Run!
Josh!
Oh, shit!
- Sangeeta, please help.
- She can't help you now, boy.
- Mate, please.
- If you're gonna fuck grown-ups,
you're gonna have to deal with real
fucking grown-up consequences.
I'm gonna fuck you up,
you little shit!
Harv!
- Harv!
- Come on.
- Stop.
- I'm gonna break your fucking ribs.
You perverted wanker!
Yeah? Yeah?
(Speaks Urdu)
Fucking hell! Thanks.
Sita!
Oh, my God!
- Hey, Brian.
- All right, Naveen?
Holloway.
Valerie Holloway.
Did you know her?
No, never met her.
But my mum always used to talk about
her niece Val, who lived in London
and who died young.
Must have been very hard
for her, Naveen.
- Having a child with a...
- Paki.
She must have suffered
from the prejudices of the time.
I've tried to work it all out,
but both my parents have passed away
so I can't ask them.
But I've made enquiries
through my professional channels.
So, that would make us cousins?
Once removed.
Well...
Hey, cousin.
(Priya) That is what it meant,
the shoes.
The blood, this man...
You're related.
- What?
- Oh, nothing.
It's interesting.
There are no more battlefields,
no epic sagas.
This is how cosmic energies
play out, I suppose.
A kind of suburban Mahabharat.
(Naveen) Right.
(Screaming)
What the...?
(Screaming continues)
(Naveen) Stop!
- (Priya) Sangeeta...
- Stop, Sangeeta! Stop!
- (Sangeeta) Shut up!
- Sangeeta!
What? Where's my girl?
Where's my little girl?
She's all right.
(Groaning)
He wouldn't listen to me.
He was stubborn.
I couldn't drive and he just...
Your dad fell.
He just... jumped off the roof.
(Groans)
What? Where is he?
He's...
- He's...
- He's dead.
But he called me. He was fine.
That doesn't make any sense.
Maybe that's what it meant.
I tried talking him down,
but he didn't know who I was.
I'm sorry, Naveen.
Who the hell are you?
That's Brian.
Yeah... yeah, sorry, Mr Sanghera.
Josh, what the hell
are you doing here?
He was messing around with her.
And filming it, for fuck's sake.
Oh, really, Sangeeta!
He's just a boy.
You shut up, Mum!
She hit me with this spade.
You could have killed me!
Smashed this whole place up,
crazy woman!
I'm... I'm so sorry, Naveen.
(Naveen) I should have done
something.
I just wanted to keep it all going.
All this stuff...
it's not important.
We can do better than this.
Sita...
Oh, Sita...
Sita.
She gave us an egg every day.
She was one of the few things
that gave me peace.
Who did this?
He did! Harv did it!
By accident! It was an accident.
You're both so selfish!
All you care about is yourselves.
You've always wanted him,
God knows why.
But you can have him.
And you, you finally get what you
want, like you always do in the end!
It's what should have always
happened.
- Don't you point that spade at me.
- Gentlemen...
Shit, man. Are you all right?
You idiot!
Everything you touch turns to shit!
(Harvinder) You know what? I am done
with your sanctimonious,
morally aggrandising bollocks.
You eat and you shit
and you fuck, or at least you want
to, just like the rest of us.
We're just not little, repressed...
(Groans)
Do you think he's all right?
Brian! Brian?
- Brian?
- (Brian) I'm gonna be sick.
- Brian...
(Brian groans softly)
How are you doing?
I'm all right.
I just need a bit of a sit-down.
Oh, shit, Brian! Keep your hand on
it, keep pressure on it.
I'm calling an ambulance.
Oh, no, don't bother. I'll be fine.
Brian, I think you've got
a really deep cut, mate.
- Have I?
- Keep your hand on it, Brian!
- Someone get me a fucking cloth!
- Josh, go.
(Josh) Yeah, I'll get one.
Oh, fuck, Brian. You're the only
family I've got left.
Just keep pressure on it,
it'll be all right.
I'll be OK, Naveen.
Oh, no.
This is what it meant.
(Naveen) 'I took the ashes
to a beautiful spot the other day.
'Not exactly the Ganges,
but... it will have to do for her.
'Sita was such a calm bird.
'She'll be happy there, I think.
'So, Mum's probably told you
her news.
'She's decided to keep the baby.
'Said it would give her
something positive to focus on,
'something else to build.
'And good luck to her,
up the duff at 47.
'A lot hinges on the paternity test.
'It's between Harv and Josh.
'Poor kid.
'You'll be glad to know
I'm moving out.
'Feels good to just start afresh.
'Blank canvas.
'The past is... gone.
'Brian is on the mend.
'Lost two and a half pints of blood,
poor sod.
'God bless the ambulance service
and the blood donors.'
- OK?
- Yeah.
'It turned out
his Aunt Valerie Holloway
'wasn't the same Valerie Holloway
as my mother.
'Different Valerie Holloways.
Can you believe it?
'It's Suresh's funeral tomorrow.
'Fuck it, Dad's funeral.
'I wish he'd still had his marbles,
'to help me find out about all
of this.
'Carrying all this inside of you all
the time, it does things to you.
'Maybe that's what got to him
in the end.
'Rome sounds amazing, by the way.
'I'm proud of you, Sim.
'You've really managed
to do something I never did,
'get away from the chaos
and process all this stuff.
'I wanna check out this pasta place
you're on about.
'Can we do that when I visit?'
Anyway, I'd better get going. I'm
just outside Kundun Singh's house.
Just felt like I needed to come here
to see where it all started.
To imagine my mother,
not in a gross way...
..but here...
...all that time ago with him is...
is where it started for me.
Whatever happens,
Suresh is still my dad and...
you're still my beautiful daughter.
Anyway, best meet this guy,
see what he's all about.
I love you, Sim.
MUSIC: 'I'll Be With You'
by Keiran T Merrick
# When the sun shines
# On the morning dew
# And the birds
# Greet the day
# When the world
# Is feeling new
# And the lonely mist clings
To the bay
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# When our shadows
# Are getting long
# And the hours are golden brown
# When our work
# Is almost done
# And the evening's coming round
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# When you're away
I am counting the days
# Till I know that
I'll see you again
# The tunnel is long
But I'll remain strong
# If I know that there's light
At the end
# When the stars
# Are on our doorstep
# And the darkness is close behind
# When the world
Has slowed its turning
# And sleep is on our minds
# I don't know where I'll be
# Just have to wait and see
# But I know
# I'll be with you
# I know I'll be with you
# I know I'll be with you. #