MAY I HAVE THIS SEAT | Omeleto

A pregnant woman asks for a seat on a bus.

During the smoggy season in Lahore, Pakistan, a very pregnant Sonia is running late to her doctor's appointment. She gets on the city bus, where she heads to the women's section of the bus, which is full. A few rows away in the men's section, she notes a man sitting with his son and asks him for his seat. He refuses, and after a few tense words, Sonia looks elsewhere.

But when the bus hits a bump, causing Sonia to lose balance and fall into the man's lap, he grabs her. Sonia then accuses the man of harassing her, and they get into a verbal altercation that soon draws the attention, opinions and involvement of everyone on the bus. And when Sonia and the bystanders get their social media involved, the tension escalates to an unpredictable point.

Written and directed by Tabish Habib, this short drama deftly takes advantage of its compressed yet public setting of public transportation to explore the tensions, resentments and assumptions of a broad swath of society. People who may otherwise never encounter one another are forced together in close proximity and often have to deal with the tensions that arise. Add the 24/7 watchfulness of social media to the mix, and a volatile situation becomes an even more potentially explosive pressure cooker.

The film's naturalistic, almost documentary-like visual style telegraphs this angle of social observation, charting Sonia's travails and efforts as she attempts to find some respite as a heavily pregnant woman. But the film's quick-moving, alert storytelling -- as well as its sharp-eyed editing style -- does the work of laying out all the major players in the drama, even the side characters, who watch Sonia argue with a man who won't give up his seat for her.

The conflict escalates quickly, with both Sonia and the man -- played by Rasti Farooq and Aqeel Nasir Khan -- reactive and quick to anger. Both fall back on stereotypes and social assumptions to shame and insult one another. Even the other passengers get into the act, and everyone has an opinion on what's unfolding in front of them, some of them quite funny. All of it is captured in cutting, realistically sharp dialogue, which weaves an overall picture of society's view on gender, power, entitlement and judgment. When an already stressed Sonia believes she's been groped, a squabble escalates to full-blown accusation and possible social ruin, abetted by live-streaming.

With the added pressure of an audience of mobile phones, the clash takes on the strange, almost surreal cast of being both conflict and content -- and sends the whole narrative careening to a high-pressure conclusion. In the end, there are no winners in MAY I HAVE THIS SEAT, with Sonia and the man having moments of both sympathies as well as unreasonableness. The biggest casualty of the conflict is civility, where no one attempts to even understand the other side, much less find a way for both perspectives to co-exist. One can't help but wonder what kind of world Sonia's baby will be born into, full as it is of polarization, defensiveness and cacophony.

[jamesmorgan]

A very poignant analogy of that bus as a microcosm of society with its stress, quick to anger and intolerance of others exacerbated by our addiction to social media and loss of empathy for fellow human beings. This film was a masterclass on how not to behave and treat others around you.

[MimMiao]

Loved his acting, he has very expressive eyes.

[ladyg]

As a woman, I would offer my seat to a pregnant woman, an elderly person, or a disabled one, but her attitude would make me sit still in my seat. Ask kindly, and people are likely to respond, but that sense of entitlement irks me, no matter what that person’s condition appears to be. You have no idea what other people are going through, so never assume that you know.

[flashylights]

I hope the little boy passed his exam smh

[razaman]

for the first time I saw a Pakistani short on an international platform..wonderful story and very well filmed and acted !!

[Wordplay.x]

Here after watching that insta reel☝️😭

[defikidsmusic]

Simply wonderful. The ecosystem on the bus was incredibly intense and only grew more so as the film progressed, Thanks to all the wonderful players in this film for such a humbling performance. Aloha!

[aroundandround]

The message is clear: in the metoo world, just don’t bother helping women coz it’s too risky.

[MirceaKitsune]

I like how it's hard to tell which of the two you should be upset at, if either or both.

[saptarshisaha]

This short film us great. It really portrays the nuances and complexity of actual lives.

The wide variety of comments taking different sides and giving different viewpoints is a proof if that.

Here's my take. People shouldn't be entitled to receive other's seat because they are pregnant or old or disabled. If the person in front gives their seat then it's great, this would make them a good person. But conversely refusing to give up the seat also doesn't make them a bad person either.

My reasoning behind this is that people should be individualistic and their actuons should largely be based on how the outcome would affect them.

Now many people would disagree with me and say that giving up the seat for a disabled (elderly, or pregnant woman) is the basic duty of everyone. I believe the principle reasoning behind this is that people should consider their actions affects the society at large (not just them). When we extend this thinking more we also come to the point where most of our decision is dictated by how the people around us perceive it and affects them. This is where arranged marriages (spouse selected by primary apporval of parents, extended family, and society) comes into play. This is the thinking behind many of the customs and rituals of many "traditional" societies. This is something I'm not alot approving of.

All these explains just the man's decision to not give up his seat. There's a lot to be said about all other characters involved in this film.

[irfanjames]

1:30 To Everybody thinking why don't just ask someone else for a seat.
You see here she would be sitting next to a child.
But otherwise she would be sitting next to a grown man (can't happen in Pakistan).

I can understand this didn't came to your mind.

[paulgeorge]

"Stop the bus"! Yeah, I want to get off. Don't know how many times it's been so apt to my life! Perfectly timed, wonderful film.

[vaidehikumar]

What kind of reality they are living in where people are more focused on mobile instead of helping someone 😖😖 this is really sad for both of them.

[aroundandround]

0:20 What he called her (gudiya) literally means a doll but isn’t typically sexual, often being used by older folks like “honey” or “sweetie” for a woman when you don’t know their name and “madam” feels too formal.

[caravanlifenz]

Initially, I felt so bad for her when the man didn't give up his seat, and I thought what a monster, what sort of message is he teaching his son by being so cruel? But then when she filmed him and threatened to shame him online in front of his son, I thought what a monster she is; to film someone without their consent is pure evil. At the end, it seems they both regret behaving so badly and hopefully will become better people in the future.

[qbz]

sometimes i do see men around me like obviously wary that im an underage girl alone and try not to get into much contact, i always say thanku and make sure to act friendly but ik not every girls the same and theres a lot of wanting to b a victim, especially bc of tiktok making ppl want to go viral for pity views. i remember once a kid fell into me and i put my arms out so they wouldnt face plant into me and his mum pulled him away from me and said dont touch my child rlly loudly on a bus. it was horrible

[RBx]

I am from India but what a idea i appreciate you for this
This is the work we need from Pakistan

[whoiswasiq]

the tension they created in only 10 minutes is applaudable and RASTI FAROOQ did an amazing job as a main lead 💚

[scottdavidson]

Very good work. The wide variety of comments is an acknowledgement of complex issues well expressed.

[axolotolololol]

What a reflection of Pakistani society. You have to live here to know what it’s like… the incessant male gaze and lack of security. The fact that if there is someone kind, their kindness is laughed upon or taken in the wrong context. The bystanders who never help but only enjoy or gather around an issue with their phones to see what the drama is.
The main character (the girl) is a by-product of this society. A self-centred untrusting woman.