Screenwriter Saif Jaan co-directs Witness with Radha Mehta. In the short, Faran Tahir plays Mustafa, a well-respected imam in a small Muslim town. At the start, a witness to a wedding never shows up, so Imam Mustafa enlists Shams (Shaan Dasani) to sit in. Shams insists he’s not the person for the job, but the imam has him do it anyway. A day or two later, Imam Mustafa learns of the secret Shams is hiding, which raises questions about the marriage he was witness to. Now, the imam faces a true crisis: does he turn against the faithful serving Shams, or does he look the other way, violating his religious beliefs?
This 15-minute drama is beautifully shot. The lighting is very elegant, capturing the beauty of the mosque that houses the action. The costumes are also quite good, with popping colors that stand out. The story is quite engaging, especially when Mustafa confronts his daughter, Miral (Nemma Adeni), who is good friends with Shams. The father is hurt that his offspring would lie to him. It’s very moving, and the ending is pitch-perfect.
Imam Mustafa (Faran Tahir) leads prayer as Shams (Shaan Dasani) reflects in a pivotal moment from Witness.
“…Imam Mustafa learns of the secret Shams is hiding, which raises questions about the marriage he was witness to.”
Tahir excels as the conflicted religious leader. He’s tense yet caring while desperate to figure out the right path. Dasani sells his role’s conviction, and the actor’s charm makes the character affable. Adeni is the voice of reason and brings a ton of heart.
Witness is absorbing short with the right amount of pathos to feel appropriately weighty. The lighting is beyond fantastic, and the story feels complete despite its brevity. The cast perfectly embodies their characters and delivers stirring performances.
"…very moving, and the ending is pitch-perfect."
