Virdee (2025) s01e01 Episode Script

1
.
RADIO: Welcome, everyone.
You're here with me
HELICOPTER BLADES WHIR
This is
Radio Bradford.
It has been 12 days
since the disappearance
of 14-year-old Ateeq Farooqi.
He was last seen in Eccleshill
in Bradford
on the 21st of September.
The teenager is described as being
5' 10" tall with short hair,
and is thought to be wearing
a black jacket and a blue tracksuit.
West Yorkshire Police have launched
a fresh appeal for information,
and have asked anyone who sees Ateeq
to call 999.
POLICE RADIO: Harry, Novak has left
the warehouse.
He is on North Valley Road
heading towards Kirkgate Market.
CAR HORN BLARES
Received. DCI Virdee in pursuit.
Move, move, move!
We've lost visual.
Repeat - we've lost visual.
Last seen entering the market.
Do you have sight on him?
Top floor. Seal the perimeter.
Acknowledged, Harry.
Alpha team, lock down the area.
30 seconds out.
NPAS to control.
Commencing sweep
to re-establish visual
Where is he?
Where's Novak?
Heading towards the square.
He's heading to the station.
Get them to stop the trains.
Received, Harry.
We are 30 seconds out.
Visual obscured.
HELICOPTER WHIRS OVERHEAD
Suspect has entered the tunnel.
We've lost sight of him. Hey! Hey!
Novak, where's Ateeq?
Novak, stop!
Move. Get off the tracks.
My foot!
TRAIN APPROACHES
It's stuck.
Where's Ateeq?
Help me! The train's coming!
Help me!
Tell me where the boy is,
or you die here! Help me!
Virdee, what is going on?
Novak's ankle's trapped!
Come on!
SIRENS WAIL
You should have stopped, Novak.
Get down here!
First responders.
Where the hell are you?
Novak.
Harry. He's out cold, boss.
You OK? I'll live.
Get him to a paramedic, yeah?
Where the hell are you going?
Late for a wedding.
MUSIC: Phatte Chuk Di
by PBN & Raj Bains
MUSIC CONTINUES INSIDE
PHONE BUZZES
CAR ENGINE REVS
One of these days,
Saima's going to see us like this.
And when that day comes,
I'll tell my sister why.
What do you want, Riaz?
Helicopters, police cars
all over the city, Harry.
I told you
I could lift Novak quietly,
and this shit would have
been over by now.
But you opted to play good cop.
Not going too well for you, is it?
What's wrong?
Hit a nerve? You're making me late
to see my wife.
We got Novak.
Novak ain't telling the police shit.
He'll walk, and then what?
Time to play bad cop?
You'd love that, wouldn't you?
It's inevitable, Harry.
When are you going to learn?
Vasil's crew are lawyered up.
Let me lift Novak.
There's a missing kid.
That puts heat on my business too.
I keep the peace.
You stay out of sight.
Unless you want to ruin us both.
You're late.
You look beautiful.
I know.
MUSIC AND CHEERING INSIDE
You know, in a Bollywood movie,
this would be where the guy,
as in me, enters to a colourful
over-the-top dance sequence,
surrounded by dozens of hot women,
but none of them as hot as the main
love interest - that would be you
Of course. ..change outfits a few
times, writhe around on a beach,
come close to kissing
but never actually kiss,
and then it'd end with us looking
longingly into each other's eyes
just like this, by which point
we would be madly, deeply in love.
Aww. But in true Bollywood fashion,
inside there are your parents,
specifically your dad,
who develops a massive problem
with the hottie - me.
So I'm finally about to meet
my racist father-in-law. Mm-hm.
Any words of wisdom?
Maybe start with
Tickling his beard?
Was going say fist bump, but, yeah.
Oh, right, yeah.
Good idea.
Solid advice. Thanks for that.
You know, we don't have to do this,
Saima.
Yeah, well, we do.
Because it isn't about us, is it?
It's about our Aaron.
We agreed, remember?
Yeah.
Come on.
What did you do that for?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Saima, I just.
Harry, if we're going in there,
then it's like this.
Yeah.
My Allah protects me
..and your Guru-ji protects you.
Come on.
You're going to have to help me
down the steps
I've got you.
..please. Thank you.
Together.
Hey! Hi!
Oh, it's so good to see you both!
You too. You look gorgeous. Thanks.
Yeah, look at us in the pink.
Look at you, you looktired.
TARA LAUGHS
Uncle Harry?
Yeah?
Any update on the Ateeq Farooqi
case?
Tara, we'll find him.
There's your scoop.
Off you go.
All right.
Always a journalist.
Ready? No. Come on. Let's go.
MUSIC STOPS, ALL CHEER
I'm going to go check and see
where my mum and dad are sitting,
all right?
No, Harry, let them find you.
LAUGHTER AND CHATTER
Baapu-ji, please.
Don't make a scene.
It's their friend's wedding.
JYOTI MURMURS IN PUNJABI
Baba.
Dad just didn't want to see you
with Saima.
You want to come over?
Say hello to her? Hmm?
This is a happy event.
Let's keep it that way, OK?
Please.
Hey, come on. Come on. Come on.
We should go. No, no. We should go.
No, listen,
we are not going anywhere.
We have as much right as anyone
to be here.
Shall I get you a drink?
Yeah.
You must be Saima Virdee.
Saima Hyatt, actually,
but, yeah, I'm Harry's wife.
Do you know who I am?
No, but I've got a feeling
you're going to enlighten me.
I used to fuck your husband
before he ditched me for a Paki
Excuse me?
..stani.
It's all right. I've got it.
You want to watch how you go, love.
I think you might have had
a bit too much to drink.
JYOTI: Beta, beti?
IN PUNJABI:
You're late.
Late, late, late! You'd better have
brought me back some food.
Thanks for tonight, Nadia, yeah?
You owe me.
Right.
He's fed, showered,
tattooed and asleep.
Thanks, Nadsi. How was it?
Give me the gossip in 30 seconds.
Saw his mum. That were intense.
And his dad left
as soon as we got there.
Not even so much as a hello.
You what?
Yeah, I know, that was fun.
Samosas. You are a legend. I know.
I'll talk to you properly tomorrow.
Right. Love you. Love you more!
PHONE BEEPS
It's work. I'm in early.
RADIO: Chief Constable Boardman
is under pressure today
as the hunt for missing teenager
Ateeq Farooqi
reaches its second week.
Residents told us that this was
another example of
the lack of priority given to issues
that concern the community.
I'm late. Is Aaron ready?
Yeah, he's in his room.
Said he wanted to do up, down,
up, down like Mummy.
Praying for a water pistol,
apparently.
Oh, God!
PHONE BUZZES
Yeah?
Novak's awake?
All right, I'm on my way.
Play nice. My house, my rules.
Take the piss
and I will throw you out.
I'm not messing with Sister Hyatt.
No, you won't,
if you know what's good for you.
I want my lawyer.
Look me in the eyes and tell me
you don't know where the boy is.
It's so much better for you
if we do this together.
DCI Virdee, can I have a word?
Now?
Christ!
What are you doing
talking to him without a solicitor?
It's me.
Where do you think I am?
He knows where Ateeq is.
Listen, the ACC is pressuring me
to pull resources from this case.
I mean, we both know the stats
on missing kids.
It's been 13 days now,
we've nothing.
We do that, we make this city
feel like we don't care.
We need more officers, not fewer.
And I have a department to run.
Another 24 hours,
and then I will be forced
to move manpower to other cases.
No, you do what you have to.
But so will I.
Mera beta.
DCI Virdee? I'm Khalil Amin,
your new DS, sir. Ah, right.
Er, the boss said
I should wait here for you. Did she?
Yeah. She was going to
formally introduce us,
but she got tied up with
some other things.
Unusual police headquarters.
Unusual city.
Old HQ's under refurb
for the next few months.
At least this place has got
character. Amin, is it?
Amin, yeah, sir.
Tell me about yourself in ten words.
Trainee graduate. Er, I'm BD7.
Moved south. 26.
Single.
That was seven.
What brought you back?
City of Culture.
Nah, my mum. She lives in
Holme Wood. Is she white?
Yeah, she is, actually.
My dad's Pakistani.
What about yourself?
Yeah, we're not there yet.
Is this your office?
Nah. Gaffer's.
I don't do desks.
You up-to-date on that?
Yeah, I've got myself up to speed.
Right. Enlighten me.
There's two major drug gangs in this
city - Vasil Shala's crew,
and Bradford West,
whose leader remains unknown,
though intel suggests
he might be South Asian,
maybe bringing a racial element
to how these gangs operate.
Ateeq Farooqi,
reported missing 13 days ago.
He's a got a juvie record
for possession,
but he's no major player.
How do we know
he didn't just run away?
OFFICE PHONE RINGS
DCI Virdee.
Understood.
Put her in interview room one.
The boy's mother's downstairs.
Shall I sit in with you? Nah.
First job, Chai Dreams, Leeds Road.
Two pink Kashmiri teas.
Ha!
Oh!
You little shit!
Pick you up after work?
Hmm. Yeah?
So you think Ateeq's still alive?
I want him to be.
I need him to be.
Sir?
That's Vinnie Koomars. He runs
product from the dessert parlour.
He's our guy.
Come on.
What you saying? You good?
Take it easy, man.
What you saying? Heard owt on Ateeq?
Eyes on me. Make it look right.
I ain't heard shit.
I'm not talking to you.
I don't want to end up like him.
What you saying?
Snitches get ditches.
Ateeq was your informant on Novak?
Did you list him as a CHIS?
There are no lists in Bradford.
You make one,
the wrong person might see.
Go back to the station.
PHONE BUZZES
Where are you?
Novak's brief's arrived.
Done. You're date-ready.
Oh, I love it.
You're amazing.
Well?
Pritti, I saw the gear before.
What are you doing?
Shush, will you?
That boy's gone missing.
Yeah, I do know that.
Do you want to go missing?
I might as well get rich trying.
No, it's not funny.
Look, Bradford West
don't operate like that.
Switch sides. Come work with me.
I'll do the intro.
You'll make better money.
I heard that Ateeq tried switching.
People who do that get taken.
A lot of people hear a lot of things
round here.
Just watch yourself.
Don't worry about me. I'm watching.
I'm watching everything.
You're breaching
the restraining order!
You haven't been returning my calls.
You need to leave now.
Now, er
..I don't hit girls.
Butyou're not really a girl.
Or are you?
Xavier! Get out! Now!
You fucking someone else?
Yeah, someone who doesn't
sleep around.
Just you remember,
you fucking owe me.
I swear to God, ten seconds
and I'm calling the police.
Just tell me where he is.
He's a kid.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Records from Ateeq's phone show
that on the night he disappeared,
he called your number 11 times.
DCI Virdee,
we've already established
that the phone you're referring to
doesn't belong to Mr Rexa.
These allegations you keep
putting to us are wholly unfounded.
We've already lodged a complaint
with the IOPC
about the assault on my client,
and we now expect them
to investigate thoroughly.
PROTESTERS: Brown lives matter!
Brown lives matter!
Brown lives matter!
Brown lives matter!
12 days chasing that bastard,
and we end up with this shitshow.
I know.
It's hard to swallow.
But he's not going far like that.
Excuse me.
Do you have a moment? Excuse me.
CROWD: Brown lives matter!
Brown lives matter!
Brown lives matter!
It's on.
Prep the tunnel.
You work too hard.
Who needs two jobs?
Come on, man, when's date night?
Soon. Promise.
See you tonight, yeah?
Yeah.
LOUD RAP MUSIC PLAYS IN CAR
One of my guys, Novak.
He's missing.
But you already know this.
We let him go.
But you already know this.
If you want him, just ask, Harry.
Anything to help the police.
Anything to help you.
Maybe one day, you help Vasil?
No, I'm good, thanks.
HE CLICKS HIS FINGERS, WHISTLES
BAG DROPS ON GROUND
I'll give you Novak.
Take this money.
For friendship.
Together, Harry and Vasil,
we take down those
Bradford West parasites, huh?
Maybe, er
Maybe you are working with them.
Maybe their cash is better
than mine, no?
Their money is as dirty as yours.
Hmm.
Where is Novak?
Where is the kid?
Spasiba.
ENGINE STARTS, MUSIC RESUMES
RECORDING PLAYS OF MAN SCREAMING
MAN BREATHES SHAKILY
TORTURER: I'm only getting started.
What made you cross the line?
His mother.
That'll do it. Harry Virdee's
kryptonite - a heartbroken mother.
Vasil got me on the way over here.
Looking for Novak.
You know he's got to go, right?
Nothing changes.
The man uses underage kids
to sell maal.
A message needs to be sent
to Shala Crew.
You use or traffic kids,
you get buried.
You used to know right from wrong.
What the fuck happened to you?
You happened to me, Riaz.
What you do.
There'll always be a boss
in this city.
Might as well be one
you can work with.
No, no. You're my brother-in-law.
I don't work for you.
I do this so you don't
bring us all down.
Shala Crew needs to go.
There are rules in this game.
There are ethics.
Did you just say ethics?
Yeah.
Yeah, I did just say ethics.
Who put me here?
Who made me, bro?
It were me that kept your arse
out of prison,
so don't question me
about my ethics.
I won't let you do Vasil.
A turf war brings us back to 2001.
Neither of us need that.
I know.
You know, you're more like me
than you can admit.
We could change this city,
you and me.
Really change it. Make it better.
I am changing it, Riaz.
The right way.
Right.
Listen, no killing. End of.
No bodies. Say it.
Say it!
No bodies.
Enzo!
MAN HYPERVENTILATES
You can't do this.
This is England.
This is Bradford.
Tell me.
Where is Ateeq?
I can't tell you.
He will find out and kill me.
What makes you think
he won't do the same?
No! Please! I'll tell you.
I'll tell you! I'll tell you!
Come on.
He's in Carter Mills.
HE SOBS QUIETLY
Keep Novak talking.
Get what else you can.
And Riaz
..no bodies.
Hey.
Hmm?
No bodies?
Why?
So Novak gets to live because
Harry fucking Virdee says so?
He makes us weak.
Make your peace with it.
Full taped confession.
Find out why they took Ateeq,
and then take Novak home.
Ensure he knows the rules.
He bleats to Vasil
and his co-operation finds its way
to his boss.
Hey.
Novak messes this up,
you can bury him.
NOVAK SOBS
I've sent you Ateeq's address.
Harry, do not go in there alone!
RADIO: All units, proceed
immediately to Carter Mills,
Target Road. This is an urgent call.
Over.
Unit responding, eight minutes.
MAN BEHIND GROWLS
Help!
Help me!
Ateeq? Ateeq?
Here! Here! Here! Help!
Down here!
I'm coming!
Help! Down here! Please help!
Ateeq! Hi.
Are you OK? They've They've put
something in me. Get me out of here!
Where did you get the intel
about the house?
Dessert parlour on Leeds Road.
A CHIS. Off the books.
Amin?
Yeah.
Just like DCI Virdee said.
Well, it's bloody good work.
Let me go and tell ACC.
We'll get a press release out.
You want to do it?
Media and reporters? All you, Guv.
Right, fair enough.
Come on, Amin, you're up.
Oh, my boy!
Daddy, do you know
it's Diwali tomorrow?
I do. So that means I get a present,
right?
Yeah. What do you want?
A water pistol. A massive one.
Oh, a massive one! You hear that?
Your son would like a gift
for Diwali tomorrow.
A water pistol. A massive one.
Careful!
Come on, Mummy! Let's get him now!
Get him now!
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
THEY ALL LAUGH
ROPE CREAKS
What are you doing down here?
5.00am.
Happy Diwali.
Aaron, he gets things.
He's asking more and more questions.
Yeah.
You need to be the one
to answer them.
My mum will be making halwa
right now.
Loads of sultanas and nuts.
Right.
A new tradition.
So will you and your boy.
I love you.
I know.
PHONE RINGS
CAMERA CLICKS
This is linked to Ateeq, right?
Drug politics.
We had him in custody.
One of his bosses probably thinks
he said something
he shouldn't have done.
That's what put him here.
Professional Standards'll
be all over this.
They'll be all over you.
Better brace yourself
for an investigation.
Where were you last night?
Well, they'll ask.
I'm just asking first.
Are you serious?
Right.
DC Amin, co-ordinate with
the SOCO teams, please. Yes, ma'am.
You told the Super that the intel
about Ateeq being at Carter Mills
came from a CHIS
at the dessert place.
He never said anything.
Oversee removal of the body.
LOUD THUD AT DOOR
Easy! Easy! It wasn't us!
If I wanted Novak dead,
I'd have left him in the tunnel.
I think Vasil did him
so he can start his turf war.
I didn't do him.
I find out it were you
..I bury you.
Toy section, which aisle?
What?
Toys! Which fucking aisle?
Did you have to buy him a gun?
Course I did. Oh! He loves it.
Got you something too.
What's this?
It says Saima
..I hope.
I never want to make you
feel invisible.
Thank you.
I didn't buy you anything, though.
Oh, what a surprise.
Since we're celebrating,
what do you think about bringing
some of this food to me mum?
What?
HE SIGHS
I've just been thinking on things.
The wedding, touching Mum's feet,
then Ateeq, and Fatima,
and now Diwali.
Feels like the universe
is telling us something, you know?
Your dad couldn't even stand
to be in the same room as us
at the wedding.
What makes you think he's going to
want to see us now?
I'm just not sure
they're interested, Harry.
I've got to try, Saima.
LIVELY CHATTER INSIDE
HE KNOCKS
What are you doing here?
Are you crazy?
Go home!
It's time.
Hey! Uncle Harry! Happy Diwali.
Hey! Happy Diwali.
Happy Diwali, Mum.
You need to go.
Just go.
Saima made you food.
He wants a chance?
Yeah.
Then show this family
how sorry you are.
If I do this, we move forward?
Have a go, then!
This time, do it right.
Yeah?
You're dead to me.
What happened?
Harry, what happened?
Get in the car.
HARRY'S FATHER KEEPS SHOUTING
Daddy?
Daddy's all right, don't worry.
Thank you for coming. Have a good
night. All right, see you later.
Thank you. See you. Bye.
About time.
Date night.
I'm all yours, babe.
For the rest of my life,
I'll be that man who lost it all -
family, friends, respect -
for marrying the woman I love.
I can't accept that. I can't
..be defined
..by only that.
Since when do we ever
let other people define us?
He made me act like a dog.
Took every piece of self-respect
I had, and it still weren't enough.
I hatehow he's made me feel.
Look at me.
Look at me, Harry.
Nothing you do
will ever be enough for that man.
You kneeling -
that ain't weakness.
He were weak for asking you,
for allowing his son to kneel.
He is afraid of us, Harry,
because we've always been solid.
And if we're not,
then he wins and we lose.
Don't you dareforget that.
The apple doesn't fall
far from the tree.
We can't keep doing this.
We'll get busted.
That's what makes it hot, right?
Yeah, well, this sure beats
a shitty hotel room.
Hmm, it's defo cheaper.
SHE LAUGHS
Come on. We'd better go now.
Just need a piss and then I'll
help you tidy up, yeah? Yeah.
Nazir! Will you turn
the lights back on?
Nazir?
HE GASPS
SHE SCREAMS
Help! Help me! Help!
HE WHIMPERS
No! Somebody help, please!
It's not an honour killing, boss.
We could have a serial killer
on the streets of Bradford.
Please don't tell Hardeep
about his papaji.
We don't lie to each other.
You owe me.
I know.
It's the only reason
you're not in prison.
It is the people we love who suffer
when we don't do what we promise.