Rooftops of Tehran

The day of the Shah’s birthday arrives, which is also the 40th day since Doctor’s death. Pasha, Zari, Ahmed, and Faheemeh take the bus to the motorcade area. Pasha asks why Zari is wearing a chador, and Zari explains she wanted to look like an angel. There is a forced sense of celebration in the air. As the motorcade approaches, Zari looks pale. Pasha asks her what is wrong, but she keeps saying everything is fine. Pasha suddenly realizes she is holding something under her clothes.

When the motorcade comes closer, Zari shouts to Pasha, saying she loves him. Just then, he realizes that she has gasoline under her chador. Zari says she is lighting a candle for Doctor and goes toward the Shah’s car and sets herself on fire. Everyone screams “Ya Ali,” which is said during times of distress, and Pasha tries to break through the crowd. Zari tries to get closer to the Shah’s car, but the security kicks her down. Instead, she flings a red rose at the car. Pasha throws himself on top of Zari, trying to put out the flames. He tells her he loves her and asks her why she hurt herself. Ahmed and another man throw their jackets on her to try and put out the fire, but a guard butts his rifle into Ahmed’s head.

Zari tells Pasha she loves him before she loses consciousness. Pasha loses control and lashes out at the guards, hitting them until someone hits him on the head and he passes out.

Pasha knows he was deeply traumatized, but he still cannot remember exactly what happened. Suddenly, there is a loud bang, and the lights go out. In the darkness, the old man who keeps chanting comes into Pasha’s room with a candle, and seeing the flame unlocks Pasha’s memories. He screams and cries for Zari; Apple Face is worried and rushes into the room. Pasha asks her if Zari is dead and screams in pain when Apple Face remains silent, confirming his fears. Then, he asks where Ahmed is and feels momentary relief when Apple Face says that Ahmed is in prison.

Hours later, Pasha’s parents come to see him, and Apple Face takes them aside, updating them on Pasha’s recovery of his memories and the resultant trauma. Pasha continues to despair, and eventually Apple Face—whose name is Dr. Sana—gives him a sedative. When he wakes up, he wonders how he will be able to keep living, and his mother cries for him. Soon after, he is given another sedative.

Pasha dreams he is talking to Zari, who assures him that there is not much difference between death and life. She says that God is kind, loving, and forgiving. When Pasha wakes up, he is depressed again, and Dr. Sana’s husband tries to reassure him over the phone that his wife will make him better. Later, Pasha’s father suggests moving further north as a health retreat for Pasha; his parents believe that with time, Pasha will be cured. Pasha disagrees; he tries to harm himself and is sedated again.

Dr. Sana’s husband, Yahya, comes to visit, and he suggests that Pasha go for a holiday with their family, but Pasha declines. Disappointed that he didn’t see Zari in his dreams, he talks to her, asking her why she killed herself. When he wakes after crying himself to sleep, Pasha sees the old man who keeps chanting and asks him if he lost someone he loved as well. Pasha claims that he will continue to curse God until God reunites him with Zari in the afterlife.

Pasha spends three months in the hospital, and in that time, he comes to terms with his fate and becomes an atheist; his situation, and the situation of some of the other patients, leads to him feeling disconnected from God. He learns that he was immediately taken to the hospital after the incident at the motorcade, and doctors decided his injuries were psychological rather than physical, placing him under Dr. Sana’s care. The SAVAK thoroughly investigated him and Ahmed but found them innocent and unaware of Zari’s plans.

Pasha also learns that Dr. Sana is of the Baha’i faith, and religious extremists have attacked her family numerous times over the past four years. Dr. Sana will immigrate to Australia soon for safety. Pasha also hears about the old man’s history. The old man—a wealthy merchant with three sons—loved his second wife, but his oldest son had murdered her. The son was sentenced to life in prison, and the old man has been living with a mental illness ever since these events.

Pasha hears that Ahmed was released from prison, and the news makes him smile for the first time since he regained his memories. He asks where Zari is buried, but his father says that his family doesn’t know yet, which haunts Pasha. He suddenly remembers the dream he had of Ahmed and Zari walking away with Doctor and becomes paranoid that his family is not telling him the truth; he thinks Ahmed must be dead and that his family is lying to save him from further emotional trauma. He insists on seeing Ahmed’s mother, knowing she won’t be able to lie to him.

While in bed later that night, Pasha hears Ahmed, who is in Pasha’s room, imitating his grandmother. Pasha runs to him and the two hug for long time, just like his father and Mr. Mehrbaan did when they met after 18 years. Pasha asks how Faheemeh is, and Ahmed says she is well; he also mentions that everyone in the neighborhood has been taking care of the rosebush in Pasha’s stead. Pasha asks how Zari’s parents are, and Ahmed says the Masked Angel is taking care of them.

Pasha tells Ahmed he dreamed that Doctor forgave him for being in love with Zari, and Ahmed tells Pasha to be strong and have faith in God. Pasha replies that he is an atheist now, but if there is a God, He must explain a lot to Pasha when they meet. Just then, Pasha’s father and Dr. Sana declare that Ahmed must leave. Pasha and Ahmed tearfully hug each other goodbye, knowing they will be together soon. A week later, Dr. Sana tells Pasha that she and her family will immigrate to Australia soon, and she will send Pasha tickets to visit her.

Pasha is released from the hospital and feels anxious about returning home, wondering if people were warned to keep away from him. When he arrives home, his mother rushes out and hugs him, crying. When he walks into the yard, Iraj and Ahmed hit him with snowballs before tackling him to the ground and mock wrestling him. Soon, all the neighbors shout out their welcomes and well wishes to Pasha.

Inside, Pasha’s family and friends drink tea and talk about everything that has happened. Mr. Yazdi has retired as principal, and Mr. Gorji is the new principal; he is unnecessarily strict. Iraj asks if Pasha will come back to school, and his father says that Pasha will have to wait until next year since he missed three months of school. As a result, he won’t graduate with his friends.

His mother updates him on neighborhood gossip, and they stay up until three in the morning, talking. After Iraj leaves, Ahmed and Pasha head to his room. Ahmed updates Pasha on Zari’s family’s situation. The SAVAK has forbidden them from speaking about Zari. The Masked Angel has moved into the house and takes care of everyone there. However, she doesn’t associate with anyone else. The family never received Zari’s body, and it’s like she never existed. Ahmed curses the regime in anger.

Pasha asks Ahmed about his time in jail. At first, Ahmed doesn’t want to talk about it, but then he opens up about how he was tortured and beaten, which got progressively worse each night. The guards also psychologically tortured him by claiming that they were beating Pasha and assaulting Faheemeh. He had a cellmate called Javad who told Ahmed that the agents cut off his fingers and sexually abused him. Ahmed, trusting Javad, spoke freely with him and talked about Faheemeh, Pasha, and Zari. One day, Javad wasn’t there, and Ahmed realized that he was in fact a SAVAK agent who was sent to find out whether Ahmed and his friends were allies of Doctor and politically involved.

Pasha and Ahmed step out onto the roof, which is icy, and Pasha sees movement in Zari’s room. However, Ahmed says it is only the Masked Angel, praying. Pasha asks about Ahmed’s spirit, and Ahmed reassures him that he is strong; the SAVAK agents did not break him.

Though Pasha hasn’t slept in 24 hours, he steps outside to thank his neighbors for welcoming him back. They go to Ahmed’s home, and Ahmed’s mother fawns over them both. Ahmed’s grandmother’s mental health has gotten worse; she keeps asking for her husband, and Ahmed and Pasha reassure her that she saw him already. She also keeps asking Pasha if he has seen his wife, and then walks away.

Ahmed’s mother encourages Pasha to visit Zari’s family, saying that they will be expecting him. She talks about the pain of losing a child, noting that when Ahmed was in jail, she was not herself, just like Pasha’s mother was not herself without him. She also keeps mentioning God’s blessings, which Pasha feels angry about since he doesn’t believe in God anymore, but he keeps his thoughts to himself.

Ahmed’s grandmother returns, and again, she tells Pasha to go see his wife, who keeps crying for him. Ahmed tells her Pasha is not married, but she says she thought he was married to Zari. Ahmed apologizes for his grandmother, and she repeats that she hears Zari crying every evening.

The doorbell rings and Faheemeh runs in to embrace Pasha. She tells him she and Ahmed thought about him every day, and their parents were worried for him too. Then, she cries and says they will all survive their pain together. Pasha notices that Ahmed and Faheemeh act like a couple now, secure in their feelings for each other. Faheemeh talks about her experience of that day, and how some families shielded her from the agents. Afterward, she went to Evin Prison every day for news of them and couldn’t mourn Zari properly because she didn’t know if she’d have to mourn them too.

Pasha says he should have known Zari’s plans, but Faheemeh and Ahmed warn him not to feel guilty; no one could have predicted Zari’s extreme response to Doctor’s death. Pasha understands Zari lit herself on fire to defy the Shah and protest his cruelty.

Pasha asks how Ahmed and Faheemeh met after Ahmed’s release from prison, and they both laugh as they tell their story. Ahmed came to Faheemeh’s house and Faheemeh’s brother opened the door. By then, Faheemeh was already screaming in excitement, and the whole neighborhood witnessed their meeting. After this, both their parents got together and announced their engagement. Faheemeh shows Pasha her ring, and Pasha feels true joy for his friends.

On the way to Zari’s house, they admire the rosebush, which the neighborhood takes care of as a gesture of respect for Doctor, Zari, and Pasha. Zari’s father, Mr. Naderi, opens the door and hugs Pasha tightly, crying. Then, Zari’s mother, Mrs. Naderi, hugs Pasha as well. Mrs. Naderi tells him to focus on the future, go to university in America, and let the world know how the government there is supporting a cruel dictator in Iran. Pasha nods yes but wonders how he could possibly go to the country that is responsible for Zari and Doctor’s deaths.

Pasha notices a lot of boxes around the house, and Zari’s parents confirm they are moving. It hurts Pasha to imagine someone else living in Zari’s house. Keivan comes in and hugs Pasha, and Mrs. Naderi compliments him for helping his cousin Soraya. Then, she prays that God will never deprive any parent of their children. Pasha wants to ask why she is praying to the God who took away her child, but he doesn’t say anything. Mrs. Naderi talks about Doctor’s parents; Doctor’s father passed away, and Doctor’s mother is institutionalized. The Masked Angel comes into the room, and Faheemeh, Ahmed, and Pasha get up to greet her. She whispers a hello and gestures at them to sit down.

Mrs. Naderi tells them the Masked Angel has a cold and is recovering her voice. Pasha notices the Masked Angel staring at him and understands she must be curious about him. Then, he sees Mr. Naderi and the Masked Angel whispering to each other and surmises they must be close. Pasha asks where they will be moving to, and Mrs. Naderi says Bandar Abbas, which is a hot and humid town. Pasha assures them that even if they are forced to move, the neighborhood will never forget them and Zari. They all sit in silence, grieving.

Pasha’s family members and parents’ friends are coming to see him. Pasha’s father seems nervous and excited; he keeps asking if they are sure that Mrs. Mehrbaan will come, and he keeps rechecking to see if they have enough vodka for the party.

Upon arrival, Pasha’s relatives hug him, expressing their gratitude for his safe return. His aunts and uncles are visiting with his grandfather and grandmother. Pasha’s grandfather was an activist during Mosaddegh’s time and despises the Shah and the British. He is also an atheist, lecturing everyone on how Marx said there was no God. His grandmother, who is deeply religious, bites the skin between her thumb and finger whenever his grandfather says something blasphemous.

Everyone’s attention soon turns to Pasha, who feels uncomfortable; he knows everyone is concerned about his physical frailty. Soon, Mr. and Mrs. Kasravi arrive with Shabnam. Then, everyone starts to talk with each other and all at once until the doorbell rings. Mrs. Mehrbaan arrives and hugs Pasha, who tells her about his hopes for Mr. Mehrbaan’s early release. Soon, Faheemeh and Ahmed arrive, and everyone congratulates them on their engagement. Mrs. Mehrbaan talks to Faheemeh about the experience of having one’s beloved in jail, and soon, Pasha’s father brings out vodka to toast Ahmed’s engagement and Pasha’s return.

After a while, Pasha’s mother invites everyone to eat, but Pasha’s father asks her to wait, pouring everyone another drink. When the doorbell rings again, Pasha is shocked to find Mr. Mehrbaan on the other side, freed from prison. They hug each other, and then Mr. and Mrs. Mehrbaan fall into each other’s arms. Pasha observes his father, who has orchestrated this surprise for Mrs. Mehrbaan; he now looks happy and calm. The Masked Angel has arrived, and Pasha observes her looking at everyone, and he wonders if she is crying in happiness too. Everyone rejoices to have Mr. Mehrbaan back, and Pasha’s father makes another toast to his safe return. Mrs. Mehrbaan asks Mr. Mehrbaan how he is doing, and he sobs, explaining that the SAVAK never gave a reason for arresting him again.

That night, Pasha has a strange dream. He dreams he is in a beautiful orange grove. The outline of a figure, resembling the figure of his mysterious beloved Zari drew for him, appears near him with the Masked Angel’s eyes. When he tries to hold her, the woman disappears. Pasha wakes up, wondering why the SAVAK will not give them Zari’s body.