Arif Hassan

Trapped in the web of ethnic strife in the brutal underbelly of Karachi, Gardaab is a tale of two lovers' journey, as they struggle to break away from the unending cycle of violence that haunts the metropolis.

A demure medical student falls in love with a brash Bangladesh Radio deejay while listening to his World Music show during the revolutionary '70s.

A devout Muslim who writes, composes, and even records hymns praising the Prophet, Muhammad Rahat Khawaja is a respected elderly man who works in real estate and takes care of his bedridden wife. One day, he attends the wedding of a friend's son, where he inadvertently shows off a dance in front of his friends and family. His dance gets recorded and then uploaded to all social media platforms, which then also gets broadcasted on television. And chaos begins to ensue in his quiet life. Other than his wife, no one else in the world understands Rahat's circumstances. His daughters and neighbors criticize him, his friends turn their backs on him