‘The Pharmacist’ makes rounds

Naked Tyrant Productions latest video spoofs the availability of contraceptives in Pakistan.

Naked Tyrant Productions are a talented group who produce humorous videos which talk about serious issues. The group uses word of mouth and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to share their work and keep their fans updated on the groups activities. A recent video by Naked Tyrant Productions stars the groups’ front man Akber Ali Khan as the pharmacist and Shibli Mansuri as a customer wanting to buy contraceptives.

The video begins with Mansuri meekly entering a pharmacist shop and whispering his request to Khan who is standing behind the counter. The video is two minutes and 33 seconds long with two minutes spent in raunchy and inappropriate comments and gestures made by Khan. Mansuri is shown getting visibly embarrassed and uncomfortable but the incorrigible pharmacist doesn’t care but finally ends this torture by saying, “We don’t sell contraceptiveshere, this is Pakistan. No dirty business (is done in this shop).”

Mansuri is shown looking scared and after some more lewd behaviour by the pharmacist, finally breaks down and screams, “Bhai jaan kya hogaya aap ko, meree shaadi hui vi hai,” (What has happened to you? I am married) and runs out of the shop.

Coincidentally, the video was released on December 1 which was also World AIDS Day 2010 that aims to raise awareness to help tackle prejudice against HIV patients and stop the spread of the disease. HIV is still spreading in countries all around the world and prejudice against those who have HIV is present in both developed and developing countries.

“We had no idea that it was World AIDS day. We just make videos that revolve around funny and awkward situations. We were commenting on how this issue is dealt with in the country,” said Khan.

The video highlighted the difficulty and embarrassment faced when buying contraceptives in Pakistan. Even a male customer, who is married, is shown to be ashamed and is harassed to the extent that he runs out of the shop, without actually being able to purchase what he came to buy.

Another interesting point made in the video is the comment by the pharmacist is that his shop, located in Pakistan, doesn’t do the ‘dirty business’ of selling contraceptives.

“We were actually working on another piece and a friend gave us this idea. We made the video in an hour and it was all improvised. We had no idea that it would become so popular,” said Khan.

The groups popularity can be garnered by the large following they have gained online and the fast pace at which this particular video is making the rounds on various social networking sites.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2010.