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"Part gay Bollywood romcom, part nail-biting thriller…an uplifting, heartwarming and incredibly funny piece of theatre." –Theatre Weekly
Zafar flees homophobic persecution in Pakistan to seek asylum in the UK. Londoner Bilal (or Billy as he prefers to be known) is ground down by years of Grindr and the complexity of being a brown gay man. In Soho, at 2 a.m., worlds collide–and Zafar and Billy's lives are about to change forever.
The P Word is Waleed Akhtar's sharp-witted and devastating play charting the parallel lives of two gay Pakistani men as they negotiate everything from casual hook-ups to the UK's hostile environment.
"Tremendous, gorgeous, devastating…The P Word is heart-meltingly lovely, full of faith in the transformative power of love and friendship."
–Time Out
"A love story of heat and heart…thrillingly moving."
–The Stage
"A tightly woven blend of acute observational humour, heartstopping drama, and chilling social commentary…As far as I'm concerned, the P is for perfection."
–BroadwayWorld
"A bewitching love story that raises urgent issues…a drama with hope, romance and heart."
–Guardian
"Akhtar's writing is beautiful in its playfulness and precision, a perfect balance of joy and gloom…genuinely urgent and moving."
–Arts Desk
Waleed Akhtar is a writer and actor. His plays include: The Real Ones (Bush Theatre, London, 2024); The P Word (Bush Theatre, 2022); Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan (Brixton House, London, and tour 2022); Sholay on the Big Screen (Bush Theatre, 2021); and I Don't Know What To Do (VAULT Festival 2020, Evening Standard Pick of the Fest). His English translation of Alexis Michalik's play The Art of Illusion was staged at Hampstead Theatre in 2022. His short film Lost Paradise was produced by UK Film Council, and he has contributed material for BBC Radio 4's Sketchtopia and Newsjack. He was named Most Promising New Playwright at the 2023 OffWestEnd Awards.