Best friends Zaid and Neelam shared a dream: get away, make it as writers, build a future where they're free to be themselves. Together, always.

Years later, things are far from what they expected. Zaid's life has kinda stalled – he's half out the closet, living at home and still chasing the dream. While Neelam's has taken a completely different path as she chooses to prioritise her own happiness. As their lives pull further apart, leaving a mess of unsaid things between them, it's going to take something real to bring them back together.

Waleed Akhtar's play The Real Ones is a funny and honest love letter to platonic soulmates. It was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike, and starring Nathaniel Curtis and Mariam Haque.

'Cements Akhtar's standing as a fearless writer with oodles of talent and bravura who can navigate plot with feeling... the script has a pull and charisma that makes you want to keep on watching' — Guardian

'Intelligent and touching... effervescent warmth and sequin-bright wit... tender and heartfelt... peppered with sharp-clawed one-liners on race and sexuality' — Telegraph

'Beautifully observed... where Akhtar really nails it is in perfectly capturing the special kind of love between a gay man and his female best friend - and the peculiar sadness of losing that love when life gets in the way' — Time Out

'Akhtar again reveals a remarkable ability gently to burrow towards the heart of difficult conversations... The writing probes the complexities of race and class... fascinating' — WhatsOnStage

'Akhtar has such a gift for naturalistic, colloquial and relatable dialogue... The script dances along... The comedy is crucially character-driven... the play's themes are truly universal' — LondonTheatre1

'A slow-burning tale that is as full of humour, melodrama and passionate relationship moments as real life... captivating to watch' — Reviews Hub

'A sharply observed look into whether platonic love can last... Akhtar writes accurately and perceptively about the friendships gay men have with women, with uncanny realism and laugh-out-loud humour. The Real Ones is a warm and thought-provoking story of platonic love and coming of age, both specific and universal... an impactful, relatable play from a very exciting writer' — Broadway World