Antonio Akiel, who rose to international fame with his role as Hassan Ahmed on Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, has completed his first short film as a director. “Lessons in Pretending,” which Akeel also wrote and stars in, is a darkly comical drama that examines fame, shame, and the performance of public redemption.
The film follows Arun Khan, a former teen film star whose career is ruined by a scandal. Agreeing to lead a master class at a drama school as part of crisis management, he finds the controlled environment quickly taken over by addiction, sexual urges, and career-defining news.
Sheila Bentley produced the project under the Bentley & Sea Productions banner in association with CA Studios, the production arm of London’s City Academy. The deal marks CA Studios’ first foray into film production. Bentley also appears in the film opposite Aakhir. The supporting cast is drawn from current theater students, and their presence makes the Masterclass settings feel familiar and vivid.
“I wanted to make something that felt funny, ugly, and honest,” Akeel said. “After years of working as an actor, I’ve grown tired of how performative this industry is, not just on screen, but also in the way we navigate this industry. There’s often little room to lose control when you’re moving forward. With Pretend Lessons, I wanted to examine that relentlessness in a way that I think many creators are aware of.”
Akeel first came to widespread attention on the debut season of Slow Horses, where he starred opposite Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden as a kidnapped student whose mission is to rescue a kidnapped student who is the driving force behind the show’s central thriller story. He has since played opposite David Thewlis on The CW’s Sherlock & Daughter and appeared in Lena Dunham’s Netflix comedy Too Much.
“Antonio’s script was sharp, disturbing, and deeply human,” Bentley said. “It felt current, as the industry is changing rapidly and the mental strain of trying to survive within the industry is more visible than ever. There’s something exciting about supporting a story that truly tackles that pressure.”
The film will go to festivals soon.
