Ali Imran
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- For the Sura, see Aale Imran
Ali Imran is a fictional spymaster and the protagonist of the Imran Series of Urdu spy-comedy novels by the Pakistani author Ibn-e-Safi.
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[edit] Ali Imran: The Character
Ali Imran’s character is a complex and versatile one. He is a bright and young Oxford graduate holding both M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees. To the casual observer, Imran appears to be an idiot. Imran uses this tactic so that his opponents will underestimate him and drop their guard. In other words, his job becomes easier this way. The closest parallel that can be found in western literature would be the character of the detective Columbo. However, Columbo and Imran belong to two different spheres altogether.
Other than being exceptionally brilliant, like most spies in western literature, Imran can handle himself in hand to hand combat. He never reveals his true side to anyone, as he knows that it will not be good for his career, which is far dearer to him than his life. Most Bond films begin with a thrilling action sequence. But since, the Imran series belongs in the spy-comedy genre, most novels begin with a comedic sequence of a few pages, by the end of which the reader is laughing with tears running down his cheeks. Imran and his household staff comprising of his personal cook and his cook's wife, and his ferocious African bodyguard and friend, Joseph Mogunda, all live together in a tiny apartment. They are shown dancing on their feet, to Imran's silly antics, keeping the readers in hysterics at his every action.
Imran has been acting the part of the fool for so long that now it's become a second nature and he acts foolish even when he is completely alone with the only one 'watching' him being the readers of the books. Even his father, Mr. Rahman, who is a very senior civil servant of great stature, is not privy to the top secret information about Imran's position of being the head of the ministry of foreing affair's Secret Service. The power that Imran wields, and his place in government is actually higher than even his father's. Unaware of this, his father becomes so sick and tired of his 'shameful' behavior that he throws Imran out of the house.
In fact, this is what Imran wanted him to do, since he knows that living in his parents' house could endanger the very lives of his closest and dearest loved ones, such as his parents and sister. However, if he had left the house on his own accord, his father and especially his mother would have been devastated, since Imran is their only son and in Pakistani culture, an only son lives with his parents and takes care of them in thier old age.
However, Imran manages to open his father’s eyes on several occasions, garnering praise for his efforts and bravery and hinting at the fact that there may be far more to Imran than meets the eye. Imran’s mother (whom Imran call “Amma Bi”) loves her son, though she often beats Imran with her sandals. Imran also has a sister named Suraiya, who is also sick and tired of him, who, like a typical older brother, is always messing around with her.
[edit] Appearance
Many times when Imran is trying to smoke out the bad guys from their holes, he does so by using himself as bait. In order to draw attention to himself, he may dress eccentrically; for example, he might wear a pink coat, with a light green shirt, a yellow necktie, white pants, and a purple flat hat with a red rose in it. Ibne Safi refers to this as Imran’s “Technicolor Outfit.” This doesn’t mean that Imran is always dressed like this. When required, he wears expensive suits and looks like a nobleman - until of course he opens his mouth. Sometimes Imran acts the role of a gullable millionaire who throws his money around like an idiot, and, for example loses a lot of money in a casio. This is all so the bad buys would take note of him and engage his in some way. The bad guys usually fall right into Imran's trap.
[edit] Cars
In the books, money is no object for the Secret Service that Imran heads. Since its work involves matters of national security of the highest priority, and therefore, Imran has at his disposal almost any car that he wants to use for the mission at hand. But for his personal use, Imran prefers to drive a roadster, which in modern times, would be somewhat like a Honda S2000 in size and price. He parks it in a rented garage near his three-bedroom apartment, where he normally resides. He also has a Buick parked at “Rana Palace.”
[edit] Multi-Personality
Some of Imran's multiple personalities are:
- Ali Imran (as a harmless idiot who hardly ever talks sense or does anything that could be considered remotely intelligent)
- X2 (chief of the Secret Service)
- Prince of Dhump (The fictitious prince of an equally fictitious tiny state in the Himalayan foothills)
- Rana Tahavvar Al Sandooqui
Imran's colorful character has four personalities rolled in one. As Ali Imran, he acts as an opportunist who can become either a police informer or a blackmailer as the situation demands. This cover is obviously for the police department and the villains, who do not have a clue as to how important a position he holds.
Imran’s most clandestine personality is that of X2, Chief of the Secret Services. Only three other characters know this secret. One of them is Sir Sultan, Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Imran reports directly to him or to the Head of the State. The second person is “Black Zero,” Imran’s favourite agent in the Secret Services. The third is a long time friend, Roshee. She is an Anglo-Burmese girl who Imran saves during one of his adventures (Bhayanak Aadmi), through which she gets to know his secret identity. Roshee is trustworthy and has helped Imran in several cases. Imran’s secret is safe with her.
The other two personalities Imran assumes from time to time are the Prince of Dhump and Rana Tahavvar Al Sandooqui. As the Prince of Dhump, he is the head of a fictitious state known as Dhump. He assumes this role whenever he has to use his influence over others through a show of riches and power. With an armed bodyguard (Joseph) in company, this character is hilarious beyond belief. Rana Tahavvar Al Sandooqui is shown as a businessman who is out of town most of the time. His huge villa, “Rana Palace,” is apparently left under the care of his servants and the bodyguards. In reality, the Secret Service members use the mansion as a hideout and operations center. The two other buildings that the Secret Service uses are “Daanish Manzil,” which was destroyed during an adventure, and “Psycho Mansion,” which operated under the disguise of a psychiatric clinic.
[edit] Role in the Secret Service
Imran uses the character of X2 to terrify the members of the Secret Service into unquestioningly following his every command, almost as if it was the word of God himself. In most novels, the ordinary members usually have no clue as to the bigger picture of the case they are working on. They merely carry out X2's commands almost like drones. Whenever they dare to ask for additional information, they are brutally rebuffed. In fact, their role in the Secret Service, is little more than extensions of X2's body and his senses. Imran believes that only one man can orchestrate the complicated dance that is required to defeat devlishly clever opponents, who usually have every resource in the world available to them and many times belong to richer more powerful countries. If his subordinates did not blindly carry out his orders, the missions could be compromised and have almost no chance of success.
Imran hides behind his created character of X2, the Secret Service Chief, in order to control the Secret Service members. Imran knows that if they ever found out that it was really their idiotic fellow member Imran, that was really X2, then they would never take their jobs seriously, never meticulously carry out his orders, and the entire Secret Service would go to hell in a handbasket. This cannot be allowed because the failure of the Secret Service would bring disasterous consequences for his country and his countrymen who are counting on Imran to keep the country safe and secure.
Outwardly, Imran works as a normal member of the Secret Service. His fellow team members are always either making fun of him, or having fun at his expense, never knowing that it is Imran who is their terrifying boss X2. They very rarely get to talk to their boss in person, who they only know by the codename of X2, but like Charlie's Angels, instead hear his harsh and commanding voice when gathered around the phone. They shiver with fear on hearing his voice. They always feel that he is around, and watching them. Rarely when X2 meets them in person, it is while wearing a black mask and a black outfit that completely obscures his identity. Of course, being an expert at altering identities, Imran also completely changes his voice before addressing them. While in the field on a mission, he may contact them using a special wireless transmitter, again using X2's hoarse voice.
[edit] The Sing Art
Imran has perfected the art of literally dodging bullets. This is called “Sing Art,” which he learns from an international Chinese criminal, “Sing Hee.” Sing had devised a technique by which he is able to dodge any bullets fired on him by judging the hand movements of the assailant, and moving swiftly. Sing Hee performs it in front of Imran once in the novel "The Bazaar of dead bodies" (urdu:Lashoan ka Bazaar), and Imran asks him to do it five times again. That is enough for Imran to grasp the technique involved. Then Imran surprises Sing Hee by challenging him to shoot at him; Sing Hee cannot believe his eyes when he is unable to shoot Imran. Despite the fact that both characters are bloodthirsty for each other, the evil con man declares Imran to be his rightful nephew in the cunning art.
[edit] The Dilemma
Imran’s complex personality seems to be result of his upbringing. Ibne Safi divulges details about his personality in Dr. Duago. Imran’s father, Karam Rahman, Director General of the Central Intelligence Bureau, has always been a very strict man. He wants everything done his way. Mr. Rahman had Imran attend a Christian Missionary School as a child, for the quality of education was better there. Imran’s mother is a very religious and pious Muslim lady. She wants him to follow the religion. As a result, he gets confused over what he learns in school and what he is compelled to practice at home. He develops a dual personality at home and in the outside world. As a result of his father’s dictatorial rule, his missionary school’s training, and contradictions in what he learns and what he practices, he ridicules almost anything and everything. Despite all his personality shifts and conflicting scenarios, he seems to adhere to the basic principles of human rights, and law and order.
[edit] Honor
Like Col. Faridi, Imran is also unmoved by the charms of the fairer sex; hence, he is very hard to trap. Due to his apparently vulnerable nature and innocent looks, women develop a crush on him as soon as they meet him; but most of the time, Imran treats them roughly and offers nothing but a cold shoulder. Maybe like Faridi, he too deals with this as strictly a personal matter not to be publicized. Imran’s wit is legendary too. His remarks are humorous and satirical on almost every aspect of life. His personality is enjoyable, yet at the same time provides food for thought.
[edit] Patriotism
Imran is fiercely patriotic and has no qualms about doing anything whatsoever to protect his country, which is never named in any of the books but presumed to be Pakistan. Imran is portrayed as a character that is so preoccupied with fighting spies working against his country, that he simply has no time for trivial things like love, romance, marriage, or settling down with a family. Imran’s only priority in life is to defend his homeland from its enemies; everything else is secondary.
[edit] Family
Ali Imran enjoys living around a complete family. Members of his family include his father Karam Rahman, mother Amma Bi, and sister Surayya. Several of Imran's female cousins are often found making fun of him with Surayya.
Imran's dearly attachment with his family is evident in some of the books. For example, In the Allama Dehshatnak series, he finds the only way to anger the villain is by getting personal with him and mocking his history and the fact that his family was very brutally destroyed. By doing so however, Imran provokes the villain to counter by bombing his family's house. At this point the reader sees how deeply Imran loves his family as he rushes to the scene forgetting even to use the car.
It is also often told that Imran's family is Pathan and descendant of Genghis Khan.
