Daily Times

If I’ve to coin a single name from south Asia, whose spy fiction writing genius could be put on par with globally acclaimed writers, I’d say “Mazhar Kaleem MA” hands down. On his 80th Birthday, I am indebted to him for the amazing services he rendered in the field of sci-fi spy fiction! Born to a Police Office, he had it from his cradle. Having grabbed MA degrees in Urdu Literature and LLB, he paved his way into the black holes of interrogatory and judicature domains, where a son of a police officer started compiling anecdotes in black and white.

His teenage era was Ibn-e-Safi’s era, who was humongously popular among the masses, so much so that the then Field Marshal Gen. Ayub Khan was said to have his novels under the pillow. It goes without saying that the genius of Sherlock Holmes was brought to this part of the world by legendary Ibn-e-Safi, who set up a distinctive league of his fictional characters and aced it. Ibn-e-Safi’s death created an irreparable void in the building blocks of spy fiction writing in the subcontinent. No sooner than later, Mazhar took the lead and rather played the first fiddle. He was genuinely inspired by the depiction and the mannerism that Ibn-e-Safi conjured up his principal characters with. The latter compiled a set of 125 books in the series Jasoosi Dunya (The Spy World) and the 120-book Imran Series. His novels were characterised by a blend of peerless fiction with meaningful satire, achieving massive popularity across a broad readership in South Asia.

Being a true disciple and contemporary of Ibn-e-Safi, Mazhar Kaleem slowly started pushing the wheels while making sure to remain glued to his distinctive style of narration and drama. Essentially, he ushered the whole concept of spy fiction into a progressive formation and rather kicked the sci-fi fiction upstairs. His write-ups would comprise transistors, time machines, state-of-the-art gadgetry, cosmology, space shuttles, and time-space relationships as well as mentioning true scientific theories and experiments. He was one of those visionary writers who’d conceptualise innovation before anybody barely think of them!

Avid readers know what it takes to conjure up an already well-known character, let alone carry it throughout the way without losing a pint on its distinctive spirit and mannerism!

He was never complacent with the available characters whereupon he engrafted new ones. More interestingly, he gave the characters a certain degree of peculiarity that resonated with his readers’ chords forthwith.

People righteously argue why did he opt for Imran Series and didn’t explore his phenomenal metaverse? With his range of imagery, he could have easily swopped the whole fleet of characters and patented them. Well, point to ponder! The answer is simple; he didn’t think it was necessary! Imran’s series had readership vouch already and he chose to keep the ball rolling. Never did he try to campaign for fame nor were his ambitions so shallow to have him grind his axe. He was an entertainer, a fantastic artist who hid behind the walls of his mammoth books.

Some people may know him just as a spy fiction writer, but he was pretty much more than this. in fact, a superb children’s literature writing giant. From knitting the elegance of three generations’ childhood to keeping them stay put into the most surreal children’s literature, his write-ups certainly have had a profound impact helping in the grooming, neatening & development of millions of youngsters, literally. He stunned his readership with the unmatched sensations he’d evoke in his stories. The simulated semblance of his characters was so artistically limned that it would keep on striking them in awe of admiration for the rest of their lives.

I’m among one of those million kids, whom his surreal stories never let grow up, and rather entangled me into the wilderness of unparallel literary magic he enkindled.

If ever Edgar Rice Burroughs knew that Mazhar Kaleem’s Tarzan would be better than his, he would perhaps render him the original copyrights of his most impressive fictional character ever produced. Why not? In the times when Tarzan was not so popular in South East Asia, Mazhar Kaleem graced it with astounding characterisation. Avid readers know what it takes to conjure up an already well-known character, let alone carry it throughout the way without losing a pint on its distinctive spirit and mannerism!

The reincarnation of “Umaru Ayar’s”–originally from “Dastan-i-Amir Hamza”–brought out a different taste with the richness of newfangled dimensions and more shades. Umaru’s charismatic duels with spirits and jins were jaw-dropping and so were his repertoires. Who could stay unmindful of that far-famed mythical bag, “Zambeel”? Likewise, he crafted “Chann Changlu” and “Aangloo Bangloo”–upon which the contemporary and very famous cartoon characters “Motu Patlu” have been modelled.

Death may take a person from you but not the memories. Mazhar Kaleem MA shall always remain alive in the hearts of millions who grew up reading his phenomenal literature. People say that Mazhar Kalaam MA was David Ignatius of South Asia. I disagree. To me, David Ignatius and Arthur Conan Doyle were the Mazhar Kaleem MA of West!

The writer is a research-based analyst and communication specialist from Islamabad. He can be reached at: mbilal.isbpk@gmail.com