Ahmed Kamal Faridi

Ahmad Kamal Faridi (Inspector Faridi, later Colonel Faridi) is a fictional spy and crime-fighter, famous as the lead character of the Urdu spy novel series Jasoosi Duniya (The World of Espionage).

Faridi is the only son of Nawab Azeezuddin Khan, who left him a fortune on his demise. His father was an aristocrat, famous for his adventurous nature. Faridi is often regarded as a copy of his father in looks and instincts. Ibne Safi mentions several of Nawab Sahab’s friends who come in contact with Faridi. Little detail is given on the rest of Faridi’s family.

Faridi is a highly educated man who has a passion for solving mysteries. He does not join the police department for monetary reasons. According to him, he does not start out at a higher post, which could have been offered to him on a silver platter, because he would not have been able to do real detective work; he might have ended up doing clerical chores in some confined office. He always declines offers of promotion. His senior officers are shown to envy him, as he sometimes works directly for higher authorities and reports directly to the head of the state.

Inspector Faridi is a well-built, tall, and attractive man whose physical strength is evident in almost every adventure, especially whenever he is engaged in an encounter with his opponents. However, it is his supreme intelligence and remarkable mind that make him stand out amongst all the other characters of Jasoosi Duniya. Many people perceive him as grumpy and old, but he is in his early thirties (thirty-two to be exact, refer to Dilaer Mujrim). The most prominent features on his face are his eyes. He appears to be a sleepy, lazy, and careless businessman (Zameen Kay Baadal). However, those famous eyes are very deceiving. Behind them is the most alert mind of the century.

His methods of detection are mysterious. Throughout the course of the narration, he seems to be on the sidelines of the whole game. Yet in the end, he comes in and resolves the mystery in such a way that his stealth and cunning art leave the reader mystified.

Faridi’s character has a multitude of inspiring qualities. He believes in leading life by strict rules, controlled emotions, and objectivity. His abstinence from drugs, non-conjugal sex, and controlled desires show the strength of his character. Other strong traits include respect for the law, nationalism, observation, common sense, and optimism.

Faridi is also unique in his selection of hobbies. His major interests include reading and domesticating dogs and snakes. He seems to know several languages and is found reading books in different languages, including German. Many breeds of dogs can be found in his enormous doghouse.

Like Sherlock Holmes, Faridi maintains a regular laboratory at home in which we find him busy with secret experiments. He is an expert in plastic makeup and can change the complete personality of his subject through his art. Readers have been surprised numerous times when Faridi tears off the makeup from his face, revealing that one of the bad guys was actually Faridi himself in disguise.

Faridi lives in a lavish mansion of gigantic proportions. His residence encompasses a backyard of several acres. Many rooms, including bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a study, a library, a laboratory, and servant quarters, have specifically been mentioned in his novels.

Faridi drives models of several state-of-the-art auto brands of his time, namely Cadillac, Buick, Lincoln, and Aston Martin. He also owns a boat (Saatwaan Jazeerah) that is used once or twice to chase down criminals.

The title “Colonel” is an honorary, much-awaited title that he reluctantly accepts after he catches a very contemptible character, Gerald Shastri, in Jungle Ki Aag. He also possesses “special permission” from the President to interfere in any matter that requires his attention.

Colonel Faridi’s wealth is inconceivable. The reader gradually realizes the extent of Faridi’s great wealth, an aspect of his character that makes him so mystical.

Faridi is also the head of a secret crime-fighting organization called “Black Force.” As opposed to other organizations in Ibne Safi’s novels, most members of this team know the identity of their boss. However, the members of Black Force are so secretive about their identity to outsiders that even Hameed, who believes he is Father Hardstone’s closest companion, gets irritated.