This is a quickie between next post which hopefully shall be a big one,hope all of you will like it.Found this cover-less comic recently,posting for all of you though cover is missing but comic is complete. Its about Inspector Azaad,a brainchild of Abid Surti,clearly inspired by Bahadur,another successful character by Surti.
Comic consists of a simple story of a notorious and womanizer Dacoit,Dhatura,who was neutralized by Inspector Azaad after Dhatura kidnapped his lady love.
Publisher:Goversons comics
Writer:Abid Surti
Illustrations:Mullick Studio
Download Comic
Also found some MCKs,cover of some of them posting here,normally i avoid taking Manoj comics but took these digests as they seem interesting enough.
Chalte,chalte...watched 2012,really a disastrous movie(at box office),after all for how long special effect can glue the viewers.
10 years ago
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28 comments:
Zaheer Bhai,
Remember this very good story of Aazad which was released in Tamil by Rani Comics, during their golden period. The cover was such impressively redrawn from the inner panels, which I will try to share with you in a couple of days.
Now can enjoy the original in desi language. Aabidji and Mulickji certainly created a Bollywood type of storyline for Aazad, something for which his much famous Bahadur stood for too.
Well, last weekend, I too finally made it to watch 2012, and clearly the storyline is really screwed up with the over-reliance on graphic motions.
But, as far as the Box Office record goes, seems the Marketing worked out, as the reports say that they recovered the entire 260 million dollar budget within the first 5 days launch, as it was released worldwide.
As it turns out, financial success doesn't make a movie good enough, and 2012 certainly falls in that category.
Enough of seeing the world getting destroyed, I am going to go over and enjoy some other genre :)
ÇómícólógÝ
Rafiq Raja: Rafiq Bhai this Surti-Mullick combo-comic failed to satisfy my expectations which were aroused after reading "Daud",a story(comic) by same combo.
'Daud' is of historical value as it was the same comic on which showman Raj Kapoor planned a movie which unfortunately was never been initiated,but if that movie has been made then it would have been first thriller movie made by Raj Kapoor.
May be 2012 have covered up its cost price but critically the movie failed miserably to meet the worldwide expectations with it.
Zaheer Bhai,
Never had the opporunity to witness Daud before. If you have the story or the comic, please post it when you get time.
On Aazad part, I liked it because that story was that time in line with the bollywood masala flicks which I often witnessed involving gangsters in deserts, with good men fighting over them. Luckily I managed to pick up the covers of a couple of Aazad issues from Rani Comics, from a fellow comics blogger (http://akotheeka.blogspot.com).
Here they are:
Aazaad in Rani Comics - 1
Aazaad in Rani Comics - 2
The first one, is what was the tamil version of the story you have provided here, which I believe you can easily trace with panel chosen from the comic page.
Hi Zaheerbhai,
Your posts always takes me on a nice nostalgic journey along memory lane......
I have only read one Inspector Azaad story and this was as Rafiq mentions a genre which closely followed the dacoit movi theme.
I do not whether you remember there used to be also an Inspector Garud and Hawaldar Balbir which was quite interesting too.
Buddy with all respect to you I want to correct you here. Inspector Azad is not inspired by Bahadur. In fact Bahadur would be inspired by Inspector Azad. First comic of Bahadur according to my humble knowledge was released in 1978 whereas strips of Inspector Azad used to appear in newspapers even before the release of Hindi film Bobby. That film was released in the year 1973 or 1974. So it is clear that Inspector Azad is senior to Bahadur. Sometimes I wonder why Surti Sahab did not did not bring Inspector Azad into IJCs. He can easily do so as Inspector Azad was very popular through his newspapers and magazine strips and IJCs mostly used to published nespaper comic strips as comics.
I recently read memoirs of Mr. Abid Surti. He did not discuss about his comic characters. There are passing remarks here & there. I could pick up some knowledge about his comic characters from these passing references. It is strange that he did not consider his comic creation life worthy enough to be discussed in his memoirs. It seems like Lee Falk comics is a secondary art medium for him.
From the same memoirs I came to know that "Daud" originally was his Gujrati novel. It became a smashing hit and he translated the same in Hindi and in Hindi also it was huge pick among the readers. He then morphed the stroy in an English comic strips meant for magazines and newsapers. It was one such comic stripc that Raj Kapoor came across and called him in his office. Abidji was suprised that Raj Kapoor guessed the future story quite correctly. They were bad days of Raj Kapoor after the debacle of Mera Naam Joker. He assured Abidji that he will make film of Daud after the release of Bobby that he told Abidji that Bobby would run at the most for six weeks. But as destiny would have it Bobby became a smashing hit and Raj Kapoor forget about Daud. In the meantime six more producers approached Abidji for Daud but despite the fact that he did not take a single penny from Raj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor just gave a oral assurance to him he refused to accept the proposal of those six gentlemen. As Raj Kapoor forget about Daud those six gentlemen also disappeared.Raj Kapoor met him afte Bobby a couple of times but did not discuss about Daud. Abidji being a "Khuddar Admi" also did not discuss the subject. Ultimately, Raj Kapoor called him again after many years in mid 80s for making the film on Daud and some token amount was given to him but after some time Raj Kapoor died and in the own words of Abidji:"Meri Daud saji-dhaji dulhan ki terehi rahi so vida na so saki". (My Daud though ornamanted like a bride could not be married).
I am trying to find novel 'Daud' but in vain till now. You have mentioned somewhere that you read Daud with the help of some friend. Cann't you upload the same on your blog? If so, don't forget to send the same to me on my E-mail.
If it would not be problamatic to you can you send the scans of this comic? (Though I am not insisting for the same.
Rafiq Raja: Rafiq Bhai,thanks for the cover pages of Azaad from Rani comics.
Well,i came across with 'Daud' comic with the help of friend who got its scans from Abid Ji himself.That friend lend me those scans on a precondition that i would not be sharing/posting them as Abid Ji has some plans to republish 'Daud' as a newspaper strip or full comic.So,at the moment i am unable to share/post 'Daud' until/unless i have clearance from Abid Ji.
I would be asking for permission from Abid Ji to share 'Daud' if his republication plans have been changed.
OMM: Welcome Mozz.Yes,i very well remember Ins.Garud and Hawaldar Balbir and i think these two character were the inspiring force behind creation of Ins.Manoj and his Hawaldar assistant by Pradeep Sathe for Manoj comics.
Just finished reading this comic. I don't know why Mr surti enjoys such an iconic stature among Indian comic writers. I would place this story somewhere between vulgar and idiotic. If this is counted as one of the best Indian comic characters then I can only have a sigh over the condition of indian comic industry. :-(
Bad comic indeed.
Great work CW. Appreciate your effort. Only by reading such B-grades can one understand how difficult it is to produce a decent comic story. Kudos to Mr Lee Falk and alikes.
Sorry for being so rude. Hope you take it in good spirit. I am terribly disappointed by this comic.
SB: Arun,thanks for correcting me and for nice information,yes,indeed Azaad was senior as its strip began to publish in Illustrated Weekly of India in 1974,much before than arrival of Bahadur.
Since Azaad was already being published in IW and Indrajal comic was looking for a fresh new Indian Hero henceforth Bahadur was born.
Yes,Daud was initially a Gujrati novel on which the strip/comic was written as already mentioned by you.
I would like to add a little penny that after Mera Naam Joker debacle,Raj Ji was in fix regarding his next film and going with the changing trend in early 70's he was convinced to make a thriller/action movie according to the popular trend so as to recover his losses,for which he nearly finalized 'Daud' with Abid Ji until Khawaja Ahmad Abbas came up to him with script of Bobby.The filmmaker in him sensed the golden opportunity with Bobby and 'Daud' was postponed indefinitely leaving poor Abid Ji waiting.
He kept on waiting but the time never came when 'Daud' could have a leap.
I also hadn't read that novel of Daud,but had read the strip which at the moment unable to share due to the reason mentioned above in reply of Rafiq Bhai's comment.
TPH: The present comic also didn't impressed my much but few average stories like this can't dilute the contribution of Abid Ji for Indian comic Industry.
Abid Ji enjoys the respect and status of iconic stature because he was first to create a indigenous comic Hero in the era of foreign characters in Indian comic,and any trend setter or being first is something different.
However i agree that not many of Bahadur stories written by him are of extraordinary quality but apart from Bahadur his other characters such as Azaad,Vikram etc have produced with quite readable stories,also his cartoon character Dhabbu Ji was very impressive.
In a nutshell if Abid Ji can't be considered any way near to likes of Falk and others but also his work couldn't be ignored or overlooked completely.
Dhabbooji was great indeed. I always admired it. Few other features I have read from Mr Surti in Saptahik Hindustan, where some kind of detective cases/mysteries were solved. Those were also very good. And Surti as an artist is commendable. But comic writer Surti is surely a let down to me.
BTW, Vikram is a Jagjit Uppal creation.
Buddy you have not clarified whether you will send the scans of present comic (Daku Dhatura) to me or not?
Can you tell me the publishers of comic version of 'Daud'.
Buddy you have not clarified whether you will send the scans of present comic (Daku Dhatura) to me or not.
BTW can you tell me the publishers of comic version of "Daud".
TPH: Thanks for information.Yeah,since Surti ji didn't ventured much and long into comic writing thats why there may be some amount of suspicion over quality and volume of his work but as a multi talented artist he is commendable enough to enjoy that sort of respect.
TPH: the legeacy of Lee Falk can never be matched with any other comic writers... they are legends, as you would whole-heartedly admit :).
Nevertheless, Surti'ji had infact worked on some amazing characters suited for the Indian lifestyle which was predominant during that decade, which was enthralled by Bollywood flicks. But, as CW pointed out, not all his stories were top of the pick, including this one, which when I read back during old days, was really enthralling, but now turns out like a old dud.
Maybe the changed times, at present, might have put this story on the least preferred list. But, I still commend Aabidji, for atleast creating some indian characters with some fanfare, when it was simply ruled by American comics introduced through IJC, and Classical and Heritage Comics revolutionized by ACK, and the over-used Pran comic series. Aabidji just added the different dimension to Indian comics during that decade.
@ CW: No issues brother. You can hold on the Daud part, until you get clearance from Aabidji. I can certainly wait :)
SB: Arun,as far as my information is concerned 'Daud' was never published in comic format,it was only published as newspaper strip.
Yes,will be mailing you the scans of Daku Dhatura.
Rafiq Raja: Rafiq Bhai,very well mentioned,yes,agree with that if would have read this story in childhood then would have liked it much.
Also agree that Abid ji might not be as great as likes of Falk but he created quite interesting characters and stories suiting to that particular Indian era.
Could not find a suitable section so I written here, how to become a moderator for your forum, that need for this?
Inspector Azad se yaad aya, Inspector Garud ke saath kaun sa spy/James Bond kisam ka comics publish hua karta tha?
Anon: Sorry,couldn't got you.Unable to understand what you meant,can you be more clear.If you mean to ask how to take part in discussion forums here then you can take part by posting comments as you have already done.
In case you wish to post comment by your id/name then you have to make a gmail id for this,after which you can post comment using your gmail id.
Otherwise you can take part posting as anon as you have done already.
KK: KK bhai ab ye to bada mushkil sawal poochh liya aapne..aise kaise pata chal sakta hai k konsa comic tha wo bina kisi aur details ke.
I think Mr. K.K. is talking about Vikram. Sun comics used to publish comics of Vikram and Inspector Garud together. First story was of Vikram and second story was of Inspector Garud.
SB: Hmm...you seems right.I am having a Sun comic of Vikram,will check about Ins.Garud in it.
@ Zaheer Bahi & SB: I thought about the same Vikram Sun Comic, when KK referred to it as a comic featuring Inspector character, but was confused since he said that it was Aazaad and not Garud. Maybe he wanted to express the same.
By the way, Zaheer Bhai, no need to search over your archives, as I believe you might have seen that our own TPH has already posted two such comic on his blog.
Hope it will save you some scanning job, if you haven't seen it already :) (And will also help KK, if he missed that post, which I don't think a comic fan like him would have :))
Anyways, just for the sake of others, here it is for a quick reference :)
Sun Comics - Vikram & Garud - 1
Sun Comics - Vikram & Garud - 2
Rafiq Raja: Rafiq Bhai,thanks for the information.I hope it would help many.
Rafiq Thanks! That's the one! Sorry for the confusion. I thought I was typing Garud, and Aazad came out from my fingers. :)
My Pleasure, KK Buddy :)
Dear Rafiq Bhai,
I Like Inspector Azad on the top of any Comic character due to tight terrific and tricky stories. I have all the 8 comics including 'DAUD'.
'DAUD' no doubt remarkable comic strips of Inspector Azad and waiting for its Hindi version.
Another remarkable comic strips of Inspector Azad is Bank Robbery by Bacchu Bhai, Gurmeet Singh, Jadra, Dass and Mallika. A very good strips created by Great Shri Abid Surtiji and Late Shri Pratap Mullickji. It is wonderful story like any thrill movie is going on with suspense, action and curiosity now what happen ?
Inspector Azad is the Best one there is no doubt.
Regards
Upendra Tiwari
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