This is my review of Masnooyi Naak (Jasoosi Duniya #8, Issue #2).

Plot Summary

Masnooyi Naak is a continuition of Khatarnaak  Boodha. It starts in the mountains of Ram Gadh. Faridi and Hameed are enjoying the scenic beauty of narrow roads on donkeys. It is a perfect opening, as Faridi teases Hameed nonstop and Hameed comes up with wittiest replies, only to be trumped by Faridi again. So, Faridi’s adventure is to tease Hameed. 

But the trip isn’t just to torture Hameed. There have been incidents to imply that Jabar is operating from Ram Gadh. 

Faridi meets Mathur and starts meeting people to investigate the murder of a Nawab Shakir who died because of poisoning. He meets his friends and family.  

There is prince Zafar Ali Khan, Saeeda – Nawab Shakir’s cousin, Ghazala and Nawab Rasheed Zamaan who are related to Saeeda and an age-old animosity between Nawab Rasheed and Jabar; Lieutenant Baqar – Saeeda’s another cousin. 

The story takes the most bizarre turns as Jabar is always a step ahead of Faridi. He carries out the most awful things with Ghazala, Nawab Rasheed and Tariq. He stripes them down to nothing and asks them to give incriminating notes. 

 

 

Faridi does capture him, though. During a court hearing, Faridi provides his full report. Jabar admits to everything that he had done and kills himself. 

Tain Tain Fish! 

Review

Most absurd and random writing by Ibn-e-safi.

Although Jabar is considered one of the most difficuly antagonist Faridi ever dealt with, the story was so out of rhythm. And everytime I started to relax a bit, that Faridi is finally rescuing his love-interest and his would-be-in-laws (eheheh); it turns out that it is Jabar disguising as Faridi. Ufff.

In one place, there is one sentence, “Faridi ne apne ko chhupa liya…”

Safi was a man with good control over words. Seeing that sentence and other similar ones in the story, makes me wonder if it was indeed Safi who penned the story. 

And that scene where Jabar, as Faridi, asks everybody to strip naked – what was that about?
The only thing that made this book so famous, in my opinion, was that Jabar had no nose.

On a side note: 

SP Mathur of Ram Gadh and Dilkusha hotel first appear in this one. 

Parting Thoughts

As I mentioned in my review of Khatarnak Boodha, I don’t like Jabar and these two stories. The story had interesting bits, did not excite me as much in totality. That is why, I use the below paragraph in most of my reviews of Safi’s books.

Irrespecive of the title, and what rating I give, I love his work.

Ibn-e-safi, the person who introduced me to the world of suspense and thriller at young age of six (ish).Growing up, it was a challenge to get hold of his books. Thanks to the people who put a lot of effort to digitize all his books.

In past three years, I have read all his 150+ books, Imran Series and Jasoosi Duniya, at least once in a quarter. Yes, that is how much I like his work. Sue me, if it is wrong.

What do others feels about this one? I will take a couple of week’s break before reviewing the next issue.

Shabana Mukhtar