- "Please forgive the theatricals, it's a hangover from my Oxford days."
- ― Kamran Shah to James Bond
Kamran Shah is a fictional Deputy Commander of the Afghan Mujahideen's Eastern District during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979-1989). he is a major character in the 1987 James Bond film, The Living Daylights, and was portrayed by Pakistani-born British actor Art Malik.
Biography[]
An Oxford-educated Deputy Commander in the Mujaheddin, Kamran Shah fought a guerrilla war against the Soviet Army in the remote valleys on the far eastern edge of Afghanistan, an area crisscrossed by smuggling routes into the tribal areas of Pakistan. Shah was caught while reconnoitering a Soviet airbase and, unaware of his true identity, was imprisoned for theft. Scheduled for execution, he made an unsuccessful appeal to the airbase commander, Colonel Feyador. He is released from captivity by James Bond, during his own escape attempt using a gas-emitting key-finder. Unaware of the condemned man's identity, 007 takes pity on him and tosses him the keys to his cell. Outside the airbase Bond and his ally Kara Milovy are beset by Mujaheddin, but are saved by the intervention of Kamran; who convinces them they are not Soviet.
Shah brings 007 and Milovy to their base of operations and reveals that he is leader of the local Mujaheddin. Bond enlists his help to sabotage the arms-trading schemes of rogue Soviet General, Koskov. Unable to spare men or equipment to assist, Shah takes Bond and Milovy with him the following morning to a drugs exchange. Coincidentally, it is revealed that the man they are trading with is Koskov. Having arranged for the Soviets to buy hi-tech weapons, he is using the down payment to buy raw opium instead; turning a huge profit and still providing the Russians with their arms. With Shah's help, Bond plants a bomb aboard the cargo plane carrying the opium, but is spotted and has no choice but to barricade himself in the plane. Meanwhile, the Mujaheddin attack the air base on horseback and engage the Soviets in a gun battle; allowing Bond to escape in the plane. Kamran and his forces are eventually forced to retreat as the Russians rally reinforcements. While crossing a bridge over a deep chasm, one of his men is wounded and he narrowly manages to pull him onto his horse. Pursued by Soviet armoured vehicles, they are saved by 007, who drops the bomb from above - destroying the bridge. Some time later, Kara is the solo cellist in a Viennese performance. Kamran Shah and his men arrive during the intermission and are introduced to now-diplomat General Gogol and the Soviets.
Behind the Scenes[]
The Mujahideen was famously extremely strict and were a forerunner of today's Taliban. Kamran is much more open minded than the real life equivalent.
Gallery[]
References[]