Alpha Bravo Charlie
 |
| Alpha Bravo Charlie | |
|---|---|
| File:ABCtitle.PNG The opening title screen for Alpha Bravo Charlie | |
| Created by | ISPR Shoaib Mansoor |
| Starring | Qasim Khan Abdullah Mahmood Faraz Inam Shahnaaz Khwaja Wiqar Ahmed Hashmat Shaikh Rafar Moeen |
| Country of origin |  Pakistan |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx 40 min. |
| Original release | |
| Network | PTV |
| Release | May 1998 – July 1998 |
Alpha Bravo Charlie (Urdu script: الفا براوو چارلی) was a Pakistani TV drama series produced by ISPR and directed by acclaimed Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor. It was a sequel to drama series Sunehre Din (Golden Days) with some of same cast. The series ran on PTV during the first half of 1998.
Major characters
- Faraz Ahmed (Faraz Inam): Son of a rich landlord of Fatehkot in Punjab, Faraz graduated from the 80th PMA Long Course with a sword of honour. He belongs to the Armoured Corps, 32 Cavalry Lahore. He is a confident, ambitious man - a Mr. Perfect who is well-built, good looking and wealthy to go along with his excellent academic record. He owns his own Mercedes,A Black C130.
- Kashif Kirmani (Captain Abdullah Mahmood): Son of a senior Army officer, a two star general, Kashif graduated form the 80th PMA Long Course and belongs to the Armoured Corps, 32 Cavalry Lahore. He is a 3rd generation army officer who initially dislikes being in the Army, but later proves himself in battle whilst losing both his arms and legs to frost bite. He is the main character responsible for providing humour through his funny mischiefs. He is also related to Shahnaaz, series' leading female character.
- Gulsher Khan (Captain M. Qasim Khan): Son of a JCO, he graduated from the 80th PMA Long Course and belongs to the Frontier Force Regiment, 9 FF Lahore. He is mild mannered, modest and humble. He is sent to Bosnia on a UN peacekeeping mission, where he is taken prisoner and eventually killed by Serb forces while trying to escape.
- Shahnaaz Khan (Shahnaaz Khawaja): Niece of a retired Corps Commander of Lahore, she is a Cambridge educated elementary school teacher and has a very straightforward personality with her own philosophy of life. Bold and confident she is the love interest of Faraz, but ends up marrying Gulsher. She is also first cousin of Kashif.
Story
As the name indicates, the drama is based on the life and times of the same three characters and their friendship - Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie who are known as Faraz, Kashif, and Gulsher respectively. These are three passionate young men who wish to start their careers in the Pakistan army. In the initial episodes, ample footage is used to detail the backgrounds of every individual and the circumstances under which they enroll for the armed forces. Faraz is the Mr Perfect guy who does everything right while Gulsher is a polite and a simple minded shy person. Kashif is the original funny man responsible for providing most of the humor through his antics, pranks and mischiefs. Eventually the series morphs into a coming of age story where the lead characters realize that there is more to life than their present happy-go-lucky lifestyle as they (through the course of series) experience the true face of life in all its fragility and extremities - jealousy, heartbreaks, traumas and death. Another important character is Shahnaaz, a confident, educated and well-mannered young lady, who plays an important role in the lives of these friends. Her involvement with them in the roles of friend, wife and confidante adds reality to the series that is poignant and touching on a personal level. The main theme of the drama is that every person should lead a goal based existence and that if one has the will and the passion, a person can achieve anything.
Popularity
This drama series became extremely popular with Pakistanis from all walks of life soon after it started running on Pakistan Television. Though the main characters were amateurs they brought a real life quality to the series. Being informative, entertaining and thought-provoking simultaneously with apt use of humor, the series is regarded as one of the most well-done and famous drama series ever produced in Pakistan's television history.
Trivia
- Although it was a sequel to Sunehre Din, the leading male character of Sunehre Din, Safeer (played by Saleem Sheikh) was not casted in Alpha Bravo Charlie, as the character was cut without citing any reason.
- Part of the Siachen fight scene of Abdullah was actually a remake of a true life Siachen Operation conducted by the Pakistan Army.
- Qasim Khan and Abdullah were real life army officers of Pakistan Army, though Abdullah left the army soon after the series citing personal reasons.
- Abdullah also starred in Shoaib Mansoor's travel-cum-reality show Gulls & Guys apart from acting in only one more drama serial a few years later.
- Faraz Inam due to his strappy physique, was believed to be by many viewers as a real military person but actually he was a local banker in Islamabad at the time.