Mr. Patel

"Why is fate dangling such hopes and then snatching them away? That cat could make me rich. (Nigel: Rich, Patel? How so?) I have an uncle in India. He's racing cheetah against greyhounds. It is bringing him a fortune. (Nigel: A cheetah, racing against greyhounds?) Yes, and this cheetah, she's already tamed! Most difficult of training is accomplished. I could begin negotiations with racetrack today, if only I possess cat."

- Mr. Patel telling Nigel about his uncle's plan to race Duma against greyhounds

Mr. Patel (or just simply Patel) is the chief antagonist of Alan Caillou's The Cheetahs, and its film adaptation by Disney, Cheetah. He is a covetous store owner who figures he can make a fortune by racing the high-speed, low-endurance animal against local greyhounds and betting on Duma to lose. He teams up with an opportunistic Englishman and the African poacher who killed Duma's Mom to snatch the cheetah.

He is played by Kuldeep Bhakoo, who also portrayed the Actor from Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun and Joe from Death Is Part of the Process.

History
Patel is first seen at his store after the Johnson family decide to say goodbye to Morogo and Duma when they leave Africa. His true colors are revealed when he tells Nigel about his uncle's plan to race Duma against greyhounds.

Later, Patel and Nigel tell Abdullah about the idea of racing Duma against greyhounds. When the trio go to the Johnsons' house, Patel sneaks into the house to get Ted's cheetah whistle to call out for Duma. After he got the whistle, they capture Duma.

After Patel mentions that Duma is lost, he tells his cousin to take his store before they train Duma to race.

When Ted and Susan try to rescue Duma, they get caught by the trio. However, Morogo sets them free from the cage and go after them.

As Duma was about to lose the race, Ted snatches the whistle from the racetrack cop and Duma wins. Patel and Nigel then lose the money.

It is assumed that Mr. Patel and Nigel were arrested after this.

Quotes
"An unusual snack for the most unusual pet and the most beautiful one."

- Mr. Patel about Duma

"Oh, look! Your cheetah, she's escaped! She's gone!"

- Mr. Patel seeing Duma leave his store before Ted blows his whistle to call for her "A trained cheetah? Marvelous. You call, and she comes."

- Mr. Patel upon seeing Duma come back to Ted and Susan after she leaves his store "Excuse my intrusion, please. The distinguished professor and family have been most generous. Perhaps I may reciprocate by relieving them of this animal. (Susan: Thank you. No.) If I offer $50 sterling as additional inducement."

- Mr. Patel before the Johnson family leave

"But not so many people know that cheetah has no endurance. She tires quickly. So we are planning to make the race too long for cheetah and then bet against her."

- Mr. Patel planning to race Duma and bet against her

"(Nigel: Alright, Patel, where's this cheetah of yours? You said it would be here!) I said I thought it would be here! The cat is tame. It is ordinarily sleeping in the yard. (Nigel: Oh, not tonight.) The boy. The boy calls the cat with a whistle. If one of us could get that whistle..."

- Mr. Patel planning to steal Ted's whistle to call for Duma and capture her

"The young missus finding it a sad day? Leaving this splendid country? Losing her pet? (Ted: What did you say?) I recall you intended to release her in cheetah valley. Therefore, I'm assuming... (Ted: But you said "lose.") Perhaps I did not choose the most precise word, but does it not to do justice to how the miss feels?"

- Mr. Patel mentioning Susan losing Duma "But we need to know how long she can run before tiring. (Abdullah: Yes, yes. We have an odometer.) She may resist."

- Mr. Patel to Abdullah "She cannot eat through the cage, Abdullah."

- Mr. Patel telling Abdullah that she can't eat through the cage before Abdullah argues with him

"If I-If I'm understanding you correctly, I cannot countenance this."

- Mr. Patel to Abdullah before they cage Ted and Susan

"Everybody thinks cheetah will win. When I remind them, there is no official betting, they all offered to wager privately. They eat out of my hands. We're rich, Nigel. We are rich."

- Mr. Patel to Nigel while betting on people at the race

Trivia

 * Mr. Patel was thought to be a friend to Duma and the Johnsons, but he is actually against them.
 * He bears a slight resemblance to Harwell Thompson from the 1983 series Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince. Both are thought to be friendly at first, but later reveal their true colors and capture the heroes (Duma and Prince Yubi).
 * Mr. Patel is similar to Al McWhiggin from Pixar's 1999 film Toy Story 2, as they are both covetous store owners who capture the heroes (Duma and Woody) from their owners (Ted & Susan Johnson and Andy Davis). Both want to collect money for themselves by doing something to the heroes (Mr. Patel wants to collect money by making Duma race against greyhounds; Al wants to collect money by selling Woody to Japan). However, their plans were both foiled.