Abdullah is the main antagonist of Disney's 1989 live action film Cheetah, which is based on the 1970 novel The Cheetahs by the late Alan Caillou.
He was portrayed by Paul Onsongo.
Personality
Abdullah is a ruthless poacher who has killed Duma's mother and is hired by Mr. Patel and Nigel to make Duma race against greyhounds and bet on her to lose. Abdullah is shown to be sneaky, cunning, greedy, arrogant, abusive, traitorous, argumentative, opprobrious and cruel. He is also very savage, murderous, bloodthirsty and sanguinary, so he loves to hunt and poach animals for sport.
History
An abandoned baby Duma is found by two American teenagers, Ted and Susan and their native friend, Morogo. Morogo informs Ted that her mother was killed by a poacher. Ted finds weird markings next to the cheetah, which Morogo identifies as footprints. When Susan learns of this, she immediately wants to adopt her. The others think that it is crazy, but she thinks that it is the only way for her to survive.
6 months later, while Ted and Susan are trying to recclimate Duma into the wild, Patel and Nigel hire Abdullah to kidnap Duma and explain their plan on making a fortune out of Duma by using her against greyhounds. The night before Ted and Susan are to leave Africa, Patel breaks into the house and manages to steal Ted's whistle. Nigel hands him his rope and Abdullah manages to capture her.
After a tearful goodbye with Morogo, the family stops at Patel's store to get gasoline. Patel sees the tears in Susan's eyes and asks if she is crying over losing her pet. Ted realizes Patel could not know about Duma's disappearance and then notices that Abdullah shoes are the same marks they saw when they adopted Duma, indicating that Abdullah is the poacher who killed Duma's mother. Ted tries to convince his parents about Patel's conspiracy, but they ignore him. After sending their grandmother a telegram saying they will be delayed, the siblings take a bus back to Patel's store and discover he is gone, but learn his whereabouts from his cousin.
Across the Great Rift, the children arrive at Abdullah's camp, where Duma is being trained for the race. They wait for nightfall before sneaking in. Along with a stack of fliers advertising Duma's race against the greyhounds, they find cheetah skins drying on the walls. Hearing Duma's whimpers, they enter a barn and find her locked in a cage. Susan and Ted go into a cabin looking for something to break the lock and are jumped by Abdullah. Nigel and Patel arrive and the three men argue over what to do with them. Abdullah wants to kill them, but Nigel suggests they lock them in the cage until after the race. When the men drive away with Duma, Morogo comes out of hiding. Susan watches the trio, so she gives him the combination to unlock the cage.
The children reach the racetrack in time to hear the cheetah-greyhound race being announced. Patel crows to Nigel that he has bet a fortune that Duma will lose. Duma takes an early lead in the race, but as the race progresses the greyhounds catch up, then pass the cat. Ted grabs a policeman's whistle and blows. Hearing the whistle, Duma gets a second wind and wins by five lengths. While Patel and Nigel must compensate all bets, Duma rebels against Abdullah and is saved by Earl. As both sets of parents berate their children for being irresponsible, the poacher is arrested.
Quotes
“
She's ours!
„
~ Abdullah as he captures Duma.
“
Well, cheetah... you got some more work to do today. Are you going to be a naughty girl?
„
~ Abdullah to Duma.
“
The first lesson she must learn is that there is no escape. Then we will train her to race. (Mr. Patel: But we need to know exactly how far she can run before tiring.) Yes, yes. We have an odometer. (Mr. Patel: She may resist.) She must learn that she's powerless and we are powerful. Let's begin now.
„
~ Abdullah before training Duma.
“
That's the point! If she's angry and she's hungry, then she chases the rabbit better. Like some food, cat? Too bad. You gotta earn it.
„
~ Abdullah arguing with Mr. Patel and sadistically taunting Duma.
“
I must get my tools!
„
~ Abdullah getting his tools before they go to Nairobi.
Gallery
Images
A flock of vultures circling around Abdullah carrying the corpse of Duma's mother.
Abdullah's tracks.
Abdullah scheming with Patel and Nigel.
Abdullah about to capture Duma.
Abdullah captures Duma.
Abdullah's evil grin.
Abdullah's shoe marks, similar to the tread around Duma's mother, indicating that he is the poacher who killed Duma's mother.
"Abdullah" is an Arabic name meaning "Servant of God".
Abdullah was Paul Onsongo's only villainous role.
The cheetah skin near Abdullah's bedroom window could possibly be Duma's mother.
Although Patel came up with the idea of making a fortune out of Duma, Abdullah is the true villain as he drove the plot of the film and serves as the main threat towards Duma.
When Abdullah tries to escape from Duma, he has the rope in his hands, but a few shots later, he doesn't have it with him.
For some strange unknown reason, he didn't get in his truck when he's being chased by Duma before he got arrested.
Before Duma's race, Abdullah's truck was parked in a neighborhood near Nairobi Downs, but during his arrest, the truck is in the same location where he was being chased.
If anyone pays attention closely before Duma attacks Abdullah, he trips before Duma pushes him to the ground.
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