Through a combination of literary nostalgia, cinematic inspiration, and innovative branding, X2Metal was born — a celebration of creativity, imagination, and timeless design.

Genre Fiction in Urdu: The Spy Novels of Ishtiaq and Ibn-e Safi

A Childhood Discovery

The heavy wooden door creaked open; slender rays of sunlight illuminated the messy store. Inside, the smell of ancientness hovered over the clutter. Old newspapers and magazines were scattered amongst boxes and trunks, while broken furniture and small bookshelves lay forgotten. This was an old bookstore, a treasure trove of memories and history.

I accompanied my parents to this bookstore. This place, with its cracked walls and fissured floors, felt like an adventure straight out of a novel. Among the junk, I found a dilapidated cardboard box hidden under moth-eaten rags. It contained Urdu paperbacks filled with spy adventures, and before I started reading them, I knew I was hooked on genre fiction for life.

The Magic of Genre Fiction

Genre fiction, as a concept, is about stories that excite the imagination. It transports, thrills, and captivates with elements of action, adventure, mystery, horror, and fantasy. Unlike traditional realistic fiction that reflects daily life, genre fiction heightens emotions and events for dramatic impact.

Examples of similar books, movies, and shows: Star Wars, Avengers: Endgame, X2: X-Men United, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avatar, The Empire Strikes Back, The Avengers, Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther.

However, in Urdu literature, genre fiction has long struggled for recognition. Respectable Urdu authors like Manto, Quratulain Hyder, and Ashfaq Ahmed focused on realism, leaving little room for hyper-reality or fantasy. Yet, in Western literature, writers like Poe, Lovecraft, and Agatha Christie have shown that genre fiction can explore profound truths and human psychology while being immensely entertaining.

Ibn-e Safi: The Master of Urdu Spy Fiction

Despite the stigma attached to genre fiction in Urdu, one writer elevated it to an art form — Ibn-e Safi. Born Asrar Ahmed, he was a literary genius whose spy novels, particularly the Jasoosi Duniya (spy world) and Imran Series, remain unparalleled in popularity and influence.

The Jasoosi Duniya (spy world) series introduced Colonel Faridi and Captain Hamid, a mentor-apprentice duo solving larger-than-life mysteries. But it was the Imran Series that cemented Ibn-e Safi's legacy. Its protagonist, Ali Imran, was a seemingly goofy secret service agent who moonlighted as the enigmatic leader of the agency, known only as X2. Readers knew Imran's true identity, which added layers of humor and suspense to the stories.

Imran's wit, charm, and strategic brilliance made the series iconic, while colorful supporting characters like Juliana Fitzwater and Sir Sultan enriched the narrative. Agatha Christie herself once praised Ibn-e Safi, saying, "There is only one original author: Ibn-e Safi."

From Spy Fiction to X2Metal

Years later, while starting my business selling metal prints and mouse pads, I drew inspiration from these formative reading experiences. The character X2 — mysterious, brave, and iconic — resonated with me as a symbol of creative storytelling and innovation. Thus, my brand, X2Metal, was born, combining the intrigue of spy fiction with the timeless beauty of metal prints.

The name X2 also drew further inspiration from pop culture and innovation. The X2 movie, a thrilling installment in the superhero genre, showcased power, resilience, and creativity — all qualities I wanted my business to embody. And then, BMW introduced their X2 car series, known for its sleek design and cutting-edge engineering. These influences reinforced the idea that X2 could stand for something bold and dynamic, perfectly aligning with my vision for X2Metal.

Through a combination of literary nostalgia, cinematic inspiration, and innovative branding, X2Metal was born — a celebration of creativity, imagination, and timeless design.

Now I am on a crusade to conquer the world — not in a bad way — but to bring high-quality décor into your life.

But enough about the name. This is about YOU.

You're here because you're looking for something — whether it's a different type of decor, something of your unique style, a way to modernize your space, or just a product that makes you smile. Whatever it is, we're here to deliver it.

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