Babkak, Omar, and Kassim were characters who were supposed to appear in the 1992 Disney animated feature film Aladdin. They were originally going to be Aladdin's allies throughout the film and have their own musical number "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim" throughout the film, but for the final cut, the script was rewritten with the aforementioned song being deleted from the final version of the film, as well as deleting the characters. Despite being deleted, the characters somehow ended up in the musical adaptation of the film, making it the first time the characters appeared in any Disney's Aladdin-related media.
Appearances[]
Aladdin[]
In the first draft of Aladdin, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim were originally going to assist Aladdin during the part where Aladdin himself is troubled by the palace guards at the marketplace of Agrabah at the beginning of the film and additionally, they were going to have a song named after them titled "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim". For the final cut, the script was rewritten with the "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim" song being deleted from the final version as well as deleting the characters and thus, they were replaced by a monkey ally named Abu.[1]
Musical[]
Despite being deleted from the final version of the film and not being featured in many media inspired by Aladdin, the Broadway production based on the Aladdin film makes it the first time the characters have made a physical appearance in any Aladdin-related media. In the musical debut, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim were portrayed by Brian Gonzales, Jonathan Schwartz, and Brandon O'Neill respectively.
In Act One, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim serve as Aladdin's allies where Aladdin himself is troubled by the guards chasing him while being accused of stealing. Even though Aladdin promised his dying mother that he would stop his thieving ways at the marketplace, Kassim finds a loaf of bread in his bag much to the palace guards constantly chasing Aladdin throughout the marketplace during the musical number "One Jump Ahead" to which Aladdin was able to avoid getting arrested alongside Babkak, Omar, and Kassim. Later, Aladdin convinces his allies to join him into making a new leaf: earning their keep by becoming street musicians where they engage the people in the marketplace in entertainment during the musical number "Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim". Amid the excitement, Jasmine, who is wearing a disguise, arrives, encounters Aladdin, and notices the entertainment where that two of them feel trapped; Aladdin suggests that they both should run away together throughout the musical number "A Million Miles Away".
In Act Two after Aladdin tells the Genie to use up his first wish into helping him get out of the Cave of Wonders, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim announce the arrival of Prince Ali to attract Jasmine's attention throughout the musical number "Prince Ali" where Genie leads a parade throughout Agrabah to attract Jasmine's attention. After Aladdin gets arrested by Jafar for entering Jasmine's room for trespassing, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim learn of Aladdin's arrest and decide to save them by storming into the Palace during the musical number "High Adventure"; however, they ended up in chains next to Aladdin. Aladdin then regrets his betrayal of his friends as Aladdin summons the Genie to use his second wish to help free Aladdin to help them escape from the dungeon during the musical number "Somebody's Got Your Back".
Later after Jafar is defeated with Iago arrested and Aladdin apologizes to Jasmine for lying to her for being a prince, Genie manages to help fix the problem between Aladdin and Jasmine with Aladdin telling Genie to use his final wish to fix the problem as well as giving him freedom; Babkak, Omar, and Kassim become royal advisors with Aladdin and Jasmine being married as the musical ends with the musical number "Finale Ultimo: Arabian Nights / A Whole New World (Reprises)".
Trivia[]
- Although Babkak, Omar, and Kassim were deleted from the final version of the film, their names were later used to certain characters in Aladdin-related media:
- The name "Babkak" was later used for a merchant (and minor character) for the animated TV series as well as the name also "Kassim" being used for another merchant (also a minor character) in the animated series.
- "Omar" was later used as the name of a watermelon merchant whom Aladdin encountered at the marketplace just as Abu and Aladdin fool and trick him into getting breakfast.
- Kassim also shares the same name with Aladdin's father who appears in Aladdin and the King of Thieves but his named is spelled with a "C" instead of a "K".
- The concept of Aladdin's relationship with three humans was used for Minos, Fatima, and Aziz in the TV series.
References[]
- ↑ Pop-Up Fun Facts Bonus Features (DVD; Aladdin Platinum Edition, 2004).
