Stories about gangsters and their world of deceit, greed, ambition always make for a gripping read. If those gangsters happen to be women, the awe factor goes up several notches. Stories of these women's lives and how they ended up in probably the world's last male bastion will undoubtedly leave readers asking for more. To most Indians (and the wider world), the term 'Bombay/Mumbai mafia' conjures images of Haji Mastan, Dawood Ibrahim, Chota Rajan etc. Names like Jenabai Daaruwali, Gangubai Kathewali won't ring any bells. This is where 'Mafia Queens of Mumbai' steps in to give us a new perspective on the Indian underworld and the key players who helped build this world.
Written by one of India's leading crime journalists S. Hussain Zaidi with able assistance from Jane Borges, 'Mafia Queens of Mumbai' is a collection of stories about 13 women who ruled the Mumbai underworld at different times. The Femme Fatale has always intrigued and as pointed out in the book's foreword - crime is juicier than spirituality. Tales about fearless, gutsy women ranging from rice hoarder-turned-bootlegger Jenabai Daaruwali to the brothel madam with a golden heart Gangubai Kathewali (who is apparently still revered as a Goddess in Mumbai's notorious red light district Kamathipura) to noted gangster Ashwin Naik's wife Neeta Naik who was apparently gunned down by her own husband while holding a Government office nonetheless make for an interesting read.
Whilst the book is supposed to be an amalgam of police reports, first person accounts and interviews with the subjects themselves and/or their families and associates, I got the impression some stories are hurried jobs and included only for their 'spice' factor. I am not entirely convinced about the Ashraf Khan tale which looks a tad exaggerated and on surfing the internet for more information, I did not come across much information which corroborates Zaidi's account. Guess you can walk away with some exaggerations here and there in the name of literary freedom. Also the inclusion of Monica Bedi, a wannabe film actress-turned-moll-turned-reality show contestant in this book tantamounts to an insult for the other women dons featured here who rose by virtue of their guts, sharp thinking rather than being arm candy to a second-hand underworld operative.
Another point which stands out as a sore note is the titillation factor. Some stories contain sexual details of a degree which would be hard to gather except if you were present at the scene yourself! Guess this is where Zaidi has let sensationalism creep into what otherwise would have been a hard hitting book. With Vishal Bhardwaj, the noted Indian film director penning the foreword I cannot help but think the book was written with a pre-agreement to be translated on celluloid and hence the sprinkling of spice and thrills. I definitely recommend the book but advise you to exercise discretion in believing the 'facts' therein.
Written by one of India's leading crime journalists S. Hussain Zaidi with able assistance from Jane Borges, 'Mafia Queens of Mumbai' is a collection of stories about 13 women who ruled the Mumbai underworld at different times. The Femme Fatale has always intrigued and as pointed out in the book's foreword - crime is juicier than spirituality. Tales about fearless, gutsy women ranging from rice hoarder-turned-bootlegger Jenabai Daaruwali to the brothel madam with a golden heart Gangubai Kathewali (who is apparently still revered as a Goddess in Mumbai's notorious red light district Kamathipura) to noted gangster Ashwin Naik's wife Neeta Naik who was apparently gunned down by her own husband while holding a Government office nonetheless make for an interesting read.
Whilst the book is supposed to be an amalgam of police reports, first person accounts and interviews with the subjects themselves and/or their families and associates, I got the impression some stories are hurried jobs and included only for their 'spice' factor. I am not entirely convinced about the Ashraf Khan tale which looks a tad exaggerated and on surfing the internet for more information, I did not come across much information which corroborates Zaidi's account. Guess you can walk away with some exaggerations here and there in the name of literary freedom. Also the inclusion of Monica Bedi, a wannabe film actress-turned-moll-turned-reality show contestant in this book tantamounts to an insult for the other women dons featured here who rose by virtue of their guts, sharp thinking rather than being arm candy to a second-hand underworld operative.
Another point which stands out as a sore note is the titillation factor. Some stories contain sexual details of a degree which would be hard to gather except if you were present at the scene yourself! Guess this is where Zaidi has let sensationalism creep into what otherwise would have been a hard hitting book. With Vishal Bhardwaj, the noted Indian film director penning the foreword I cannot help but think the book was written with a pre-agreement to be translated on celluloid and hence the sprinkling of spice and thrills. I definitely recommend the book but advise you to exercise discretion in believing the 'facts' therein.
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