Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Women Who Ruled the Ganglands

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The story of Gangubhai who appears to be elevated to the status of a deity in the red light areas of Mumbai is equally powerfully narrated. She controlled several brothels and implemented her will in that area most effectively and ruthlessly. She was respected mostly for the reason that she also protected those involved in prostitution, and fought for decriminalization of prostitution. The anecdote about her meeting Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the short conversation between them is priceless. It is a pity that we do not have much information on the last few years of her life. There is the story of Gangubhai, a girl who ran away from a small village and ended up in Mumbai streets and eventually became the powerful matriarch of Kamathipura, Mumbai’s red light area. S. Hussain Zaidi is one of the most prolific crime writers in India. The investigations into the Mumbai mafia that he has conducted in books such as Dongri to Dubai, Mafia Queens of Mumbai and My Name is Abu Salem are among the finest investigative reporting of all time. But, the most intriguing story is probably about the very powerful Jenabhai, who was closely associated with many underworld dons like Haji Mastan, Varadarajan Mudaliar, Dawood Ibrahim etc, and advised them on various matters and helped in shaping important events in the underworld. Zaidi mentions that not much is known about her later years. She was known to have a love for gold jewellery and drove around in a Bentley car. She never got married but adopted a lot of children in the area. One of her sons named Babbi spoke to Zaidi for the book and mentioned that she was fond of alcohol and gambling.

One can visualize the surroundings as one goes about reading each of the stories. I wondered about that. I was not sure if someone could write something so well. However, I must admit that while reading the story, “The Matriarch of Kamathipura” on Gangubai I truly felt that the story was almost like a screenplay. It was so well written that as I read each paragraph, the whole surrounding and the characters were moving in my mind like a movie in slow motion. Gangubai’s control of the red light district leads to the title “president of Kamathipura.” She is invited to give a speech at an event for women’s empowerment. Dressed in a white sari—this moment appears to have made it to the film too—Gangubai says that she is a “ gharwali” [a brothel madam] and not a “ ghar todnewali” [a home-breaker]. Later in life, she met Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss the plight of sex workers and improve their living conditions. For aficionados of the crime genre, reading stories based on reality can be addictive in a way that watching horror movies based on real life incidents can be for those who plight their troth with the horror genre. What could mar the experience, however, is if the narrative becomes a mere dry recounting of events without the drama necessary to hook the reader. Thankfully, Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Stories of Women from the Ganglands does not fall in that category. Story of Jenabai was really impressive, Gangubai-the sex worker or 'Kamathipura Ki Amma' and her connection with the gangster Karima Lala as brother-sister and in later days her social works were also good, somewhat like Nalini Jameela (the first sex-worker who wrote her autobiography), but the most awful and heart-rending story in the collection was of Ashraf aka Sapna Didi, a widow whose husband was murdered by Dawood Ibrahim because he wanted to leave his Comapany. She loved her husband so much that she decided to kill Dawood and for this went through extensive training of arms and weapons, but she came to dreadful and brutal end. Ibrahim's goons butchered her with knives. At that time, it was the most brutal murder in police record. Total 22 cuts.Of all the stories, the one about Ashraf, who came to be later known as Sapna Didi, affected me most. She goes on a path of revenge when her husband is murdered in front of her. She dares to take on Dawood Ibrahim, who had already moved out of India and has been out of reach of the law since then. She turns informer and goes about hurting Dawood’s business in small, but effective manner. Enough to earn the wrath of the Don who has her murdered in a most brutal manner. This is a real life story that creates visions of a Bollywood thriller.

She also collaborated with another gangster, Hussain Ustara, who loathed him. She then spent two months training at his facility, where she learned to fire, ride a bike, and practice Martial Arts. Alia Bhatt begins shooting for Gangubai Kathiawadi, shares pic of her trailer:'Look what Santa gave me this year' ". Hindustan Times. 27 December 2019 . Retrieved 27 December 2019. I would have preferred it to be more like a report to be honest. It's biographies searched and hunted by a journalist, I wanted it to sound like one. The material doesn't need to be forced into this fictional 2D characters. For many decades, Mumbai has lived under the shadows of smuggling, gun-running, drugs, and terrorism. Dawood Ibrahim, Karim Lala, Varadara- Jan Mudaliar: these are names that any Indian would recognise.The Mumbai underworld has been immortalised in print and on film. The powerful trio of Haji Mastan, Varadarajan Mudaliar, Karim Lala, and the dreaded Dawood Ibrahim are the names that any Indian would instantly recognise. When India was struggling for freedom, Jenabai was struggling to manage her own home with five children. When India gained independence, Jenabai refused to leave Mumbai. Her husband left her and went to Pakistan. I could say – Ashraf aka Sapnadidi is the favorite one of mine. The lady who avenges with the literal guns. Her guts are completely astonishing. Her connection with the rival of Dawood, Hussain Ustra is quite significant. The mystery surrounding their lifestyle, their political connections, the power they wield, and the heroism (apparently, villainism) to break the law has always been a mainstay of news reporting, and they even inspire Bollywood films. Apart from the Mafias mentioned above, there have been many female gangsters who are equally powerful and dangerous.

Elsewhere in Mafia Queens of Mumbai — the second book from veteran journalist S Hussain Zaidi — Ashraf Khan, a soft-spoken gangster-turned-informer speaks of the burkha-clad beauty he fell in love with while teaching her to shoot, fight and snitch and who dedicates her life to destroying Dawood to avenge her husband’s murder. S. Hussain Zaidi has worked in various publications like Indian Express, Mid-Day etc. He is currently the editor of Asian Age, Mumbai. Of all the stories, the most inspiring and intriguing perhaps, is the first one, that of Jenabai Gandhi alias Daruwali. From a freedom fighter under the British Rule, to a bootlegger and a woman of such clout that mafia dons like Dawood Ibrahim and Haji Mastan turned to her for advice and protection, Jenabai was an intriguing character. It was thanks to her efforts that Dawood, Haji Mastan and the Pathan gang brigade came together as one force. The first among the 13 stories of the Mafia queens of Mumbai is the stuff gangster films are made of. Another story talks about a burkha clad woman, who learns to shoot and spends her life trying to avenge the murder of her husband.

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The story of “Papamani” who ran one of the biggest drugs dealing business in Mumbai is also compelling. It talks about trials and tribulations of these people. One the reasons for my favorable opinion toward the book is the down-to-earth and yet compelling narrative. It highlights the struggle of these women in a so called “man dominated” world. These women walked along with men and also at times, manipulated them to achieve the position they achieved in the profession they chose for themselves. Gangubai reportedly passed away in the mid-'70s and did not have children of her own. There are however several individuals who claim they were adopted by her. Crime is juicier than spirituality. Guns are more attractive than roses. ....Lady Macbeth is more complex and fascinating a character than Macbeth or King Duncan." - Vishal Bhardwaj. Shameen Mirza Beg aka Mrs Paul was the wife of Chhota Shakeel’s key lieutenant Arif Beg. After the latter was arrested, she joined the gang. She was arrested in 2002 under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. India Times