I am sure you have seen atleast 2- 3 Bollywood movies of 70’s - 80’s. In every second movie, the villain was a mafia wanted for smuggling who run illegal alcohol shops in slums. Some may have been running brothels or were illegal constructor who would destroy slums. And in view of attaining their success they ended up doing a crime or murder particularly related to hero’s father, mother or sister.
When the crime got over and the criminals used to disappear then would come the Mumbai Police. The hero or someone from his family would curse the police saying they are all mixed with the criminals in this activity and intentionally came late. Police can no longer help them and so hero takes the oath to take revenge.
Hmmm, sounds a sum up of almost all movies of classic time, isn’t it? Well, from where did these film makers got these story? Why most of the movies showed similar content yet remained successful?
Because it was the time of such stories happening around the people every time and every day. Why was police always late at the crime scene and why people stopped trusting them?
Answers to all such questions are hidden in this book that tells the story of how underworld began, what was the initial motives and activities, how it got transformed from a world of crime and terrorism, who helped them, and what lies at the backstage of the Bollywood.
When I was reading the book, at many instances, I felt "Oh I saw this happening in XYZ movie." "Oh my God! This entire scene was turned into a movie." "So ABC movie was based around this character!"
The underworld’s origin and history is so intriguing that I thought I am watching all the crime movies of Bollywood at the same time. There are still many things in the book that have not been depicted in a movie and things that are more interesting and shocking than I ever imagined.
S Hussain Zaidi’s Dongri to Dubai takes you through a journey of the underworld from a time it was formidable to the time were it is feared and terrorized.
It is not only a book about Dawood Ibrahim but also the other major names associated with the underworld such as Haji Mastan, Vardarajan, Karim Lala. The books tells the story of different era, of different groups. But wait, it does not just tell you about people, it also throws enough light on the reasons why they turned to crime, what mistakes were done, how risky association and working with the underworld is. Thus, the book talks holistically about the business of the underworld.
Hussain Zaidi has written the book in such a way that I was hooked to it from the beginning till the end. He has given a Bollywood touch to the story. It is very difficult to write a non-fiction story in such an interesting way and Zaidi Ji succeeded in it. His writing skills are impressive, will keep one on tenterhooks throughout. The book is divided very well in chapters and at the end of each chapter there is a twist waiting.
The book will take you to the nooks and corners of the Mumbai’s core crime hotspots such as Dongri but not limited only to it.
The book is not free of controversies. Dongri to Dubai is a book based on S. Hussain Zaidi’s research, facts that he found and fiction to connect between the dots. Some part are controversial in the sense that they do not comply with other researcher’s work. But for a reader like me, it still gives a delightful insight into the heads of the mafias, specifically Dawood. Book’s later half is focused more on the work his role in the underworld picturising him as undisputed and the only criminal who could not be caught.
The book has moderate level of English and could be understood by most of the folks. But, since Hussain Ziadi is a news reporter, your are bound to encounter big big words and may have to refer dictionary quite a many times.
For anyone who is interested in the history of the underworld and the rise of the D- Company, this book is a must read. The thrill and action comes as an added bonus.