Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Women Who Ruled the Ganglands

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Back in 2017, Arjun Rampal portrayed the gangster-turned-politician in Ashim Ahluwalia’s directorial Daddy. This work is a well documented account of some of these women who, through their unwavering devotion to their husbands, their desire to pull themselves out of poverty or simply their refusal to let the world's hegemony dictate their path, went on to become almost legendary names. True stories of women who made their own footing in the dangerous and bloody of Mumbai's underworld and were unremembered until Mr Zaidi wrote this book. He is the author of the best selling Black friday: The true story of Bombay bomb blasts, and is currently resident editor of the Asian age, Mumbai.

I have often wondered how these people who started out their lives as ordinary, average citizens of this city soon turned to a life full of crime and deception. While circumstances forced some to take up crime while some entered in the crime world willingly lured by money and luxuries.Also, the book only highlights the good/sympathizing parts of these women, which makes them into this main character mold where you root for them and I would've liked to see the bad side of it. Starting from Jenabai Daruwali who almost acted as the Godmother for Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim, the book ends on vicious and crafty bar girls. She sways in nightclubs with the same grace and élan with which she sashays through the hearts of men. But something happened at Santa Cruz International Airport which changed her life altogether and brought a tragic ending to her life.

This book now brings together a set of stories about interesting and powerful female leaders of the Mumbai underworld. Analysed in print, immortalised on film, their lives, their gangs, their 'businesses' are out there for anyone who wants the information.

k.a Mahalaxmi Papamani, who used to make a profit of around 3lac rupees per month, was equivalent to the salary of a CEO of a company in Mumbai in 1991, was presented and authored by Jane Broges. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. Gangubai Kathiawadi, the matriarch of Kamathipura, who is revered by all sex workers in her area, to the present day. Mahalakshmi Papamani, close confidant of Varadaraj Mudaliyar was another fascinating character and to think that she is still alive is a statement to her grit and determination.

The former has allegedly shielded her husband against the police machinery and fake encounters multiple times.I don't read a lot of books about gangsters, but the ones that I have, all revolve around male gangsters. Papamani’s confidante, Jyoti Adiramlingam aka Jyoti Amma, handled the drug trafficking network in Reay Road, Central Mumbai. As per Zaidi’s book, born Zainab Darwesh Gandhi, Jenabai was the first mafia queen of the Mumbai underworld.

What a classic book that talked a lot about the true stories of women gangsters in the financial capital of India- Mumbai. Before joining his gang to handle his financial affairs and arms supply, she was a renowned beautician.When I look back at those years, I realize that Mumbai is quite a safe city for an average citizen of this hub. This book aims to comprehend the complex minds and psyches of the famously well known female criminals of the India. Kudos to her, reading about Papamani only gives me chills, let alone meeting her alone that too in her own area.