S. Hussain Zaidi


Syed Hussain Zaidi is an Indian author and former investigative journalist. His works include Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Black Friday, My Name is Abu Salem and Mumbai Avengers.
S. Hussain Zaidi is a prolific writer. He publishes under the Blue Salt imprint. The Mumbai mafia has been his focus in books such as Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, My Name is Abu Salem and Byculla to Bangkok.

Career

Zaidi began his career in journalism while working for the newspaper The Asian Age, where he became the resident editor. Zaidi later worked for several other periodicals, including Indian Express, Mid-Day and Mumbai Mirror. His in-depth research on the Mumbai mafia has been used by international authors, including Misha Glenny in McMafia and Vikram Chandra in his book Sacred Games. Zaidi was once kidnapped in Iraq.
Zaidi has covered the Mumbai mafia for several decades. His 2002 book Black Friday detailed the 1993 Mumbai bombings, an attack consisting of thirteen explosions that killed 250 people. The book was adapted two years later, in 2004, into a film by Anurag Kashyap also titled Black Friday. Subsequent to a petition by a group of accused perpetrators of the bombings, the Bombay High Court stayed the release of the film until a verdict was reached in the case. It was finally released on 9 February 2007 after the Supreme Court of India allowed it following the TADA court verdict in the '93 Bombay blast case.
In Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, a historical account of the Mumbai mafia, Zaidi conducted an interview with crime boss Dawood Ibrahim, who is suspected of having orchestrated the bombings. The book was adapted into the film Shootout at Wadala by Sanjay Gupta.
Zaidi was an associate producer of the HBO documentary Terror in Mumbai, which is based on the 26/11 attacks.
Zaidi interviewed former Indian spy Lucky Bisht in June 2022. Bisht was accused of murder of civilians, for which he was jailed, but was later acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Zaidi's book R.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima about the assassination of Raju Pargai and Amit Arya, is partially based on his interview with Bisht.

Filmography

The 2015 Kabir Khan film Phantom, starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, is an adaptation of Zaidi's book Mumbai Avengers; the screenplay was written in conjunction with the author.
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment are making a web series titled Bambay meri jaan, an adaptation of Zaidi's book. The series will reportedly focus on Dawood Ibrahim's early life, as well as his gang members and other contemporary mob bosses.
Shah Rukh Khan's production house Red Chillies Entertainment released a Netflix film titled Class of '83, starring Bobby Deol and directed by Atul Sabharwal, based on Zaidi's book of the same name.
Gangubai Kathiawadi is an Indian Hindi-language biographical crime film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali Productions in conjunction with Jayantilal Gada's Pen India Ltd. The film is based on Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai. The story revolves around Gangubai Kothewali, a brothel owner and matriarch.
London Confidential: The Chinese Conspiracy is an Indian Hindi-language spy thriller film which has been streaming on ZEE5 since September 2020. Directed by Kanwal Sethi and produced by Mohit Chhabra and Ajay Rai, it was written by Zaidi and stars Mouni Roy and Purab Kohli. the narrative revolves around a conspiracy to spread an infection.
Zaidi mentored Jigna Vora who worked under him as a crime reporter. He even influenced her writing style and approach. Zaidi's influence is visible in Jigna's book Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, which she wrote after her release from jail. She was arrested in connection with murder of journalist J Dey. Matchbox Pictures acquired the filming rights to journalist Jigna Vora's book Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, co-published by Penguin Random House and Blue Salt.
YearFilmNotesReferences
2004Black Friday
2013Shootout at Wadala
2015Phantom
2020Class of '83
2020London Confidential: The Chinese Conspiracy
2021Lahore Confidential
2021Dongri To Dubai
2022Gangubai Kathiawadi
2023Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld
2023ScoopTV series
2023Bambai Meri JaanTV series
2024Indian Police ForceTV series

Publications

Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blast Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Women who Ruled the Ganglands Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia Headley and I Byculla to Bangkok My Name Is Abu Salem Mumbai Avengers Dangerous Minds The Wily Old Woman of Dongri Eleventh Hour Dawood's Mentor The Class of 83: The Punishers of Mumbai Police The Endgame Zero Day R.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima The Black Orphan The Dangerous Dozen: Hitmen of the Mumbai Underworld R.A.W. Hitman 2: The Assassinations
  • ''Mafia Queens of India''