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S. Hussain Zaidi | |
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| Born | Syed Hussain Zaidi (1968-02-28)28 February 1968 (age 57) |
| Occupation | Novelist,journalist, Movie Producer |
| Genre | Nonfiction, fiction, crime, mafia, investigation, documentary |
| Notable works |
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| Spouse | Velly Thevar[1] |
Syed Hussain Zaidi (born 28 February 1968) is anIndian author and formerinvestigative journalist.[2] His works includeDongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia,Mafia Queens of Mumbai,Black Friday,My Name is Abu Salem andMumbai Avengers.[3]
S. Hussain Zaidi is a prolific writer.[4] He publishes under the Blue Salt imprint.[5][6] TheMumbai mafia has been his focus in books such asDongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia,Mafia Queens of Mumbai,My Name is Abu Salem andByculla to Bangkok.
Zaidi began his career in journalism while working for the newspaperThe Asian Age, where he became the resident editor.[7] Zaidi later worked for several other periodicals, includingThe Indian Express,[8]Mid-Day andMumbai Mirror. His in-depth research on the Mumbai mafia has been used by international authors, includingMisha Glenny inMcMafia andVikram Chandra in his bookSacred Games.[9][10] Zaidi was once kidnapped in Iraq.[11]
Zaidi has covered theMumbai mafia for several decades. His 2002 bookBlack Friday detailed the1993 Mumbai bombings, an attack consisting of thirteen explosions that killed 250 people. The book was adapted two years later, in 2004, into a film byAnurag Kashyap also titledBlack Friday. Subsequent to a petition by a group of accused perpetrators of the bombings, theBombay 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 theSupreme Court of India allowed it following the TADA court verdict in the '93 Bombay blast case.
InDongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, a historical account of theMumbai mafia, Zaidi conducted an interview with crime bossDawood Ibrahim, who is suspected of having orchestrated the bombings. The book was adapted into the filmShootout at Wadala by Sanjay Gupta.[12]
Zaidi was an associate producer of the HBO documentaryTerror in Mumbai, which is based on the26/11 attacks.[13][14]
Zaidi interviewed former Indian spyLucky Bisht in June 2022. Bisht was accused of murder of civilians, for which he was jailed, but was later acquitted due to insufficient evidence.[15][16]
Zaidi's bookR.A.W. Hitman: The Real Story of Agent Lima about theassassination of Raju Pargai and Amit Arya, is partially based on his interview with Bisht.[17][18]
The 2015Kabir Khan filmPhantom, starringSaif Ali Khan andKatrina Kaif, is an adaptation of Zaidi's bookMumbai Avengers; the screenplay was written in conjunction with the author.[19][20]
Farhan Akhtar andRitesh Sidhwani ofExcel Entertainment produced the web seriesBambai Meri Jaan, an adaptation of Zaidi's book. The series focuses onDawood Ibrahim's early life and the Mumbai underworld.[21][22][23]
Shah Rukh Khan's production houseRed Chillies Entertainment released theNetflix filmClass of '83, starringBobby Deol and directed by Atul Sabharwal, based on Zaidi's book of the same name.[24][25]
Gangubai Kathiawadi is a Hindi-language biographical crime film directed bySanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali Productions in conjunction withJayantilal Gada's Pen India Ltd. The film is based on Zaidi's bookMafia Queens of Mumbai.[26][27][28]
London Confidential: The Chinese Conspiracy is a Hindi-language spy thriller film streaming onZEE5 since September 2020. Written by Zaidi and directed by Kanwal Sethi, it starsMouni Roy andPurab Kohli.[29][30][31]
Zaidi mentored journalist Jigna Vora. The filming rights to her memoirBehind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison were acquired by Matchbox Pictures.[32][33][34]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Black Friday | Based on Zaidi’s book on the 1993 Bombay bombings |
| 2013 | Shootout at Wadala | Inspired by events documented in Zaidi’s works |
| 2015 | Phantom | Based onMumbai Avengers |
| 2020 | Class of '83 | Based on the book of the same name |
| London Confidential: The Chinese Conspiracy | Written by Zaidi | |
| 2021 | Lahore Confidential | Part of theConfidential film series |
| Dongri to Dubai | Web series adaptation | |
| 2022 | Gangubai Kathiawadi | Based onMafia Queens of Mumbai |
| 2023 | Mumbai Mafia: Police vs Underworld | Netflix documentary |
| Scoop | TV series based on Jigna Vora’s memoir | |
| Bambai Meri Jaan | Crime drama web series | |
| 2024 | Indian Police Force | TV series |
| 2026 | O'Romeo | Based onMafia Queens of Mumbai, also story writer |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
