RGV, Vishal Bharadwaj, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kirti Kulhari launch S Hussain Zaidi & Velly Thevar’s Mafia Queens of India
RGV, Vishal Bharadwaj, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kirti Kulhari launch S Hussain Zaidi & Velly Thevar’s Mafia Queens of India
Mumbai witnessed a powerful coming together of cinema and storytelling as Mafia Queens of India, the latest offering by veteran journalist and author S. Hussain Zaidi, co-authored with Velly Thevar, was unveiled at Mansion, Radisson Blu Mumbai, Andheri East. The evening brought together some of the most compelling voices from the world of films and literature, including Ram Gopal Varma, Vishal Bhardwaj, Jaideep Ahlawat and Kirti Kulhari, alongside the authors, in an engaging conversation that explored the layered realities of crime, power and human emotion.
Currently launching Mafia Queens of India, Zaidi and Thevar bring into focus the gripping, untold stories of women who shaped the underworld in their own formidable ways. Widely regarded as India’s most definitive voice on organised crime, Zaidi has spent decades documenting the underbelly of Mumbai with rare access and credibility, while Thevar brings a deeply intuitive, narrative-driven perspective to the storytelling.
Speaking about the essence of such stories, Zaidi shared, “Crime stories fascinate us because they are deeply human. We are drawn not just to what is done, but to the mind behind it. But as storytellers, our responsibility is not to glorify crime — it is to understand it, to present it truthfully.”
Adding to the conversation, Ram Gopal Varma remarked that women in the world of crime often display a far greater ruthlessness than men, making their journeys even more compelling to explore on screen. Vishal Bhardwaj observed that the idea of a woman don brings with it fascinating, layered dimensions, and noted that S. Hussain Zaidi, with his experience as a crime reporter, delves into this space with remarkable depth and authenticity.In a lighter yet heartfelt moment, Jaideep Ahlawat shared that if either or both filmmakers were to adapt any of the stories from the book into a film — particularly the character of Cleopatra, whom Zaidi describes as one of the most fascinating mafia queens — he would love to be part of it, even manifesting his wish to play one of the central roles.
Reflecting on portraying such characters, Jaideep Ahlawat added, “As an actor, what attracts me most is the emotion of survival. Power and fame come later, but survival is the strongest driving force behind these characters.”
Vishal Bhardwaj emphasised the importance of depth in storytelling, saying, “If you only show crime, it becomes one-dimensional. What makes these stories engaging is the human side — the psychology, the journey, the layers that make a character real.”
Ram Gopal Varma, known for redefining the crime genre in Indian cinema, noted, “The fascination with crime comes from wanting to understand what lies beneath. It’s not about glorifying it, but about exploring the mindset and the world beyond what we see.”Speaking about the evolving audience perspective, Kirti Kulhari added, “Audiences today want to understand the people behind the crime — their motivations, their struggles and their reality.”The conversation also touched upon the responsibility of creators. Zaidi reiterated that while humanising characters is essential, romanticising them is not. “Crime has consequences — sometimes external, sometimes deeply internal. That psychological journey is as important as the act itself,” he said.The book, much like Zaidi’s previous works such as Black Friday, Dongri to Dubai and Byculla to Bangkok, continues his legacy of bringing real stories to life — narratives that have also found strong resonance in cinema through acclaimed adaptations.Together, S. Hussain Zaidi and Velly Thevar deliver a gripping, humanised account of crime — where power, survival and identity intersect, and where the most compelling stories are often the least told.
