The Undisputed Don of Mumbai—Haji Mastan

Haji Mastan was a mafia leader in Bombay, now Mumbai. Born in Tamil Nadu, he moved to Bombay, where he lived for over two decades from the 1960s to the early 1980s and built an empire.

Mastan started his life in Bombay by doing odd jobs in the famous Crawford Market, a hub for selling imported goods. He then joined the Bombay Dockyard—also known as Naval Dockyard—where he worked long hours, mastering operations.

In the early 1970s, import duty on gold in India was high. Working in the docks made it possible for him to participate in smuggling gold and soon Mastan started his own business. After being successful at an early age, he went on a Haj pilgrimage and came to be known as Haji Mastan. At his peak, Mastan operated a powerful smuggling syndicate in Bombay and along the Gujarat coast. He later diversified into film financing and the real estate business.

Mastan was put behind bars during the Emergency declared by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. While in prison, he was influenced by the ideals of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan. He also began learning Hindi.

After his release from prison, Mastan entered politics and formed a political party in 1980–81, naming it Dalit Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh (literally, front to protect the downtrodden and Muslims).

Mastan was a shrewd businessman and dealmaker, often promoting peace between rival gangs of the Mumbai underworld. He came to realize the importance of being seen among famous people from politics and the Bombay film industry. He lived on upmarket Peddar Road in Mumbai and flaunted an extravagant lifestyle. Dressed in spotless white clothes and white shoes, and sporting expensive gold watches, he was also seen as a style icon.

My photo story was shot over a period of five days with Haji Mastan in Mumbai. Though he owned luxury cars, I travelled with him all over the city in a green Fiat car, which was his favourite. Although it was old, this car was immaculately maintained. Mastan took the reporter and me to the chawl from where he started in life to the Bombay Docks, Crawford Market and the Haji Ali shrine in this car.