Headley and I

by S. Hussain Zaidi

For most of his childhood, Rahul Bhatt did not know a father’s unconditional love – a vacuum that the advent of David Coleman Headley filled for a while. David the dashing, intriguing Pakistani with one brown and one green eye, a man who could pass himself off as an American quite easily, a charmer of men and women alike.Headley inveigled his way into Rahul’s simple world and, in no time, swept him off his feet. It is only when ten men made a mockery of Mumbai in a well-planned act of terrorism that Rahul realized how close he had come to being a part of the careful plotting and the innumerable recces that Headley had carried out.This is a complex tale of human relationships and the deceit therein. It is the story of Rahul Bhatt, an aspiring Bollywood actor, and his encounter with David Coleman Headley, the man who was responsible for a ruthlessly executed carnage in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured in 59 hours that brought Mumbai to despair and shook India.A pulse-racing narrative told in the voices of Bhatt and Headley, HEADLEY AND I traces the months leading up to the horrors of 26/11 and the interrogation that followed.Author BIOS. Hussain Zaidi is a veteran of investigative, crime and terror reporting. He has worked for The Asian Age, Mumbai Mirror, Mid-Day and The Indian Express. His previous books include bestsellers like Black Friday, Mafia Queens of Mumbai and the more recent Dongri to Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia. Zaidi is also associate producer for the HBO movie, Terror in Mumbai, based on the 26/11 terror strikes. He lives with his family in Mumbai.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crime, Biography, True Crime, India

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2012

About the author

S. Hussain Zaidi is a prominent Indian author, journalist, and screenwriter celebrated for his invaluable contributions to the world of crime reporting, investigative journalism, and storytelling. Born on February 28, 1962, in Mumbai, India, Zaidi has left an indelible mark on the literary and cinematic landscapes of India, particularly in the realm of crime and the Mumbai underworld.

S. Hussain Zaidi embarked on his career as a crime reporter, where he honed his skills in uncovering hidden truths and delving into the intricacies of organized crime in Mumbai. His early experiences as a journalist provided him with a deep understanding of the criminal world and its dynamics.

Over the years, Zaidi transitioned from journalism to writing and screenwriting, bringing his unparalleled insights and storytelling prowess to a wider audience. His unique ability to humanize the characters in his narratives, whether they are criminals or law enforcement officers, sets his work apart.

"Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts" - Zaidi's book "Black Friday" is a compelling account of the 1993 Bombay bombings. It presents a factual and thorough examination of the events leading up to the blasts and their aftermath.

"Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia" - This critically acclaimed book stands as one of Zaidi's most notable works. It meticulously traces the evolution of organized crime in Mumbai over six decades. The book offers a comprehensive and gripping account of the city's criminal history.

"Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Stories of Women from the Ganglands" - In this compelling book, Zaidi sheds light on the powerful and enigmatic women who played significant roles in Mumbai's underworld. He tells their stories with empathy and detail, providing a fresh perspective on the world of crime.

S. Hussain Zaidi's influential literary works have transcended the confines of the written word and made a powerful impact on the silver screen. Some noteworthy adaptations of his books include:

"Black Friday" (2007) - Directed by Anurag Kashyap.
"Shootout at Wadala" (2013) - Directed by Sanjay Gupta.
"Class of '83" (2020) - Directed by Atul Sabharwal.
"Gangubai Kathiawadi" (2022) - Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, among many others.

In addition to his contributions to the film industry, S. Hussain Zaidi has harnessed his creative prowess in the realm of film and web series production. His noteworthy productions encompass projects like "Bard of Blood" and "Scoop" on Netflix, as well as the recent addition "Bambai Meri Jaan," available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

S. Hussain Zaidi has played a pivotal role in nurturing emerging literary talents within the authorship realm. Notably, individuals such as Bilal Siddique, Neeraj Kumar (Commissioner of Delhi Police), Kashif Mashaikh, and many more have found their path to success as authors under his guidance. This mentoring initiative is facilitated through "Blue Salt Media," an imprint in collaboration with Penguin India.

S. Hussain Zaidi's work, both in literature and cinema, continues to captivate audiences with its gritty realism, engaging storytelling, and insights into the complex world of crime and law enforcement in India. His contributions have not only enriched the true crime genre but have also served as a source of inspiration for aspiring writers, journalists, and filmmakers.

Reviews

[Abhilash Ruhela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pleasure that non-fiction books give me is indescribable. Though fiction books have another amazing charm to it but the extreme power that a non-fiction carry is unmatched. And if you ask me to be more specific, I would say Autobiographies and Biographies are the best thing to read if ever you want to read and improve yourself, personality and character. The amount of message that such books give can change your life completely. I always credit these books for whatever little bit of kindness, goodness, leadership and loving spirit for life I have. Even if you are reading autobiography/biography of a man who's a villain to our society, even it teach you what not to do in life. I am speaking so much about this genre of writing because I'm just done with reading S. Hussain Zaidi's "Headley and I" that's written along with Rahul Bhatt, the main protagonist of this book.

About the Book :

For most of his childhood, Rahul Bhatt did not know a fathers unconditional love a vacuum that the advent of David Coleman Headley filled for a while. David Headley: the dashing, intriguing Pakistani with one brown eye and a green one, a man who could pass himself off as American quite easily, a charmer of men and women alike.

Headley inveigled his way into Rahuls simple world and, in no time, swept him off his feet. It is only when ten men made a mockery of Mumbai in a well-planned act of terrorism, that Rahul realized how close he had come to being a part of the careful plotting and the innumerable recces that Headley carried out.

This is a complex tale of human relationships and the deceit therein. It is the story of Rahul Bhatt, an aspiring Bollywood actor, and his encounter with David Coleman Headley, the man who was responsible for a ruthlessly executed carnage, in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured in the fifty-nine hours that brought Mumbai to heel and shook India.

A pulse-racing narrative, told in the voices of Bhatt and Headley, Headley and I traces the months leading up to the horrors of 26/11 and the long months of interrogation that followed.

About the Author :

S. Hussain Zaidi is a veteran of investigative, crime and terror reporting in the Mumbai media. He has worked for The Asian Age, Mumbai Mirror, Mid-Day and Indian Express. His previous books include bestsellers like Black Friday, Mafia Queens of Mumbai and the more recent Dongri to Dubai Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia. Zaidi is also associate producer for the HBO movie, Terror in Mumbai, based on the 26/11 terror strikes. He lives with his family in Mumbai.

Coming to the review, I must say that the only author whom I trust to love if I pick up his book is S Hussain Zaidi when it comes to this genre. The confidence that he has developed among readers whenever it's concerned with his books is par excellence. He's a genius and knows how to write complicated tales of real world in easy language and narration for his readers. He does not use words that leads a reader to open dictionary and refer. He never tries to show how much he knows about the insight of underworld, gangsters and criminals. Even in his writing style, you will find a humbleness that he carries in his personality too. Extremely unique style of writing and narration. I am proud to have such a writer in my country, India.

Coming to the book- It would have been a big injustice if this story would not have come open in public for Indians through this book. This book was indeed necessary for people of India and society. I am happy that author took courage to write it because this book is a reflection of amount of uncountable meetings with various personalities and officials with whom S Hussain Zaidi would have had to sit with and discuss the timeline of events. The way he has written Headley's revelation tells how good the author is. Rahul Bhatt's part tells us about how bad Mr. Mahesh Bhatt has been to him. Rahul Bhatt's hatred towards his father throughout his childhood is quite visible in the words that he has chosen to display it.

Another surprise is that Mahesh Bhatt has chosen to write foreword in the book even when it's basically based on his son's hatred towards him for all the wrongs he did with him and his mother. Amazing! Kudos to Mr. Bhatt for this! The anger towards India that got developed in Headley's mind since 1971 war between India and Pakistan, the way Pakistan is involved in collecting funds to attack India openly in public, the way Islam is wrongly constructed by some fake mullah, the way hatred speeches are been given in the masjids over there etc is something that clearly shows the reality of Pakistan to us. The way Headley has used Rahul Bhatt and his friend Vilas, a Shivsainik, shows the intelligence the people involved in terrorist attack does. Even the question whether Headley worked for US in the climax of the book is the best way this book could have ended.

The reason of being a fitness buff of both- Rahul Bhatt and Headley generated curiosity in me to read more about them. The America connection and mother's tale of Headley is another intriguing part of the book. The way Headley commented over Mumbai's security and worst security system tells us how insecure and unsafe our country is. The corrupt passport of Headley which could have been easily identified by the Indian officials in the first attempt itself but neglected because of our official's lazy attitude tells how we, ourselves, let 26/11 happen to us. Even Headley had said "Indians are Chutiyas" while telling everything about his journey. The next plan to attack Copenhagen and the idea of killing people, beheading them and throwing their heads down on road from the building tells us how in the name of Islam, certain Muslims are preaching terrorism and hatred. In all, I must say that go and get this book today itself to know what exactly leads into attacks like 26/11. From my side, perfect marks to this book.

Thanks a lot.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads True Crime #Indian Underworld and Terrorism

S. Hussain Zaidi’s universe is an obsession with the undercurrents of Indian society — the spaces where ambition, fear, and morality blur into a single, uneasy rhythm. While much of his work has chronicled the Mumbai underworld — from Dongri to Dubai’s sweeping epics to the intimate psychological portrait of My Name is Abu Salem — Headley and I represents a new frontier: terrorism, betrayal, and the deeply personal networks that enable global acts of violence.

This is Zaidi at his most analytical, most meticulous, and yet, paradoxically, most intimate. The book is not merely a chronicle of events; it is an exploration of human frailty, complicity, and the bizarre normalcy that allows terror to flourish.

At the center of the story is David Coleman Headley, the architect of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks’ reconnaissance missions and a man who seemed to straddle worlds. Headley was an American citizen of Pakistani descent, a man who moved fluidly between India and Pakistan, the West and the East, the normal and the criminal.

His life, meticulously reconstructed by Zaidi and Rahul Bhatt, reads like a spy thriller, but with the chilling weight of inevitability: here was a man whose skills, charm, and duplicity made him a perfect instrument of destruction.

And yet, behind the headlines and intelligence reports, Zaidi finds the human contradictions — the son, the friend, the betrayer. The book is not just about Headley; it is about the ripple effects of his choices, and the strange intimacy that connected him to people who would never truly understand him, including co-author Rahul Bhatt, whose own life intersects tragically with Headley’s.

What immediately sets Headley and I apart from Zaidi’s underworld chronicles is its psychological depth. In Dongri to Dubai, Byculla to Bangkok, or even My Name is Abu Salem, Zaidi excels at tracing ambition, loyalty, and betrayal within the closed ecosystem of gangs.

But Headley is different: he operates not in the streets but across continents, in a theatre where the stakes are global, the allegiances opaque, and the moral framework shattered. Zaidi’s journalistic instincts serve him well — he reconstructs timelines, travel logs, and clandestine meetings with painstaking precision — but the book also dwells on Headley’s inner contradictions: his desire for recognition, his craving for paternal approval, his constant struggle between identity and ideology. It’s a portrait of a man who is terrifying not because of innate malevolence, but because he is perfectly ordinary — disturbingly ordinary — and thus capable of extraordinary violence.

The narrative opens with the casualness of evil. Headley’s early life, recounted with both empathy and stark realism, reveals the fractures that made him susceptible to radicalization. There’s no attempt to sensationalize; the story of his youth, his time in the US, his trips to Pakistan, his initial forays into crime and espionage, is rendered with a journalist’s precision and a storyteller’s eye for the uncanny.

Zaidi shows, repeatedly, that terror is not born in isolation. It is nurtured by dislocation, by fractured loyalties, and by environments that simultaneously reward cunning and obscure morality. Headley’s dual identities — the obedient son, the Western-educated citizen, the spy — are not contradictions but strategies, carefully honed to manipulate the systems around him.

Compared to Zaidi’s underworld narratives, the scale of betrayal in Headley and I is global. In the Mumbai gangland stories, betrayal is intimate: a lie, a gunshot in a chawl, a missed payment, a romantic entanglement gone wrong.

In Headley’s story, betrayal spans borders: nations betrayed, intelligence agencies outmanoeuvred, and a city terrorized. Yet, despite the scale, Zaidi maintains intimacy. By framing the story through the lens of his relationship with Rahul Bhatt, he anchors the reader in the human stakes. It is not just a tale of reconnaissance missions or terrorist planning; it is a story of friendships tested, trust violated, and the emotional consequences that ripple far beyond the headlines.

Zaidi’s mastery lies in his ability to blend reportage with literary sensibility. He reconstructs Headley’s journeys — from the streets of Chicago to the hotels of Mumbai, from Pakistan’s hinterlands to European cities — with the precision of an investigator and the cinematic flair of a novelist. Every flight, every hotel booking, every interaction with recruiters and handlers, is contextualized within the moral universe Headley inhabits.

The reader is aware of the stakes, yet also drawn into the banality of his existence: morning coffee, casual conversations, emails, and social media posts — all mechanisms for creating the perfect camouflage. The horror lies not just in the deeds, but in the deceptive normalcy of their execution.

When compared to My Name is Abu Salem, Headley is an evolution of the criminal archetype Zaidi has long studied. Salem’s crimes were personal, immediate, visceral — betrayals of trust within a tightly-knit underworld, murders over turf, heists executed with precision. Headley’s crimes are abstract, strategic, distant — reconnaissance leading to mass casualties, attacks designed for maximal terror rather than personal gain.

Yet the psychological patterns are consistent: the need for control, the shaping of identity to manipulate perception, the persistent hubris that underestimates the moral and legal consequences of one’s actions. Zaidi traces these patterns deftly, showing that while tools and stakes may differ, the human mechanics of deception, ambition, and moral compromise remain eerily similar.

The book also delves into ideology, a dimension less prominent in Zaidi’s gangster chronicles. Whereas Mumbai dons wielded power through force, fear, and charisma, Headley’s arsenal included radical ideas, religious justification, and global networks of radicalization. Zaidi doesn’t lecture; he presents the logic of radicalization as a chillingly coherent system. Headley is not portrayed as a fanatic in the stereotypical sense; he is depicted as a calculating, adaptive individual whose ideological alignment serves personal and operational ends. This makes him all the more terrifying — a man for whom terror is professional, almost bureaucratic, rather than purely emotional.

Zaidi’s relationship with Rahul Bhatt adds an extraordinary layer to the narrative. It’s a relationship of trust, naivety, and complicity, illustrating how personal connections can become entangled with global terror. Bhatt’s fascination, admiration, and eventual disillusionment with Headley provide a human lens through which the narrative unfolds.

In a sense, this dynamic mirrors Zaidi’s own relationship with his subjects in his gangland books — the tension between empathy and reportage, fascination and moral judgment, proximity and detachment. The difference, of course, is the magnitude of consequence. One miscalculation by Headley could cost hundreds of lives; in the gangland, miscalculations cost dozens, rarely hundreds.

Comparatively, Headley and I occupies a unique niche within Zaidi’s corpus. Dongri to Dubai charted the rise of organized crime in a localized, social, and political context. Byculla to Bangkok explored the human fallout of that system, focusing on the lieutenants and foot soldiers. My Name is Abu Salem narrowed the lens further, giving psychological depth to one man’s ambition and hubris.

Headley and I expands the lens outward and upward — to global terror, ideological networks, and the tragic consequences of misdirected loyalty. It is a book about power in abstraction, about betrayal at scale, about identity manipulated for operational ends. Yet despite the difference in scale, the human patterns — ambition, moral compromise, relational tension — remain consistent, proving Zaidi’s insight into criminal psychology is remarkably adaptable.

Another remarkable aspect of the book is Zaidi’s portrayal of Indian and international intelligence agencies. Unlike the underworld, where law enforcement often appears reactive, here the pursuit of Headley is methodical, bureaucratic, and international in scope. Zaidi meticulously details the failures and successes, the inter-agency rivalries, and the challenges of tracking a man who exists in multiple worlds simultaneously. This dimension introduces readers to the complex realities of counter-terrorism — the need for intelligence sharing, the bureaucratic inertia, and the perpetual lag between observation and intervention. Unlike gangland crime, terror is instantaneous in consequence, and Zaidi captures that tension beautifully.

Yet, at the heart of Headley and I, is a meditation on human vulnerability. Headley’s life is a study in relational misjudgement, emotional manipulation, and the human desire for belonging. The book repeatedly reminds us that global terror networks are sustained not merely by ideology but by individual choices, friendships, and betrayals. Every lie, every favour, every casual introduction plays a part in enabling the catastrophic outcomes of later chapters. Zaidi’s careful reconstruction of these personal threads emphasizes that terror is not an abstraction; it is built on human connection, trust exploited, and moral compromise.

Stylistically, the book maintains the precision and cinematic rhythm characteristic of Zaidi’s work, but it also ventures into introspective terrain. Where the gangland chronicles thrived on dialogue, street slang, and narrative momentum, Headley and I balances reportage with reflection. The pacing allows readers to absorb not just the mechanics of Headley’s crimes but also their emotional and philosophical dimensions. It is simultaneously thrilling and meditative, a rare combination in true crime literature.

When viewed alongside Zaidi’s other works, the thematic continuity is striking. The human mechanics of deception, ambition, and moral compromise recur from Dawood Ibrahim to Abu Salem to David Headley. Each story involves networks of trust, systems of corruption, and the intimate betrayals that define criminal and terror enterprises alike. Yet the scope widens dramatically: from localized Mumbai gang wars to transnational operations, from personal vendettas to geopolitical consequences. Zaidi demonstrates that while the tools and stakes evolve, the underlying human patterns remain constant.

Moreover, the book highlights the tension between intimacy and distance — a recurring Zaidi theme. In the underworld, intimacy is forged in shared danger, loyalty tested by life and death. In terror networks, intimacy is transactional, mediated by ideology and operational necessity. Yet, through his co-narrator Rahul Bhatt, Zaidi makes the human cost visible: the bewilderment, the misplaced trust, the ethical disorientation. It is an essential counterpoint, reminding readers that even in vast conspiracies, the smallest human connections can alter outcomes dramatically.

Headley and I is also a meditation on identity. Headley’s dual nationality, his oscillation between cultures, and his manipulation of social and political affiliations reveal how flexible, and dangerously adaptable, human identity can be when ambition, ideology, and opportunity converge. Zaidi presents Headley not as a caricatured villain, but as a complex actor in a drama shaped by personal history, social environment, and global geopolitics. This nuanced approach contrasts with the relatively straightforward morality plays of gangland chronicles, highlighting Zaidi’s growth as a writer attuned to psychological complexity.

In conclusion, Headley and I is the most psychologically and geopolitically expansive of Zaidi’s works to date. It complements his Mumbai underworld trilogy — Dongri to Dubai, Byculla to Bangkok, and My Name is Abu Salem — by shifting focus from ambition in localized crime to betrayal and operational genius in global terror. Across all his works, Zaidi’s core insight remains: human ambition, moral compromise, and relational dynamics drive both petty and monumental crimes. The difference lies in scale, ideology, and consequence.

Through Headley and I, Zaidi reminds readers that crime, whether in Mumbai alleys or global terror networks, is fundamentally human — rooted in trust, deception, ambition, and the yearning for significance. He demonstrates that intimacy, not ideology, often sustains catastrophic actions. And, as always, he writes with the rare combination of a journalist’s precision and a storyteller’s empathy, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and morally resonant.

In the larger panorama of Zaidi’s oeuvre, this book is indispensable. It bridges the underworld with the global theater of terror, extending his moral and psychological investigations beyond India’s borders. It challenges readers to consider not just the mechanics of terror but its human architecture. Headley and I stands as a testament to Zaidi’s vision: that crime, ambition, and betrayal are universal, yet infinitely varied in their execution and consequence.

Reading this alongside his gangland chronicles, one realizes that Zaidi’s true genius lies in tracing continuity across domains. From Dawood’s docks to Abu Salem’s exile to Headley’s transnational espionage, the mechanics of ambition, deception, and moral compromise persist. The stakes evolve, the scale expands, but the human patterns remain — and Zaidi, the patient chronicler, ensures we see them in all their grim complexity.

In the end, Headley and I is not just a true crime book. It is a meditation on trust and betrayal, on identity and ideology, on the profound consequences of seemingly ordinary human decisions. Zaidi crafts a narrative that is simultaneously intimate and expansive, thrilling and reflective, documenting the anatomy of terror with the same skill and moral insight that have long made him the definitive chronicler of India’s darker currents.

Through this book, we are reminded that evil is rarely sudden or alien; it is nurtured, taught, and enabled — and in understanding its architecture, Zaidi asks us to confront the uncomfortable truths about human ambition and complicity in the modern world.

Try it out.

[Utkrisht Fella · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Headley and I," co-authored by master investigative journalist S. Hussain Zaidi and David Headley's former unwitting friend, Rahul Bhatt(son of film director Mahesh Bhatt) begins as a stunningly intimate account of deception and betrayal but by its close, it detonates into a chilling geopolitical exposé. This is not just a book about the Mumbai attacks; it is a profound indictment of the murky alliance between global terror and international intelligence.

The initial chapters are driven by the unsettling, first-person perspective of Rahul Bhatt, detailing his casual, everyday interactions with Headley, a man who was simultaneously charting the maps for one of the deadliest terror strikes in history. This personal narrative is gripping, exposing Headley as a masterful narcissist and manipulator who preyed on trust. Zaidi’s rigorous reporting provides the necessary structural backbone, meticulously detailing the reconnaissance, the targets and the operational precision of the LeT plot.

However, the true power of the book lies in its shocking conclusion. It pulls the curtain back on a terrifying possibility: that Headley’s intelligence contacts were not simply ignored but that the operative was potentially complicitly used by US agencies for missions. The authors open a "Pandora's Box" that questions the priorities of global security powers over the protection of ordinary citizens.

Most chilling of all is the book's contemplation of Headley’s future - a suggestion that his non-extradition to India and relatively lenient sentence might be part of an ongoing trade, leaving open the frightening possibility that this key architect of terror could be released onto the global stage for yet "another mission."

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book on the insight of 26/11 Mumbai attack. One may just know the names of the people involved in that crime but if anyone is interested in knowing the game plan and series of events to make 26/11 a dark day for Mumbai, then this is the book to read.
Wonderfully narrated , and the last few pages showing the output of the Headley's interrogation and how the US government was questioned on their security and support to Headley was something to be proud of as Indians.
This book also tells you about how weak the security in India is, and the study behind the security system put up by the author in the book, must be a good learning for Indians, weather it being at the regular market place in Mumbai or at any of the Indian airports.
There was also something new to learn about people who have troubled family and how it affects the growth of their mind set and how they land up building their own notions. Rahul Bhatt grew with a wrong mindset for his father and in-spite of the hatred portrayed in the book from Rahul towards his father, Mahesh Bhatt wrote a foreword for this book! Not sure if Mahesh Bhatt got to know about the hatred with this book or was he well known of that fact. But whatever, this book showed the readers the true picture of a strong fatherly figure in Mahesh Bhatt.
Lastly, there is a line in the book which says something like, we Indians believe that all white people are trustworthy, superior and intelligent. Well, this book will give a good lesson for all those people who have this belief! Thanks to Hussain Zaidi....

[Shaunak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book runs two parallel stories, one of Headley's investigation by the NIA and the other, Rahul Bhatt's.

What's disappointing is that as soon as Headley's story builds momentum, the story moves to Rahul's 'daddy issues', his constant need for attention and what comes across as latent homosexuality and an obsession for Headley; chapter after chapter.

Personally, I feel that the Rahul Bhatt story adds little to the book and could have been easily been summarized into one chapter at the end of the book which makes it easier for readers to avoid.

Being a big fan of Mr. Zaidi's work, this book left me disappointed, to say the least.

[Vivek Nair · Rating 2 out of 5]

Headley and I tries to trace the events that led to 26/11, the day when terrorists shook India. Felt it more like a weak attempt to portray Rahul Bhatt as an innocent person who fell for the charms of the sinister double agent/terrorist David Headley.

The hurried and quick narrative about the troubles Rahul had throughout his life and the lack of clear cut evidence on the whole investigation (due to the complex Ind-US relations) probably would have made me come to this opinion.

[Siddhant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read and insight into how 26/11 was planned

[Bhavi Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember those deadly attacks in Mumbai, India on 26/11? They are unforgettable, for all the wrong reasons. For 4 days, people were glued to their television screens feeling horrible about what was happening. The attacks have scarred the city of Mumbai forever. Each time I visit Leopold Cafe now, I see those gunshot marks in the walls and pillars that the cafe has carefully preserved and wears those marks with pride of having survived that nightmare. And that gives me nightmares. Many years after the attacks, I was seeing someone who, as I discovered over the course of a few dates, was a pastry chef at the Taj Palace Hotel when the attack happened. Recently, I saw the movie Hotel Mumbai starring among others, Dev Patel and Anupam Kher, and I couldn't sleep that entire week. finished watching a web series - Special Ops on Hotstar, and it also talks about this incident. Every time I go to CST, which is just about every month, I can't help but look around scared at least once, remembering how it would have been there the night the attacks there happened. Mumbai is a special city for me, will always be.
Coming back to the book, this book talks about David Coleman Headley or Daood Gilani, the American-Pakistani agent who played a key role in making the attacks of 26/11 possible. It talks about how he made friends with the son of a famous film director and brother of another famous one, Rahul Bhatt. It talks about how Rahul came forth suspecting that the Rahul mentioned in the emails traced to be sent by Headley was himself. It talks about the nine visits Headley made to India, conducting thorough reconnaissance to make the attacks possible - from how the perpetrators should come to India, where they should land, how to make their way around, where to attack, when to attack, all of it.
Again, I would say, S. Hussain Zaidi, is one of the best crime reporters and investigative journalists India has. Any book he writes is not only very informative, but it is thoroughly engaging and nail-biting throughout. This book is no different.
During the course of the book, you realize, how a man can have such deep-rooted hatred for something/someone, such has been the gaslighting on him. It also brings me to the question I always seek an answer to - is criminals born, or are they created? The book provides a peek into Headley's head and psyche, though I would it is hard to think it would be that simple. Children from broken families are generally at a higher risk of making their way to the wrong side of the curve - Headley was no different, nor was Rahul Bhatt. But they are different people, and we are thankful that they are.
In the end, the author reports that Headley was maybe a quadruple agent, not just a double agent. But above all, he was working for just one person - himself. He would use the rest of the agencies based on his whims and was a permanent excitement addict. And more than likely he would walk free someday. He was arrested by the US in 2009. At the time the book was written, though it had been months since the trial had concluded, the sentencing hadn't been served. It was finally served in 2013, and Headley got a 35-year jail term.
A thoroughly well-written and well-researched book by the author. A highly recommended read.

[Aniket Kadam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent depth of the behind the scenes story of 26/11 planing and execution. Was glued to this book from page 1 completed in 2 days. A must read for everyone who wants to know the other harsher side of the terror world across the border and weakness in our own Agencies. The author has successfully narrated and gives the reader no reason to put the book down.

[Dibyendu Pal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good in its own way as it gives out insight of a criminal mind. A good book but not at par with Dongri to Dubai.

[Faraaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

S Hussain Zaidi came to the fore with the brilliant piece of investigative journalism that was Black Friday in 2002. That was a work painstakingly put together from hours of scavenging through police case files, statements, court archives etc.

From here onwards, with the adaptation by Anurag Kashyap, S Hussain Zaidi became a rockstar in Indian journalism and the media landscape.

His name started featuring in a host of stuff from books (Sacred Games) to movies.

Zaidi took this opportunity to create a brand name and niche for himself, focusing on Mumbai Crime and the Underworld, drawing on his huge experience as a Crime Reporter.

He wrote the most complete compendium of the Mumbai Underworld, from it's early days in the 1960s and 70s to it's peaks in the 80s and 90s and it's eventual downfall in the 2000s.

Zaidi became the go to source for filmmakers and writers.

This brand name and market dynamics led to Zaidi turning himself into a James Patterson type crime writer, instead of an investigative journalist that he was.

Headley and I is a book of such shoddy journalism that it almost feels written bya ghost writer ala James Patterson.

It is written from the first person POV of Rahul Bhatt, son of Mahesh Bhatt whose name came to attention unexpectedly in 2009 when David Headley was caught in the US.

While Rahul's account of events is earnest, it's limiting on it's own. Zaidi realized this himself, that just Rahul's limited account of meeting Headley does not make for compelling reading nor or it great journalism. But if he had written just Rahul's account, this shoddy work could at least be excused a Memoir.

But then Zaidi does something which can only be described as lazy and poor journalism. He adds Headley's confessional statements that he provided to the Indian Authorities.

This is where Zaidi embarrasses his own legacy and credibility as a journalist, by printing verbatim whatever the Indian law agencies provided him with.

Headley, as numerous other sources including Zaidi's friends Adrian Levy have established, is a charlatan and almost certainly a CIA undercover agent.

He infiltrates drug and terrorist organizations and provides intel to the Americans. His background has all the makings of shady CIA agent - murky, troubled childhood, lots of gaps in the story, multiple wives, multiple names, passports, identities, countries. Everything screams CIA double agent which means, nothing he says can be taken on face value.

Yet an experienced journalist like S Hossain Zaidi does just that - he just reproduces Headley's statements without an iota of questioning, commentary or context.

Headley writes whatever the Indians needed from him in order to implicate Kasab and a host of others in Indian captivity. It's so clear that was the deal brokered by US between Headley and the Indians. Headley plays his role perfectly, describing his religiosity, and hatred of Hindus from an early age.

All of these are so shoddily written and reproduced that they would make for parody. The literature, scholarship and research on Terrorism in the post 9/11 period has pretty much debunked the idea of 'religiosity and hatred of Hindus/Christians' as a motivating factor.

Yet Headley doubles down on how he hates Hindus, how Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray were his enemies and he was fighting for the cause of Islam. They're doubly laughable from a CIA agent but don't expect Hussain Zaidi to be interested in doing his role as a journalist and uncovering this. There's no account for the fact that Headley has changed his story multiple times, depending on who he is writing for. He gave a statement to the Indians that Pakistan was involved in 26/11, he gave a statement to the Pakistanis that Pakistan had no role in 26/11.

In many ways Headley represents the double game US plays in it's foreign policy, trying to be an ally to both India and Pakistan while furthering it's own agenda and extracting it's own objectives from both. But Zaidi fails to touch on any of this. There is a lazily put together Post Script, where Zaidi interviews an Indian Govt official and ex CIA agent asking them about their thoughts. Again, this is lazy at best. A journalist should have investigated and looked for corroborating evidences or accounts.

Zaidi just needed to write a bestseller, with his name, and cash in on the Rahul Bhatt-Headley connection that created hysteria in India in the 2009-2010 period.

This book is a sad sad end to a once good journalist.

From here on, S Hussain Zaidi is a Crime fiction writer, not an investigative journalist.

[Razeen Muhammed rafi · Rating 4 out of 5]

HEADLEY AND I Book by Hussain Zaidi discuss on life of Rahul Bhatt (s/o Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt) and David Headley ,An American terrorist of Pakistani origin, and a spy who conspired in plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Hussain Zaidi is India’s most prolific crime writer. Last week I have read his book Mafia Queens of Mumbai

Rahul Bhatt during childhood didn’t received his father’s love which made him to hate his father. This vacuum made Rahul to get fatherly care with unknown person David whom he meet with his gym trainer friend.

This book is narrative told in the voices of Bhatt and Headley, HEADLEY AND I traces the months leading up to the horrors of 26/11 and the interrogation that followed. Headley And I also answers questions pertaining to the extent of involvement of this duo in the 26/11 attacks.

[Aditya Chimmapudi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never seen a book focused on so much self indulgence.

Certainly Rahul Bhatt has rich people’s kids’ problems. He needs to get a life than wallow in self pity. I doubt if he can ever survive on his own out in the world.

Hussain Zaidi as a writer on the surface says what is politically correct, I.e. use words such as ‘diabolical crime’ etc. but in his heart of hearts I suspect he has massive sympathy for psychopaths, gangsters and terrorists. This is my second book I read of this author and the subtle theme is common in both books.

That said, the book does provide a glimpse of what happened in the lead up to one of the dastardly terrorist attacks on India. Again, suspect some of this is writer’s imagination.

[Nikhita Dogra]

A well-written book by investigative journalist, Hussain Zaidi. After the Mumbai blast when Rahul Bhatt's name was popped up in connection to Headley, all thought he got away with it because of his influential background. But after reading this book, I got introduced to a lot of facts that were earlier unknown, of his innocence, of his compassion to come forward. It definitely needs the strength of a world to come out and speak about your acquaintance with the terrorist who rocked Mumbai. Rahul Bhatt might have met Headley unknowingly but sure as well gave a lot of vital information to the police, though as per the book.

[Draksha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headley and I made me learn about Rahul Bhatt, who was fairly unknown to me. The naive role Rahul Bhatt played in the 26/11 attacks was innocent of him. However, the story gives the readers an insight on the relationship and personal revelations, Rahul Bhatt went through when he got linked to the case and precisely the man who was the right-hand man of the mastermind behind the attacks. The book considers making people aware about both sides of the coin, shedding light on the religious manipulation and its counterpart.

[Srikumar Krishna Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little account of Rahul Bhatt's relationship with the deadly Headley. Probably the lightest work by Zaidi, as he leaves the control of the recollection to Rahul's style.
The chapters alternate between Rahul's & Headley's accounts of the events leading to the 2008 terrorist attack on India's fin-capital city.

[Gaurav Saini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well narrated and keeps the readers glued to it.

[Ravi Prakash · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you wanna know about the Bombay attacks of 26/11, you must read this.

[Saurav · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fast paced read, a page turner.
Covers the planning for 26/11 Attack in Mumbai in detail.

S. Hussain Zaidi, you have mastered the art !

[vaid♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to have an insight on the 26/11 incident!

[Prashant Kandpal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tells everything about 26/11, from the very outset to its execution. Also give LFI to our nation's internal security.

[Sundarraj Kaushik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another wonderful book from Hussain Zaidi. The book has been written as story being narrated by Rahul Bhatt, son of Mahesh Bhatt and as narrated by Headley himself to his interrogators from the Intelligence Bureau of India.

David Coleman Headley or Daood Gilani carried out multiple recces of Mumbai and other cities and passed on the information he gathered to Lashkar-e-Toiba which helped them engineer the 26/11 attacks with just a 10 rookies. It brought the city of Mumbai to practically a standstill for a few days. It taxed the famed Anti-Terrorist Squads, Rapid Action Force and National Security Guards of India and took the lives of more than 250 people.

The book gives the background of Headley and why he came to hate India. It also describes how he was groomed and trained by LeT for the job. It also speaks about the nexus between LeT, ISI and Al Queda.

It also raises a few questions on why the US is unwilling to extradite Headley to India for questioning. Apparently one of the reason seems to be the fact that Headley has helped the DEA in the past to ferret out the drug dealers with whom he used to cohort and then cooperate with the authorities to get away with a light sentence. He has adopted the same stance after his arrest before he was to bomb the Jylands Posten office in Denmark for publishing he cartoon of Prophet Mohemad (Peace be unto him).

The other story of Rahul Bhatt is about this strained relationship with his father and how he came to look upon Headley as a father figure and how he was ditched by both of them.

What is surprising is that the US still turns a blind eye to activities in Pakistan despite the proven fact of nexus between the ISI, Pakistan Army, LeT and Al Queda.

[Sudhir R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zaidi writes in his acknowledgment that he was approached to write this book very urgently, & he had to wind up D2D quickly to start working on Headley & I, which he finished in a record time (Great but 'Why'?)... Its in sync with Rahul's thanks giving to his dad, Mr Mahesh Bhaat, who's void he was trying to fulfill in David Coleman Headley or Daood Gilini... Once again it compels to draw our attention, 'that, it is so very important to be the child of a very well placed person 'in India''... Well I salute our Policing & Judiciary system to drop Rahul & Vilas's name from the whole issue finding them innocent on various counts, but are all Rahuls & Vilass out there been justified???... We Indians are so very vulnerable to the white skin, in terms of respect & honor rendered to them, that we even compromise with the security of our country (On a juxtapose, remember? 'The US' had stripped Mr George Fernandez, then the defense minister of India, holding a special Passport)... It is so very shameful on we Indians that Haedley got away with his wronged Passport, (I.e. without his fathers name on It). & once he even tress passed the airport with his Bhurka clad Moroccan wife without been questioned... Now the question is, have we learned from our blunders??? Since Headley's last visit was in March 2009. I.e. after 26/11, with the same Passport & modus operandi... Anyway, coming back on to this book, Zaidi has done a fantastic job, especially finishing it within the deadline... But I am bit confused to find this book on 'Non Fiction' racks in the book stores...

[Flavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Headley and I starts with a bang literally, how the unfolding of 26/11 took place and how terrorists from a far off land sieged and captured one of Mumbai’s most historic building if not a monument the TAJ PALACE and held fort for 59 hours.59 terrorizing, agonizing , blood-filled and gruesome hours .Hours which brought Mumbai the city that never sleeps to a standstill. S Husain Zaidi , India’s most renowned criminal writer, the writer of the bestseller Dongri to Dubai has done an amazing job of portraying how David Headley aka Daood Gillani befriended Rahul Bhatt son of Mahesh Bhatt without the later even getting a wind of anything amiss. The writing in this is quite lucid and the events turn out in a very fluent way. Every chapter co-relates with every other chapter and finally unravels the mystery of how did someone manage to hold the city at ransom even when they had never been there. Turns out that Headley had been the nerve center. The Author uses the dual- interpretation method, one in which you get to know both sides of the coin and study it’s unique characteristics. How the ISI , CIA and RAW functions along with each other and also against each other is also explained in a brief but sufficient basis. In-all Headley and I is a splendid execution of the task of finding an answer to the question which bothered every Mumbaikar’s mind on the night of 26/11- Are we so vulnerable to terrorism that a bunch of foreigners can stab us in our own backyard?

[Sophia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Standing as Zaidi's weakest book, Headly and I is a complete let-down. The pluses? All mentions of Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Also as a Philadelphian, I was excited to finally figure out how The Khyber Pass Pub got its name and its history. The minuses? Everything else. David Headly tells his story himself and his narration is stoic and uninteresting. He's simply a terrorist with no redeeming qualities. Rahul Bhatt appeared on Bigg Boss one season and I found him highly unlikable. After reading this book, I dislike him even more. He's selfish and a whiner. At one point, he tells a story about how Mahesh Bhatt told him to move forward and stop focusing on the past. Rahul seems delighted by this advice - but does not take it, clearly. He relays a story of how Mahesh Bhatt offered him Kalyug (the movie) - he refused, saying he wasn't comfortable. When the movie became a hit, he complains that Mahesh didn't convince him hard enough. I tried to empathize with Rahul's issues of abandonment, but he just came off as a self-pitying jerk. His involvement with Headly was harmless, but very stupid.

I wouldn't recommend this one - and that's coming from a huge Zaidi fan.

[Jimeetgandhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book would ideally have been drab and dull but for the writer's shrewd intellect in presenting the book in a first person account and additionally alternating between Headley and Bhatt.

There is no point in the book where it feels that something is not fusing up and it all seems to flow in a pretty well ordered manner.

The tenacity and courage of Bhatt is admirable to the hilt at him sharing information with our perenially suspicious authorities and also baring his soul and his dysfunctional family life in this book.

The coming out of Headley as a quadruple agent cannot help one but admire his opportunistic nature.

Also, the writer's use of a quote from the Quran in the Afterword is pretty poignant.

An engaging read.

[Ashutosh Kumar]

The writing style of Zaidi is smooth, like a plot unfolding in front of your eyes. Especially, the narrative style of using intertwined alternating stories of Headley being question by NIA, and Rahul Bhatt telling his side of story in first-person, makes an interesting read.
Those who think that the investigation of Mumbai attack in 2008 was a tough nut to crack, should go over this book, especially investigative agencies and policy makers, to make sure people like Headley never hoodwink us. The sad tale of Rahul bhatt, and his family internals, laying bare open the persona of Mahesh Bhatt, is something that has been used to connect with the reader on an emotional level.

[Chinmay Bhave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book giving full insight of 26/11 attacks and involvement of US,Pak agencies in it.Sometimes felt ashamed of our own security agencies and forces while reading this book as every minute detail of plan was shot in advance without getting noticed by our troops. Truly enhances knowledge about working of indian agencies like CBI,NIA,RAW,IB.

[Soul longings · Rating 4 out of 5]

biographical account of rahul bhatt , his meetings with richard headly , interrogations by indian authorities and his relationship with his father is the basic subject of this book . i found it interesting , The author was very honest and doesn't hold back in revealing uncomfortable details of his life

[Rads]

Very interesting premise and book. It has a dual narrative and there is a stark difference between the two perspectives. Incidently Rahul's version of it comes off as a whiny, needy piece while the Indian Intelligence/political journalist narrative is riveting.