What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wily Old Woman of Dongri
Before Haseena Parkar, Dawood Ibrahim’s sister, there was another woman who was both feared and dreaded in the underworld: Jenabai Daaruwali. This is the real story of a dangerously wily woman; a woman that smuggler Haji Mastan called ‘sister’, and one who even Dawood Ibrahim found formidable. Written by S. Hussain Zaidi, the author of bestselling books on the underworld, this is a rare insight into one of the women who once ruled the Mumbai mafia.
Cover is fine too.
Cover is fine too.
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2017
About the author
S. Hussain Zaidi
26 books582 followersS. 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 13, 2019
She rests in the grave the headstone of which reads: Form No. 2544, Otta No. 601, and this probably is her only remaining identity. Once a woman feared and respected by police and mafia alike rests unknowingly in the Bada Qabristan where the graves of Haji Mastan and Ibrahim Kaskar are adorned with roses on their death anniversary. She is Jenabai Daruwali and S. Hussain Zaidi's little but glorious gem - 'The Wily Old Woman Of Dongri' is her story. The book starts with a writer's visit to a graveyard where the pioneer and stalwarts of the Mumbai Underworld rest in peace. The visit was was supposed for Haji Mastan but the writer stumbles upon Jenabai Daruwali.
What can you expect from a small book of 50 pages? Honestly I expected it to be a newspaper article kind of a book. But S. Hussain Zaidi took me by surprise as this book was small but the detailing, atmosphere building and most importantly character building are so good that many writers fail to do in full length novels. Right after the prologue the book takes you back to an era where the national emergency has just ended and Janta Party came to the power. Haji Mastan is now not the larger than life man he used to be and new gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim are at their rise. Mastan is in a big amount of debt and he invites Jenabai as the last resort to solve his problem.
From here the author tells the story of how did Jenabai architect and orchestrate the greatest peace truce in history of the Mumbai mafia and the life story of Jenabai. The story is told in alternate chapter where one chapter focus on the life of Jenabai and other on the truce. The author perfectly builts everything from chapter length to chapter division and most importantly he successfully establishes the character of Jenabai as not a woman with power but as woman who represents the real power itself. The best feature of the book apart from character building is that the book takes you through the history of not only city's underbelly but also the city's history right from the beginning and the changing political environment effected these underbellies, it would have been very difficult to summarise all these things and put it into a 50 page long book. But all these things were put and mixed in these chapters so finely that while reading it adds a whole lot of value to the book from both the perspectives, i.e storytelling and telling the history of Mumbai and Mumbai's Underworld.
A Surprisingly Great Book.
5 Stars.
What can you expect from a small book of 50 pages? Honestly I expected it to be a newspaper article kind of a book. But S. Hussain Zaidi took me by surprise as this book was small but the detailing, atmosphere building and most importantly character building are so good that many writers fail to do in full length novels. Right after the prologue the book takes you back to an era where the national emergency has just ended and Janta Party came to the power. Haji Mastan is now not the larger than life man he used to be and new gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim are at their rise. Mastan is in a big amount of debt and he invites Jenabai as the last resort to solve his problem.
From here the author tells the story of how did Jenabai architect and orchestrate the greatest peace truce in history of the Mumbai mafia and the life story of Jenabai. The story is told in alternate chapter where one chapter focus on the life of Jenabai and other on the truce. The author perfectly builts everything from chapter length to chapter division and most importantly he successfully establishes the character of Jenabai as not a woman with power but as woman who represents the real power itself. The best feature of the book apart from character building is that the book takes you through the history of not only city's underbelly but also the city's history right from the beginning and the changing political environment effected these underbellies, it would have been very difficult to summarise all these things and put it into a 50 page long book. But all these things were put and mixed in these chapters so finely that while reading it adds a whole lot of value to the book from both the perspectives, i.e storytelling and telling the history of Mumbai and Mumbai's Underworld.
A Surprisingly Great Book.
5 Stars.
May 6, 2019
A short read... not bad
Story of an underworld woman, the description of old Mumbai is enjoyable, language is simple. Overall a good time pass.
Story of an underworld woman, the description of old Mumbai is enjoyable, language is simple. Overall a good time pass.
April 25, 2020
📙The Wily Old Woman Of Dongri
ইটালিয়ান সিসিলিয়ান হোক কিংবা জাপানিস ইয়াকুযা মাফিয়াদের কর্মকাণ্ড সম্পর্কে অাগাম ধারণা করা প্রায় অসম্ভব। ভারতের মুম্বাই শহরের বস্তিতে বেড়ে ওঠা স্বাধীণতা অান্দোলনে অংশগ্রহণ এবং দারিদ্রতার কষাঘাতে অপরাধে জড়িয়ে পড়া। নিজের অাত্মপরিচয় প্রতিষ্ঠা করতে সক্ষম একজন অদ্ভুত নারী। বইটি পড়ে সত্যিই অদ্ভুত এক ধারণার জন্ম নিয়েছে, দ্বিধা দ্বন্দ্বে পড়েছি "পাপ কে ঘৃণা করব নাকি পাপী কে "
ইটালিয়ান সিসিলিয়ান হোক কিংবা জাপানিস ইয়াকুযা মাফিয়াদের কর্মকাণ্ড সম্পর্কে অাগাম ধারণা করা প্রায় অসম্ভব। ভারতের মুম্বাই শহরের বস্তিতে বেড়ে ওঠা স্বাধীণতা অান্দোলনে অংশগ্রহণ এবং দারিদ্রতার কষাঘাতে অপরাধে জড়িয়ে পড়া। নিজের অাত্মপরিচয় প্রতিষ্ঠা করতে সক্ষম একজন অদ্ভুত নারী। বইটি পড়ে সত্যিই অদ্ভুত এক ধারণার জন্ম নিয়েছে, দ্বিধা দ্বন্দ্বে পড়েছি "পাপ কে ঘৃণা করব নাকি পাপী কে "
April 16, 2019
The following small excerpt itself was very interesting and knowledgeable to read. A deep and detailed study has been done by the author, and the following excerpt has been written in a catchy and interesting way. This excerpt would definitely trigger the reader to read the full fledged version of the book. A definite recommended book.
September 27, 2021
The lesser-known cult of Jenabhai Daruwali who could hold with strings the most powerful among Bombay dons Dawood Ibrahim is not only revealing but makes for a compelling, page-turner. It's not easy to depict someone in 50 pages but Hussain Zaidi is an impressive writer in providing readers a mirror image of what went behind the scene. A super read.
April 30, 2018
It offers insight on the background of Jenabai, her rise from an ordinary single mother to the ranks of underworld, her shrewdness and some insights into her own life. A must read for anyone who wish to explore Mumbai's past history.
October 24, 2020
Just a high-level insight into Jenabai's life. Not great as other books of Sir Hussain Zaidi.
Do check out my full review in my blog
http://www.acharyareviews.in/2020/10/...
Do check out my full review in my blog
http://www.acharyareviews.in/2020/10/...
February 16, 2022
Written more like a fiction. An excerpt below to prove my point.
"Jenabai looked at the framed inscription of a saying from the Koran that hung on the wall opposite her kitchen and closed her eyes for a fraction of a second."
"Jenabai looked at the framed inscription of a saying from the Koran that hung on the wall opposite her kitchen and closed her eyes for a fraction of a second."
May 28, 2018
Good, short book with nuggets on life of Jenabai Daaruwaali and how she played her part through the evolution of Mumbai underworld.
October 24, 2018
Zaidi at his best again. A very small read on kindle which shows the power of a woman Jenabai and how she had hold on then gangsters and the police.
April 12, 2019
Nice read for old times sake
Sharp, short & crisp
It's the strength of a woman in face of all odds
Be it any time or era
Sharp, short & crisp
It's the strength of a woman in face of all odds
Be it any time or era
December 22, 2019
Interesting
Very interesting simple easy language, facts and myths surprisingly, unfold truth and reality of underworld, always recommended to read .
Very interesting simple easy language, facts and myths surprisingly, unfold truth and reality of underworld, always recommended to read .
May 26, 2020
It's not that good
The book does provide few instances in the life of Jenabai, however it's not engrossing like the other books of Hussain Zaidi.
The book does provide few instances in the life of Jenabai, however it's not engrossing like the other books of Hussain Zaidi.
October 31, 2023
short story of Jenabai Daaruwaali's life and her journey through the evolution of underworld.. It narrates the content with pioneers like Varadarajan Mudaliar and the rise of next gen gangsters..
June 25, 2021
Read it through because I found the subject really interesting, but the picture painted does not live up to it. A very brief description of her life, and not enough depth in the character.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews