Haji Mastan

Mirza Haji Mastan

Haji Mastan
Born Mastan Haider Mirza
(1926-03-01)1 March 1926
Panaikulam, Ramanathapuram, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), British India
Died 9 May 1994(1994-05-09) (aged 68)[1]
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Residence Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Indian
Occupation Film Financier, Film Producer, Film Distributor, Filmmaker, Politician, Smuggler, Celebrity Gangster
Spouse(s) Sona
Children Akhtar, Nasir, Nadir

Mastan Haider Mirza, popularly known as Haji Mastan, Bawa /Sultan Mirza (1 March 1926 - 9 May 1994) was an Indian mobster and filmmaker. Mastan became the first celebrity gangster of the city of Bombay, expanding his clout in the film industry by giving money to directors and studios for film production. As Mastan's influence in Bollywood grew, he began to produce films himself.

Haji Mastan was not a dreaded don because never in his life he had killed anyone or shot a bullet on another. But he was a mobster and was a big time smuggler who reigned for 20 years (1955 to 1975) without any dispute from anybody

Born in 1926 in Pannaikulam, near Ramanathapuram, Tamilnadu,[2] Haji Mastan originally known as Mastan Haider Mirza at the age of 8 migrated with his father in Mumbai. The only person Haji Mastan has truly feared and respected in his life is Shaji Pappan from high range Idukky, Kerala. The father son duo ran a small cycle repairing shop in Crawford market which wasn’t enough to feed the family. 10 years later in the year 1944, Bawa joined Bombay docks as a porter and this changed his life forever. He worked in association with Karim Lala and by 1960s he became a rich man. He even started financing his money in Bollywood and became a film producer. Amitabh Bachchan whose character in Deewar was influenced by Mastan met him personally along with Salim. Being a film producer he had good relations with many of the stars of the yesteryears such as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dharmendra, Firoze Khan and even Sanjeev Kumar.

[3] During the Indian Emergency (1975 - 77) he was imprisoned. Whilst in prison, he learned Hindi. Haji Mastan became a Muslim leader in 1984 and formed Dalit Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh in 1985, which had Doulatram Kawle as a co-operator. The 1975 film Deewaar was loosely based on Haji Mastan's life. The 2010 film "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai" was heavily based on Mastan's life although it was not completely nonfiction. Actor Ajay Devgn portrayed the character of Haji Mastan as Sultan Mirza in the film while Emraan Hashmi portrays underworld don Dawood Ibrahim as Shoaib Khan.

References

  1. ↑ Deeptiman Tiwary; Abhijit Sathe (July 23, 2010). "The Real Haji Mastan". Mumbai Mirror. section City, p. 10. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  2. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/When-Tamil-dons-ruled-Bombay/articleshow/49623540.cms
  3. ↑ Bhattacharya, Chandrima S. (November 14, 2005). "Marilyn to Monica, don-showgirl relationships flourish". telegraphindia.com (Calcutta, India).
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