Starring: Minty Tejpal, Pradeep Sharma, Ravindra Angre, Shyam Kishore, A.A. Khan, Zaidi, Puja Changoiwala, Alex Perry
Directors: Raaghav Dar, Francis Longhurst
‘Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld’ aired on Netflix this month. As the title suggests, the documentary centres around the struggle that broke out in 1990s Mumbai after mafia gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s rise to power.
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Real footage from past media coverage, interviews and newspaper headlines are combined with snippets from people such as ex ‘encounter cop’ Pradeep Sharma (the famed Mumbai cop known for his ‘encounter’ score), journalist-turned-author Zaidi (who has authored well-known books such as Dongri to Dubai and Mafia Queens of Mumbai, a chapter from which inspired Gangubai Kathiawadi), and a gangster, Shyam Kishore, who worked with the D company and Dawood himself, among others.
Produced by Minnow Productions, the documentary is a good starting point for someone who is dipping their toe in the world of Mumbai’s notorious gangsters for the first time ever. Starting off with explanations of terms like hafta (fees), the film is well suited to a global audience for whom the entire premise might be unfamiliar and, therefore, exciting.
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For an audience that is all too familiar with Bollywood tropes such as ‘don,’ ‘underworld’ and ‘mafia,’ however, there is little to discover in the 1:27hr film. Although it aspires to be a documentary which provides both sides of the story, the film shies away from prodding beyond the superficial battle of ‘right’ and ‘wrong,’ despite gaining access to fascinating interviewees who no doubt have a wealth of insight into the topic. The documentary carries a lot of potential with a real opportunity to deep-dive into the intricacies and workings of organised crime, something only briefly touched upon, and the psychology of the policemen as well as gangsters involved, apart from the few references to the inter-department competition.
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Exploring the several grey areas, may they be ethical or legal, is something the film would have benefited from. Nevertheless, Mumbai Mafia has good cinematography and a fitting background score, making it a watchable film if you find yourself bored this weekend.