Quick Info
| Profession | Gangster |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 01/03/1926 |
| Age | 68 years (died on 25, Jun, 1994) |
| Birthplace | Panaikulam, Ramanathapuram District (Madras Presidency now Tamil Nadu), British India |
| Date of Death | 25/06/1994 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Haji Mastan (born Mastan Haider Mirza) was an organised crime gang leader and smuggler based in Mumbai. He was one of the infamous trio of mafia gang leaders in Mumbai from the 1960s to the early 1980s, alongside Karim Lala and Varadarajan Mudaliar. At his peak, he operated a powerful smuggling syndicate in Mumbai and along the Gujarat coast, later diversifying into film financing and real estate business. He was known as a shrewd businessman and cunning deal-maker who maintained friendly relations with police and government officials. Notably, he never fired a bullet or engaged in violence during his criminal career, making him unique among Bombay dons. After his release from prison during the Emergency, he entered politics and formed the Dalit Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh in 1985, later renamed Bharatiya Minorities Suraksha Mahasangh. |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 180 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
Personal Life
| Birth Place | Panaikulam, Ramanathapuram District (Madras Presidency now Tamil Nadu), British India |
|---|---|
| Place of Death | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Death Cause | Cardiac Arrest |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Pisces |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Married |
|---|---|
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Madhubala (unrequited crush) |
| Wife/Spouse |
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| Children |
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Family
| Father | Haider Mirza |
|---|---|
| Spouse |
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| Children |
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Career
| 1934: Migrated to Bombay at age 8 with his father | |
| 1944: Joined Bombay docks as a porter, which marked the turning point in his life | |
| Mid-1950s: Partnered with Sukkur Narayan Bakhia to smuggle gold and electronic items from Dubai and Aden | |
| 1960s-1980s: Operated a powerful smuggling syndicate in Mumbai and along the Gujarat coast | |
| 1970s onwards: Diversified into film financing and real estate business | |
| 1975-1976: Imprisoned during the Indian Emergency for 18 months | |
| Post-1976: After his release, gradually withdrew from smuggling and went on Hajj pilgrimage | |
| 1980-1981: Entered politics and formed a political party | |
| 1985: Founded Dalit Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh, later renamed Bharatiya Minorities Suraksha Mahasangh | |
| 1994: Died of cardiac arrest |
Favourites
| Favourite Actors | |
|---|---|
| Favourite Actress | Madhubala |
| Favourite Car | Mercedes Benz |
Style Quotient
| Wore designer suits and ties | |
| Kept his hair neatly combed back | |
| Maintained a sophisticated appearance despite his criminal background |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Haji Mastan smoked. | |
| 2. Haji Mastan's alcohol consumption is unknown. | |
| 3. He was born in the village of Pannaikulam near Ramanathapuram in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. | |
| 4. He grew up in poverty. | |
| 5. In 1934, at age 8, he moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) with his father. | |
| 6. To supplement his income, he worked at a small cycling repair shop. | |
| 7. He admired the wealth of the rich and famous while working at the shop. | |
| 8. Despite working for 8 years, he couldn't achieve his dream. | |
| 9. He started making money by smuggling gold with Galib Sheikh. | |
| 10. Later, he collaborated with Sukkur Narayan Bakhia on smuggling goods. | |
| 11. He fulfilled his dream of owning a bungalow in Mumbai. | |
| 12. Eventually, he became a film financier and producer. | |
| 13. He also had interests in electronics and real estate businesses. | |
| 14. Haji Mastan is known as Mumbai's first 'Don.' | |
| 15. He mediated between gang leaders to maintain peace in Mumbai. | |
| 16. Mastan didn't run his gang but was respected in the underworld. | |
| 17. He had strong ties with Bollywood personalities. | |
| 18. He was jailed only during the Indian Emergency. | |
| 19. After going to Hajj, he was known as Haji Mastan. | |
| 20. He helped the poor and disadvantaged. | |
| 21. He became a Muslim leader and founded an organization for minorities. | |
| 22. He admired Madhubala and married a lookalike actress, Sona. | |
| 23. His life partly inspired the movie Deewar. | |
| 24. He adopted Sundar Shaekhar, who didn't convert to Islam. | |
| 25. He favored Mercedes-Benz cars. | |
| 26. Haji Mastan never used violence or got into fights. | |
| 27. Mastan didn't run his gang through violence but was respected in the underworld. | |
| 28. He had a crush on Madhubala and married a lookalike actress, Sona. | |
| 29. He never fired a single bullet in his life. | |
| 30. He was the only Bombay don who ruled without sustaining an injury. | |
| 31. His illegal smuggling business was never caught by the government or police during his lifetime. | |
| 32. He maintained friendly relations with police and government officials. | |
| 33. He was good friends with Karim Lala, Varadarajan Mudaliar, Hassan Patni, and Bal Thackeray. | |
| 34. In his later years, he spent more time with his family, which he had previously neglected. | |
| 35. He joined hands with anti-drug abuse activists like Dr. Yusuf Merchant to encourage youth to stay away from drugs. |