S. Hussain Zaidi is an Indian author and former investigative journalist. His works include ', Mafia Queens of Mumbai, ', My Name is Abu Salem and Mumbai Avengers. S. Hussain Zaidi is India's most prolific crime writer. He has authored, mentored, choreographed and presented under the aegis of Blue Salt imprint. His documentation of the Mumbai mafia in books like, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, My Name is Abu Salem and Byculla to Bangkok is considered one of the finest pieces of investigative journalism. He is also considered as India's number one crime writer by the media, which is often published on the cover of his novels. Zaidi began his career in journalism while working for the newspaper The Asian Age, where he became the Resident Editor. Zaidi later worked for several other periodicals, including The Indian Express, Mid Day and Mumbai Mirror. His in-depth research on the Mumbai mafia has been used by international authors like Misha Glenny in McMafia and Vikram Chandra in his book Sacred Games. Zaidi was once kidnapped in Iraq. Zaidi has covered the Mumbai mafia for several decades. His 2002 book Black Friday detailed the 1993 Mumbai bombings, an attack comprising 13 explosions that killed 250 people. The book was adapted two years later, in 2004, into a film by Anurag Kashyap also titled Black Friday. The film was so controversial that the Indian Censor Board did not allow it to be released in India for three years and was finally released on 9 February 2007 after the Supreme Court of India allowed it following the verdict in the '93 Bombay blast case was delivered by TADA court. In Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, a historical account of the Mumbai mafia, Zaidi conducted an interview with crime bossDawood Ibrahim, who is suspected of having orchestrated the bombings. The book was adapted into a film, Shootout at Wadala by Sanjay Gupta. Zaidi is also associate producer of the HBO documentary Terror in Mumbai, which is based on the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. The 2015 Kabir Khan film Phantom starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, is an adaptation of Zaidi's book Mumbai Avengers, and the screenplay of the film has been written in co-ordination with the author. Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment, are making a web series titled, which is an adaptation of Zaidi's book Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia.The series will reportedly show Dawood Ibrahim's early life, the other mob bosses and his gang members. Shah Rukh Khan’s production houseRed Chillies Entertainment., Netflix film, Class of 83, Starring Bobby Deol. Directed by Atul Sabharwal, the film is based on Zaidi's book with the same title. Gangubai Kathiawadi is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language biographical crime film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhansali Productions collaborating with Jayantilal Gada’s Pen India Ltd. The film is based on Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai. The story revolves around Gangubai Kothewali, a brothel owner and matriarch. have acquired the filming rights to journalist ’s book co-published by Penguin Random House and Blue Salt, an imprint of Zaidi.
