Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld, a crime documentary film, is now on Netflix. It is directed by Francis Longhurst and Raghav Dar. The steaming platform describes the 87 minutes docufilm as ‘Gritty and Investigative’. It features several police officers who played a key role in controlling gangsterism in Mumbai (then Bombay) during the 90s.
The synopsis reads, “In 1990s Mumbai, a crime boss and his network wield unchecked power over the city — until the rise of “encounter cops,” who brazenly kill their targets.”
Mumbai Mafia: Police Vs the Underworld Recap/Review
One cannot talk in depth about Mumbai without mentioning the gangsters. The city has seen the rise of gangsters like no other in India. In the Netflix documentary, we are shown how these criminals controlled everything during the 90s. From wealthy businessmen to film stars, they had authority over everything. The cops had no upper hand back then.
The rise of Dawood Ibrahim and his D-Company only worsened the situation. There were frequent cases of bribery, robbery, threats, and murders. Several cops decided to take matters into their hands and end the dark mafia cloud that kept hovering over the city for years. We are introduced to Pradeep Sharma, former Mumbai Police Officer, along with Ravindra Angre (a former cop) and the late Aftab Ahmed Khan, aka AA Khan (IPS).
These three cops had the same mission – to stop the chaos caused by gangsters in the city. We see how the 90s was a time of uncertainty, fear and terror. After the deadly and unfortunate 1993 blasts, the shooters were not the only problems for the cops. They also had to deal with acts of terrorism and riots, something they were never prepared for. The real footage and pictures give you chills and an understanding of everything bad Mumbai has been through.
Every cop in the city wanted to show the gangsters that their time was over. They wanted to put an end to hooliganism and show their power. They wanted to show the citizens that the Mumbai police were trustworthy and capable of fighting back and creating fear among the mafia. Pradeep Sharma, Ravindra Angre and AA Khan had a different approach to these challenges.
The rise of gangsters led to the rise of encounter cops, and Pradeep and Ravindra were some of the top names on the list. They boast of shooting and killing over 100 gangsters on the city roads. They did succeed in controlling the violent environment the city was used to during the 90s and creating fear among the mafias. But what happens when one becomes the problem they are trying to bring down? The documentary depicts everything in a balanced manner.
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Mumbai Mafia documentary on Netflix features Pradeep Sharma and Ravindra Angre telling their stories, what made them shoot underworld criminals on the spot, the outcome of their actions, and their side of the story. AA Khan also shares his views on everything. Along with the cops, there’s also a former member of D-Company telling the horrific tales of Dawood Ibrahim.
Minty Tejpal, a journalist back then, also talks about being an eyewitness to many such incidents where the cops and the mafias clashed. We also have former investigative journalist and Indian author Hussain Zaidi, who has written several books on Mumbai’s underworld era. With more such eyewitnesses, journalists and guests, the Netflix documentary seems like an earnest and insightful attempt.
Mumbai Mafia: Police Vs the Underworld Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld documentary is a must-watch. It is not a typical saga of cops vs the bad guy. It addresses how the definition of bad guys changes with time. Sometimes, protectors can also become attackers. Eighty-seven minutes are not enough to tell the hellish incidents and experiences since the 90s due to syndicates, gang wars, cops vs criminal shootouts, organised crimes, terrorism and more. But it is an excellent attempt to make people think and research after finishing the documentary.
It is an engrossing, compelling and informative documentary that shows us the harrowing past of Bombay, then Mumbai and everything it took to become a city of dreams and hope for thousands of people today.
Watch the docufilm on Netflix.
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