How Dhanbad’s mafia made it to the movies

Though Anurag Kashyap vehemently denies any connection with real-life persons, the characters in his film, Gangs of Wasseypur, are modelled on the actual mafia operating in Dhanbad.

Though Anurag Kashyap vehemently denies any connection with real-life persons, the characters in his film, Gangs Of Wasseypur, are modelled on the actual mafia operating in Dhanbad.

He says, “Gangs of Wasseypur is a fictional story of three generations. It’s a tale of revenge. It’s doesn’t depict any real characters, so I don’t know where the comparisons are coming from.”

Despite his claims, there seems to be enough proof to the contrary. Two of the reigning clans in the area — the Singhs and the Khans — have found their alter egos on screen. Real-life don Suryadeo Singh is renamed Ramadhir Singh and played by Tigmanshu Dhulia. Suryadeo was the reigning don in Dhanbad for 10-15 years. Just like his reel-life avatar, he started out as a security guard in one of the local mines.

In the Khan clan, Manoj Bajpayee’s character, Zeeshan Khan, bears a striking similarity to late don Shafi Khan, who was Suryadeo’s arch rival. He had two wives, a detail that’s found its way to the screen. After his death, his son Fahim Khan took over, a role brought to life by Nawazuddin Siddique (named Faizal Khan in the film).

Fahim is currently considered to be the biggest kingpin in Dhanbad. The film opens with a real-life incident that happened three years ago where he was attacked.