SRK's 'Raees' Is Heavily Inspired From The Real Story Of Gujrat's Crime-Lord Abdul Latif!
After watching the first look of Rahul Dholakia's Raees, our instant reaction was WOW'. And, why not? Watching SRK transform into a complete badass is something every SRK fan has always been fond of. Apart from King Khan, the film boasts of a stellar cast that includes Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani heartthrob Mahira Khan.
SRK's vintage Maafia' look as a Pathaan made us swoon, isn't it? However, not many know that the film is heavily inspired by Gujarat's crime lord, Abdul Latif.
Who is this Abdul Latif, you ask? Well, Better known as Dawood Ibrahim's associate, Latif rose from being a bootlegger in Popatiyawad of Dariapur area to be an underworld don. Also, the only official D-Company man from Gujarat who had both police and political patronage.
Here are 8 facts about Gujrat's most Ruthless Maafiya, who was shot dead in November 1997 by the police in Ahmedabad while allegedly trying to escape.
1. Abdul belonged to a humble middle-class background and his childhood was spent in waiting on the tables in gambling dens & later his teenage was spent in serving liquor.
2. He became a small-time bootlegger and later became popular for monopolising the illegal liquor business in Gujarat.
3. In 1985, he joined hands with Alamzeb, a member of Mumbai's 'Pathan Gang', to counter his rival, Pappu Khan. Taking Dawood Ibrahim's help, he killed Alamzeblater and this helped him establish himself as the kingpin of the Gujarat underworld.
4. Latif had more than 97 pending court cases against him. 10 of them involving murder and a number of them relating to bootlegging.
5. In 1986, Latif was elected from five municipal wards in Ahmedabad, even though he was in jail at the time of the polls.
6. He was a pro at liquidating rivals in the underworld. To establish a firm foot and stay on the top, he resorted to some of the cruelest ways possible. For example, the famous Radhika Gymkhana multiple murders of August 1992.
7. He was one of the prime suspects in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.
8. Raees is not the first film which has drawn inspiration from Abdul Latif's real life. 14 years after the don was killed in an encounter, Director Sharique Minhaj announced a film called Encounter Latif in 2011. The film was released on 1st August, 2014.
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