One of India’s most acclaimed investigative journalists turned bestselling author, S. Hussain Zaidi, had the members of Only Women completely engrossed with his enthralling accounts of women in the underworld.

He brought to life the stories of formidable figures who operated behind some of India’s most notorious mafia networks, from Amina Bai and Jenabai Daruwala to Haseena Parkar and Cleopatra, offering rare insights into their influence and power.

So compelling was the session that members urged him to continue for an additional half hour — and even then, the fascination with Mumbai’s underbelly lingered.

Several acclaimed films, including Black Friday, Shootout at Wadala, Phantom, and Gangubai Kathiawadi, draw from Zaidi’s powerful body of work.