New Delhi: In her latest book Gangster on the Run: The True Story of a Reformed Criminal, Puja Changoiwala delves into the transformation of Rahul Jadhav, one of the most wanted gangsters of his time, to an ultra marathoner, who now aims to shatter the national stadium run record.
The book has been published by HarperCollins, and is due to be released on 30 August on SoftCover, ThePrint’s e-venue to launch select non-fiction books.
Rahul Jadhav took the name ‘Bhiku’ after a character from director Ram Gopal Varma’s 1998 cult classic Satya, a gangster who was everything Rahul once wanted to be. He captured his don’s attention after gaining notoriety as a tech-literate criminal, running his extortion ring over Skype.
After his arrest in 2007, the extortionist and hitman was left a shadow of his former self, ravaged by alcoholism and drug abuse, which twisted his mind into a near schizophrenic state.
Today, he is an ultra-marathoner, who has covered over 3,000 km including a 2019 run from Gateway of India to India Gate, and aims to shatter the national stadium run record.
The book focuses on how Jadhav, who ran from a life of drugs and bullets, now runs to break records.
Former Mumbai Police commissioner and chief of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad Rakesh Maria has called the book a “thrilling, unputdownable read from a prolific journalist”, while Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota director Vasan Bala has said the book is “for sure a series in the making”.
Dangal actor Fatima Sana Shaikh has called it a “dazzling story told in the most affecting manner”, while author Ravi Subramanian noted that it is “a must-read for true crime lovers”.
Puja Changoiwala is an award-winning journalist, and author of the critically acclaimed crime book, The Front Page Murders: Inside the Serial Killings that Shocked India. She has worked as a senior crime reporter with Hindustan Times. A 2019 fellow with the Global Investigative Journalism Network, Changoiwala is recipient of the prestigious Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity, Red Ink Award for Excellence in Indian Journalism, Iceland Writers Award, among other awards.
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