Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhanth Kapoor, Ankur Bhatia, Rajesh Tailang
Director: Apoorva Lakhia

There’s a note of contrived paradox in the title of Haseena Parkar. As the Queen of Mumbai who ruled Nagpada, who carried orders given by her Dubai-based (and later Karachi-based) brother Dawood, and made sure that the Nagpada residents called her “Aapa” or elder sister, as she dubiously ran her crime syndicate from Golden Hall, and reportedly had assets worth Rs 5,000 crores, she is shown as someone who only inherited the debatable distinction of being at the helm. But why are we made to see a 124-minute film based on her life? Is it only because she literally got away with murder? The writers of the film have no easy answers. Neither do they let us know what they feel about her. Haseena, on her part, is pretty interesting. It is believed that be it hawala, or overseas rights of Bollywood movies, and extortion to construction sectors, she had a definite say in everything. Everyone who had even remotely anything to do with crime in Mumbai knew she ruled Mumbai like an underworld queen. And that she could get anyone out of her way too, if ever, she so desired. She came to be associated with crime leaving no room for doubt that the fear among masses continued. Yet, from Apoorva Lakhia’s account of her life — from her role as the caring elder sister to someone who would believe her most-wanted brother’s near confession that he did no wrong in bomb blasts in Mumbai to finally her transition into the dreaded don who could be as ruthless as her sibling — is rather sympathetic, even presented as a wholesome victim of reputation.