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Gangster on the Run: The True Story of a Reformed Criminal

Puja Changoiwala

4.50 · Rating details · 36 ratings · 34 reviews

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Published September 19th 2020

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Nov 27, 2020 moonlight_review rated it it was amazing

Gangster on the run

Can a person really change after having a controversial past?
This book is a biography of Rahul Jadhav. As a young innocent boy from Dombivali, he thought it wasn't possible for him to achieve all that he desired through right way, so he turned to underworld.
He was a gangster, an underworld hitman & an alcoholic, he went by the name Bhiku.

But something made him turn a new leaf. He left this life behind and worked on himself. Now he is marathoner and coach. To know the reason f ...more

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Oct 13, 2020 Krutika Puranik rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. • r e v i e w •
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Gangster On The Run is the story of Rahul Jadhav, who was once a budding threat to Dombivli and Mumbai. Contrary to other Underworld Dons back in the late 80s and early 90s who knew next to nothing about technology and internet, Rahul used his sharp mind to make the best use of computers. This, eventually set him apart from the other foot soldiers. His story is nothing short of an action movie, one that is masterfully penned by Puja Changoiwala. Puja, undoubtedly has the knack of • r e v i e w •
.

Gangster On The Run is the story of Rahul Jadhav, who was once a budding threat to Dombivli and Mumbai. Contrary to other Underworld Dons back in the late 80s and early 90s who knew next to nothing about technology and internet, Rahul used his sharp mind to make the best use of computers. This, eventually set him apart from the other foot soldiers. His story is nothing short of an action movie, one that is masterfully penned by Puja Changoiwala. Puja, undoubtedly has the knack of keeping the readers hooked to the story right from the start. An unconventional story of a reformed criminal, this book is extremely engaging.
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Born in a lower middle class family in the city of Dombivli, Rahul always had his eyes on things he couldn't afford. Living on a hand to mouth basis, all that Rahul ever received was hand-me-downs from his siblings. Although he didn't enjoy studying, Rahul made an effort to go to college but eventually dropped out when he found other means to make money. Dombivli back then was known for having notorious groups of young men who worked with bigger Dons in Mumbai. Rahul too found someone to work for and after he tasted the thrill of easy money, there was no stopping him. Puja draws a clear picture about how one gets involved in the Underworld. What starts off as extortion, slowly leads to harming people to imbibe fear amidst commoners. When his parents were intimated about their son's activities, they admit him to a computer class which ultimately turns into a biggest boon to Rahul.
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While other groups of foot soldiers worked manually to procure contact details of rich builders and Bollywood actors/directors, Rahul relied on the internet. This impressed his boss immensely and he was given more projects to make money. It wasn't long until he was entrusted with the job of shooting people to threaten them. Rahul, who was a severe alcoholic by then barely ate food and appeared ill. Just when he felt at the top of the world, the cops got a sniff of his activities and he was immediately arrested. Three years in prison eventually made him understand that he wasn't special to the Don. That he was just another foot soldier.
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His life outside the prison was difficult as he battled with alcoholism. His repeated visits to the rehabilitation gradually pushed him into running. It was running that finally absolved him of his addiction. Rahul's anger with the world for not accepting him as a human after his criminal stint made him channel his feelings into running. His life was nothing short of a miracle for surviving his addiction, for finding his own way out of prison and for now leading a normal life. Perhaps, it was his extraordinary mind that pushed him to study law books in the prison where he learnt how the law actually works. He found his own way to freedom. Gangster On The Run was without a doubt an interesting read, wherein the author threw enough light to see how criminal activities work. If you're looking for a fast-paced book that's gripping and intruiging, this one's for you.
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Rating : 4.3/5. ...more

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Nov 04, 2020 Stephy Simon rated it it was amazing

*Gangster on the Run*
The world is unjust, and the way a person deals with the unfairness makes him different. The Gangster on the Run is the story of an innocent boy who dreamed big, but the unfair world never let him climb up the ladder on a righteous path, or at least, he thought so.
Born on the then outskirts of Mumbai, Rahul Jadhav grew up with the determination to get everything he desired. He admired heroes of the past without bothering about the nobility of their actions.
" All he cared wa ...more

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Oct 02, 2020 Divya Mehta rated it really liked it

I loved this book! What a brilliant tale of struggle and salvation - what really struck me was how human it was. From the heady job of having someone's life and money in his hands to cleaning a drainage pipe, I was right there, beside Rahul Jadhav as he srted his intense issues and rose like a phoenix. Adapted with sensitivity and and a pace that will have your heart racing, this one is definitely a great buy! ...more

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Nov 26, 2020 Komal rated it it was amazing

This is the story of Rahul Ramakant Jadhav, who at a very young and impressionable age wanted to make easy money and idolized the likes of Dawood Ibrahim.

He eventually decides to become the "Bhikhu" of organized crime, after he saw the movie Satya 17 times and embodied the character of Bhikhu. ( Bollywood and it's never-ending love affairs with Gangsters😄)

Unlike his peers' slow and inefficient method of using khabris, he used the internet to remain anonymous and find out the contact details of p ...more

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Dec 05, 2020 Priya Shrinath rated it really liked it

Gangster on the Run is the story of Rahul Jadhav, an ex-gangster, hitman, alcoholic and whatnot. It is a biography and it doesn't feel so. If you're a fan of pacy, Netflix-like suspense thrillers, then this book will impress you from page 1.

So, Rahul had a tough childhood growing up in the rural Dombivali. From a kid with desires to achieve and tough luck, fate had different plans for Rahul. It made him turn to the underworld, become a gangster with a nickname and such.

There's another twist in R ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 Siddhant Agarwal rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020

The book is an inspirational journey that details the effects that the life of crime can have on a person, but more importantly, its about the will power of a person to reform and how a person’s choices can affect their lives. The book goes deep into the Mumbai of the early part of the millennium when it was ravaged by gangsters and how things unfolded during the time. A very well-researched book, Puja has incorporated some interesting insights into the lives of not just Rahul, but also the crim ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Priyaranjan Mohan rated it really liked it

This book is great, tight, interesting overall paint a great picture. When I finished reading this book. I was left wanting more, which is always a sign of a good book. A fascinating and almost unbelievable story about a remarkable gangster. The book is a story of Rahul Ramakant Jadhav. Who idolised underworld don and want to become a BHAI. Book has everything love, break up, drug, emotion,passion. Te language of the book is simple and easy to understand. The cover of the book is apt to the stor ...more

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Nov 30, 2020 Bloggeray rated it really liked it

One of the first things that come to mind when I recall the 1998 crime blockbuster Satya is Manoj Bajpayee standing on a cliff overlooking the sea. His character shouts, “Mumbai ka baap kaun? Bhikhu Mhatre.” (Who’s the boss of Mumbai? Bhikhu Mhatre). Bhikhu, of course, is the name of his gangster character.

What I didn’t know is that there was a young, real-life gangster in 1998, who took on the “Bhikhu Mhatre” moniker for himself. Rahul Ramakant Jadhav terrorised Dombivli in the late 90s-early a One of the first things that come to mind when I recall the 1998 crime blockbuster Satya is Manoj Bajpayee standing on a cliff overlooking the sea. His character shouts, “Mumbai ka baap kaun? Bhikhu Mhatre.” (Who’s the boss of Mumbai? Bhikhu Mhatre). Bhikhu, of course, is the name of his gangster character.

What I didn’t know is that there was a young, real-life gangster in 1998, who took on the “Bhikhu Mhatre” moniker for himself. Rahul Ramakant Jadhav terrorised Dombivli in the late 90s-early aughts with his shootings and extortion calls. Award-winning crime journalist Puja Changoiwala charts the life of the wannabe don of Mumbai from his childhood to present day.

The USP of this book is the feel-good finish that Rahul’s story has. Almost every classical gangster story – fact or fiction – ends with either the anti-hero riding into the sunset or going out, glorified, in a hail of bullets. Not so here. Having run from authorities, his family and himself for ages, Rahul Jadhav found peace in running marathons and conducting de-addiction counselling. It is nothing if not an utterly remarkable story.

There are familiar beats in the book, themes and tropes one sees across the genre, both in fiction and nonfiction. If you’re a crime/gangster genre aficionado, you’d find much of the early portions of the book familiar to you. But this is also a story steeped in its time period. The late-90s heralded the era of the Internet. Most gangs and almost all police departments hadn’t jumped on the bandwagon. As the book tells us, Rahul Jadhav, eager to please his bhai and faithful to the core, found that his dexterity with computers and the Net gave him significant early-mover advantage. These passages are some of the most exciting in the book.

The book’s opening section is another that grabs you instantly. Going through Rahul’s childhood, we are told of an incident so sudden and shocking that it’s difficult to imagine anyone suffering that to come out mentally unscathed.

The chronological, third-person narrator order of the book is helpful in taking us through Rahul’s life and mind. The narration is crisp and allows us to feel close to the action, finding guilty joy even in our protagonist’s illegal escapades. And it also takes us through his pigheaded, arrogant ideas of not giving up crime and addiction, because of a presumed belief, time and again, that he was going to strike it rich again.

A special mention of the depiction of alcohol addiction. The author’s stark portrayal of Rahul’s physical condition under addiction is as dreary as any I’ve ever come across. Although his crime history gets the major focus during his “working” days, we still get to see how alcohol dependency ravaged his body. It becomes more harrowing once he takes up rehab.

One of the things I was confounded by is the book’s timeline. I came across multiple instances of it being messed up. Although most of these instances don’t have a major bearing on the story itself, they were irritants in the book’s comfortable flow. Plus, I’d have liked some more pages to have been dedicated to Rahul’s long-distance running days.

I kept thinking at various points while reading it that this book would make a great adaptation, maybe as a web series more than a film. The narrative arc of rise, fall and redemption is there, with some astounding story about Rahul’s tech-savviness and desire to learn stuff even when behind bars. Looking forward to a production house picking up the rights to the book.

All said, Gangster On The Run is a remarkable, feel-good story about the power of dedication and determination. It’s proof that if we decide to take charge, it’s never too late to make a course correction in life. ...more

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Dec 03, 2020 Noor rated it it was amazing

Shelves: inspired-from-real-life, indian-author, informative, noorthebookworm, inspiring, life-s-amazing-secrets, new-release, noor-chauhan-chopra, fascinating, self-help-book

A boy, who lost his innocence to the Mumbai mafia;
a painter, who lost his art to the 9mm pistol;
a dreamer, who lost his ambition to cheap whisky;
a romantic, who lost his love to dimly lit bars and brothels;
and a son, who lost his ideals to hard cash
-- this is the story of Rahul Ramakant Jadhav aka Bhiku Mhatre
- a gangster, a gun runner, a sharpshooter, an alcoholic, a de-addiction crusader & an ultra marathoner.
A saga of grime & grit.

GANGSTER ON THE RUN- the true story of a reformed criminal
b ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Kiranmayi rated it it was amazing

Full review on my blog:
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2020/12/bo...

Rahul Ramakant Jadhav, the most wanted gangster and hitman of the late 90s is an ultra-marathoner now. Gangster on the Run is the true-life account of Rahul’s life as narrated by the author Puja, on how a notorious gangster had transformed into a marathon runner.

The story starts from the time Rahul was a young kid living with his family in Dombivli, the quaint place in the outskirts of Mumbai. As the youngest of three siblings with a ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Tanvi Mehta added it

Gangster on the run: Puja Changoiwala
This is a story of person who outran his demons, quite literally. Once a criminal who terrorised Dombivali in Mumbai, he is now winning medals and marathons and now, hearts of millions.
The story starts with a middle class boy who has been traumatized by certain events very early in his life. In a age where idols and role models are actors and athletes, Rahul was mesmerized by the Dons of the Underworld. The book then takes us how little Rahul eventually becam ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Swarali rated it really liked it

📌"I am thinking honesty is overrated, Maa. Had it paid, Baba would have been the richest man in the world!"
📚Gangster On The Run – The True Story of a Reformed Criminal is a biography of Rahul Jadhav who took up the name Bhiku in underworld.
📚 It is a story of a boy who lost his love to dimly lit bars and brothels, a dreamer who lost his ambition to cheap whisky, a painter who lost his art to the 9mm pistol and a son who lost his ideals to hard cash!
📚Rahul Jadhav was born on 11th February 1976 i ...more

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Oct 30, 2020 Dhruv Naik rated it it was amazing

Guns. Drugs. Murders. Extortion. Sex. Jail. Redemption.

This book has it all. It is a biography of Rahul Jadhav who went by the name of Bhikhu in the underworld. What amazed me is the detailing the author has been able to achieve, right from his childhood to Mr. Rahul's current life. No doubt, author has been helped by an equally amazing life story full of twists. It feels like a work of fiction, only it is 100% true.

The book lays bare the truth of how underworld function. It also gives an insi ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Kanika Arora rated it really liked it

No human being is a gangster or a hitman by birth. People, surroundings & circumstances, situations both financial and psychological makes someone become one. ‘Gangster on the run’ is such book, a beautiful story narration of a man named Rahul Ramakant Jadhav aka ‘Bhiku’ known in the underworld, how from an innocent boy of Dombivali, Mumbai, he became the most wanted gangster of all time.

If this book was only about how quickly he becomes wealthy and famous not by doing good deeds though, it wou ...more

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Dec 03, 2020 Bookscorner.21 rated it really liked it

Gangster On The Run is a riveting and inspiring tale of a boy Rahul who in a bid to get everything he desired, grows up to become a wanted gangster. Inspired by the cult classic Staya he even changes his name to Bhiku to suit his profession. ⁣
However his arrest in 2007 changes his life forever and today that extortionist and hitman is an ultra marathoner who has covered nearly 10,000 kms and aims to shatter the national stadium record. ⁣
⁣
- The storyline of the book here has been deeply researche ...more

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Nov 15, 2020 Ekta M rated it it was amazing

Gangster on the run is a true story of a Dombivali Resident ʀᴀʜᴜʟ ᴊᴀᴅʜᴀᴠ, a ɢᴀɴɢꜱᴛᴇʀ, ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʜɪᴛᴍᴀɴ, ᴀɴ ᴇxᴛᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴɪꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴ ᴀʟᴄᴏʜᴏʟɪᴄ.
This book showcases his journey from underworld shooter to becoming a ᴅᴇ-ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴏᴜɴꜱᴇʟʟᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴ ᴜʟᴛʀᴀ-ᴍᴀʀᴀᴛʜᴏɴᴇʀ.

Born on 11 February 1976 in a lower-middle-class family, Rahul was not happy with the family's limited means. He wanted cash and he thought underworld is the roadmap to easy money.
At the age of 21 he joined a notorious don in Mumbai. He use ...more

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Dec 06, 2020 Kirti Diwakar rated it it was amazing

It is said, “When life gives you a Second chance, give your Best Shot” just like the way Rahul transformed himself from the most wanted gangster to the ultra-marathoner.

The book, “Gangster on the Run” by Puja Changoiwala is a motivational read that takes you through the transformational journey of Rahul from the world of crime to the world of peace and achievements. This book depicts the dedication of a person proving that “Nothing is Impossible” and that life always gives you an opportunity pro ...more

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Oct 14, 2020 Pooja Chhabra rated it it was amazing

Gangster, Extortionist, Hitman, Addict these words have no undo option. That world is beyond the understanding of a common man, while for a gangster it's his own world. One can deliberately choose but leaving a dream on their own isn't something everyone can afford.
Puja in her book Gangster on the Road, presented the life of Rahul Jadhav with such a simplicity and his dreams of becoming a man different than his own father. Challenging various social evils poverty, caste, religion that leads a ma ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 bombayreader rated it really liked it

'Gangster On The Run' is the story of 90's Dombivali extortionist and hitmen Rahul Jadhav aka 'Bhiku' his advent into the underworld, his arrogance, petty fame, list and methodology of crime, prison life, judicial trials, fight with drugs and alcoholism and eventually winning over addiction through rehabilitation also giving up heinous crime world.

Today, he is a transformed man, an ultra-marathoner and a de-addiction counsellor.

Unlike many biographies of a gangster who took to crime and addicti ...more

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Dec 01, 2020 The Book Critiques rated it it was amazing

Gangster On The Run is the biography of Rahul Jadhav, born on the then outskirts of Mumbai and grew up with a resolution to achieve whatever he desired, Rahul was a big fan of Bollywood, he even changed his name to Bhiku after the protagonist of the movie Satya. His life was proof of his love for the Bollywood.
In the year 2007, the police were successful in arresting Rahul, but then what happened that made him an inspiration.
Read this book and find out yourself.

This is not an ordinary story of a ...more

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Nov 16, 2020 Aswathy rated it really liked it

The book "Gangster on the run" belongs to true crime genre and it was my first ever book from the same genre. I always wanted to read books related to this genre and I am so glad that I got a chance to read this book.

The plot of this book is based on Rahul Jadhav's journey from being an ambitious kid to being a gangster. It's all about the various circumstances or situations that made the protagonist to choose this dangerous path and also, about his life as a gangster.

The author has done a wond ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Bhagyashree Bhat (thebookishdoctor) rated it it was amazing

This book is the biography of Rahul Jadhav, a former gangster & his journey to reformation & becoming an ultra-marathoner. The book brilliantly potrayed how a young boy from a poor family living in Dombivali with great dreams & ambitions grew up to became an underworld hitman & an alcoholic. The author gave a detailed account of his life as a gangster, the inner workings of the underworld, his imprisonment & later on his rehabilitation. The author's story narration kept me completely hooked to t ...more

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Oct 14, 2020 Happywithbook rated it really liked it

Author Puja Changoiwala have beautifully written the biography of one of the most trusted and dangerous pawn of Underworld don Reddy...
The book takes us to the journey as how a boy from Dombivali began doing petty theft, moved on to become a gangster and then came back on a steady track
Book is basically divided into two parts...first involves the rise of Rahul as a gangster...the second basically deals with how a drug addict, extortionist and gangster steadily came up through the strong clutch ...more

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Nov 11, 2020 Shoma Abhyankar rated it really liked it

A non-fiction real life story of gangster Rahul Jadhav, the book documents the journey of a teenager from a humble family background who loved to paint and cycle in the neighborhood but found life as an extortionist and gangster more lucrative than what a college degree could give. A young boy disgruntled with monetary situation at home Rahul Jhadav, was drawn to the power and money that underworld commanded, found it fascinating and gravitated towards a life of crime. He chose continue his adve ...more

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Nov 12, 2020 Sitharaam Jayakumar rated it it was amazing

Puja Changiowala’s ‘Gangster on the Run: The True Story of a Reformed Criminal’ is the story of Rahul Ramakant Jadhav, a boy who grew up to become a criminal. Born in a lower-middle-class family, Rahul gradually gives way to his criminal instincts and grows up wanting to be a feared Don of crime. I liked the beginning of the book when Rahul loses his friend Dina, a girl who is six years elder to him when she commits suicide. Read the rest of the review here. ...more

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Dec 01, 2020 Aditi rated it it was amazing

To begin with, the cover of the book is really good. I liked the slant concept designer used, it really suits the concept
This book was like a bollywood mafia movie like me, like it was that relatable. I could literally imagine the words in a movie form. Language is really easy and a fast pace keeps you hooked from the first page itself. The storyline is really interesting and facts adds like a cherry on the cake
If you are ready for a Bollywood style mafia theme book then this book is definitely ...more

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Sep 22, 2020 Atul Amode rated it it was amazing

Highly recommended!!

What a marvelous story and so beautifully written! I bought this book after I read an excerpt from it in a national newspaper, and I'm so glad I did. It's basically the TRUE STORY of a gangster who turned his life around and it left me so, so inspired.

The writer has done a brilliant job! Such close attention to details - you can tell that only a reporter's eye could catch such nuances. Very rarely do you come across such gems. I cannot recommend it enough! ...more

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Sep 27, 2020 Rases Changoiwala rated it it was amazing

The book has a double advantage - a great true story and a great storyteller. Right from the childhood days of the protagonist to him becoming the Man Friday of one of India's most wanted dons to his eventual transformation, every detail is so intriguing and so beautifully narrated. Commendable research, certainly because the writer is a crime reporter. The book highlights not just her writing skills, but also her strong journalistic abilities. A must, must read. ...more

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Sep 27, 2020 Saral Saraf rated it it was amazing

I read it in six hours!

You just cannot put this book down. What a fabulously gripping read! The author seems to be an expert at keeping her readers hooked, and hence, this book is a page-turner in the truest sense of the word. Amazingly researched, brilliantly nuanced. This one offers a real peek into a gangster's life, leaving you moved, amused, entertained, and even inspired. A fantastic read! ...more

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