Haji Mastan became a Muslim leader in 1984. In 1985 he set up Dalit Muslim Surakhsha Maha Sangh which had Doulatram Kawle as a co-operator. Aslam Kiratpuri, a well known journalist, gave him ideas on how to speak in public meetings after which he became a good speaker.
Expanding his clout in the film industry by giving money to directors and studios for film production, Haji Mastan became the first celebrity gangster of the city. He was a successful distributor and excelled in the cinema business.
Mastan began to produce films himself as his influence in Bollywood grew and planned his own foray into films with a project titled Mere Garib Nawaz, followed by other movies.
He was also well known for his links with the actor Dilip Kumar. He had excellent relationships with the who's who of Bollywood, names such as Shashi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Feroz Khan, Sanjeev Kumar and Raj Kapoor. While the movie Deewar was in the pipeline,Salim Khan and Amitabh Bachchan often visited him.
He was apprehended and jailed by agencies many time around as he was a notorious smuggler. He also had many friends in the world of politics.
Although he possessed a huge mansion in a posh locality off Peddar Road, opposite Sophia College, he virtually lived his life in a small room built on the terrace of his bungalow.
Haji Mastan was a man of style once out of his home and used to travel in a chauffeur driven white Mercedes-Benz which was a status symbol in those days. He always wore a pure white designer wear sporting a pack of imported cigarettes in hand.
His room used to be full of Tamil newspapers, specially flown in from Chennai as that was the only language that Mastan knew to read.
