Age, Biography and Wiki

Karim Lala (Abdul Karim Sher Khan) was born on 1911 in Kunar Province, Emirate of Afghanistan (present-day Afghanistan), is an Indian mobster (1911–2002). Discover Karim Lala's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 91 years old?

Popular As Abdul Karim Sher Khan
Occupation Smuggling, narcotics, extortion, contract killing, illegal gambling, forced property evictions
Age 91 years old
Zodiac Sign
Born 1911, 1911
Birthday 1911
Birthplace Kunar Province, Emirate of Afghanistan (present-day Afghanistan)
Date of death 19 February, 2002
Died Place Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Afghanistan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 1911. He is a member of famous with the age 91 years old group.

Karim Lala Height, Weight & Measurements

At 91 years old, Karim Lala height not available right now. We will update Karim Lala's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Karim Lala Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Karim Lala worth at the age of 91 years old? Karim Lala’s income source is mostly from being a successful . He is from Afghanistan. We have estimated Karim Lala's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income

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Timeline

1920

Karim Lala was an Pashtun muslim who emigrated from Kunar, Afghanistan to Mumbai (then Bombay) in the 1920s.

His family settled in one of the most densely populated and impoverished Muslim communities of Bhendi Bazaar in South Mumbai.

Starting as an ordinary worker in the Mumbai docks, he later joined a gang of ethnic Pashtuns (called Pathans in India) who worked as illegal recovery agents for Marwari and Gujarati money lenders, landlords, and businessmen.

These money lenders and landlords employed the burly Pathans whose tall imposing size and intimidating demeanor made it easy to recover money from defaulting debtors and evicting tenants and owners from prime properties in the expensive south Mumbai area.

For over two decades, he was the leader of the dreaded "Pathan Gang" that operated in impoverished and crime-infested Muslim ghettos of South Mumbai like Dongri, Nagpada, Bhendi Bazaar, and Mohammad Ali Road.

The Pathan Gang was involved in operating illegal gambling (satta) and liquor dens, illegal money recovery, illegal land evictions, kidnapping, protection racket (hafta), contract killing (supari), distribution of narcotics and counterfeit currency.

Lala soon rose up the ranks to be the chief of the "Pathan Gang" that became notorious for contract killings, forced evictions from property, kidnapping, and extortion.

The gang operated several "carrom clubs" that were a facade for illegal moneylending, gambling, and betting rackets.

1970

In the 1970s, Lala agreed to a pact with the other two ganglords, Haji Mastan and Varadarajan Mudaliar to divide Mumbai amongst themselves so that they could freely run their criminal activities without any conflict between each other.

Due to failing health during the late seventies, Lala gradually transferred the leadership of the Pathan gang to his nephew, Samad Khan and then managed his hotel and transport business.

Although Lala had several illegitimate businesses, his legitimate business included two hotels (Al Karim Hotel and New India Hotel) and a travel and passport agency called New India Tours and Travels.

Lala remained friendly with his other counterparts- Haji Mastan and Varadarajan.

He was also close to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray

1973

The 1973 movie, Zanjeer, the writer duo, Salim–Javed created a Pathan character called "Sher Khan" (played by actor Pran) whose mannerisms resembled Karim Lala.

1980

In 1980, Lala unsuccessfully tried to mediate peace between his nephew, Samad Khan and his rivals, Shabir Ibrahim Kaskar and Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Lala also held a weekly "durbar" where people from different walks of life narrated their grievances to Lala and he helped them financially or to get justice using his gang's muscle power.

2002

Karim Lala (1911 – 19 February 2002), born as Abdul Karim Sher Khan in the Samalam Village of the Shegal District of the Kunar province of Afghanistan, was infamous as one of the three "mafia dons of Mumbai" in India for more than two decades from the sixties to the early eighties.

The other two being Mastan Mirza aka Haji Mastan and Varadarajan Mudaliar.

He died on 19 February 2002 at the age of 90.

His younger brother (Ali Mohammed) was living in Kabul Afghanistan at that time and could never meet his brother.

During his peak, Lala frequently invited several personalities from Bollywood (Hindi film industry) to his daawats (parties) and Eid celebrations.

Many characters from Bollywood movies closely resemble Karim Lala and his mannerisms and accent.

2003

Widely considered to be the inspiration for the magnanimous crime lord Abdel Khader Khan in the 2003 bestselling novel Shantaram, Karim shares personal and behavioral similarities with the fictional mafia don.

2011

Malayalam movie Christian brothers(2011) had a similar character named Karim Lala played by R Sharathkumar

Ajay Devgn played the character of Karim Lala in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2022 film Gangubai Kathiawadi.