Vikram Chandra

Vikram Chandra is a central figure in the book's framing narrative, appearing not as a subject of the underworld but as the author's companion in investigating it and the catalyst for the book's very existence. An established author of two bestselling novels, Love and Longing in Bombay and Red Earth and Pouring Rain, he is shown in the midst of writing his third, much-awaited book, Sacred Games. His role in the narrative is twofold: he is the fellow researcher who accompanies the author into the dangerous alleys of Dongri to meet gangsters, and he is the friend who, in 1997, first told the author to write a book and who later reiterated that he should write more often, ultimately guiding the project to completion.

Identity and Role in the Narrative

Vikram Chandra is introduced as an already established author, having written two bestselling novels, Love and Longing in Bombay and Red Earth and Pouring Rain. At the time of the narrative's events, he is in the middle of his third, much-awaited book, Sacred Games. He is not a gangster or a police officer but a literary figure whose interest in the underworld drives the book's investigative structure. The author describes him as a friend and, in the acknowledgements, as the one individual who made him believe in himself and encouraged him to become an author again. Chandra's presence legitimizes the book's journalistic and literary ambitions, bridging the gap between crime reporting and serious fiction.

The Investigation with Hussain Ustara

Chandra's most significant in-narrative action is his decision to meet a gangster who has wielded guns. According to the police, neither the retired, ageing don Karim Lala nor the gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli has used firearms, so Chandra wants to interview someone who has. The author, then a budding crime reporter, manages to fix an interview with the notorious gangster and police informer Hussain Ustara. The two writers follow a man with a scarred face through a series of crowded streets into a filthy, narrow lane in Dongri, eventually entering a building that has the sense of a dungeon, with dark, stale air and small cameras spying on them as they walk up. This encounter with Ustara proves pivotal: it is during this time that Ustara opens up and starts talking about Sapna didi, and since the author is taking down notes, she manages to put Sapna's story together. Chandra later mentions his brief encounter with Ustara in his article, titled 'The Cult of Authenticity', published in The Boston Review, and he allows the author to use this anecdote in the book.

Catalyst for the Book's Creation

Chandra's role extends beyond the investigation itself to the very genesis of the book. The author credits Chandra with telling her in 1997 that she should write a book, and last year he reiterated that she should write more often. Despite his work pressures, Chandra devoted immense attention to the book, reading it several times, correcting the flaws, guiding her with the correct format, and suggesting the title of the book. The author expresses that no amount of gratitude and kind words can be adequate in expressing thanks for his contribution to the current work, closing with a multilingual thank you: 'Shukriyaa, karam, meherbani, my friend Vikram Chandra.' This positions Chandra not merely as a character within the narrative but as a shaping force behind the book's structure, title, and final form.

Narrative Significance and Evaluation

Chandra's presence in the book serves as a narrative device that authenticates the author's access to the underworld. As a respected literary figure, his willingness to accompany the author into the dangerous world of Dongri lends credibility to the investigation. His interest in meeting a gangster who has wielded guns, as opposed to the non-shooting Karim Lala and Arun Gawli, frames the book's focus on violence and its perpetrators. Moreover, his role as the one who suggested the title and guided the book's format means that his influence is felt on every page, even when he is not explicitly mentioned. He represents the literary world's fascination with the Mumbai underworld, and his friendship with the author bridges the gap between crime journalism and literary fiction, making the book possible in both practical and artistic terms.