Meet Ved Prakash Sharma, Hindi literature’s ‘Biggest Player’ who turned pulp thrillers into a national obsession. His February 17, 2017, demise hasn’t dimmed his star; today, we revisit the man behind 170 electrifying novels born from 1955 Meerut.
Sharma democratized reading. His plain-spoken Hindi made complex plots of deceit, passion, and vengeance digestible for all. The 80s-90s saw his books outsell everything, with readers hooked like never before—thick paperbacks vanished in days, shared or rented voraciously.
Iconic ‘Vardi Wala Gunda’ stemmed from a gritty observation. In Begumpul, Meerut, Sharma watched a daroga savagely lathi-charge innocents, blurring lines between protector and predator. ‘How can a uniform hide a goon?’ This epiphany fueled the 1993 sensation that sold 15 lakh units overnight.
Other gems—’Bahoon Maange Insaaf’, ‘Kaid No. 100’, ‘Sade Teen Ghante’—mirrored real-world chaos through suspenseful lenses. Sharma’s magic touched screens too: Akshay’s ‘Khiladi’ series, his ‘International Khiladi’ script, 1985’s ‘Bahoon Maange Insaaf’ film, and Keshav Pandit on TV. Aamir Khan tapped him for a project, affirming his elite status.
Acclaim followed with Meerut Ratna (1995) and Natraj Bhushan (2003). After a prolonged illness, he passed in Meerut, but his stories continue captivating, proving one man’s vision can redefine genres for generations.