Raazi-fame author Harinder Sikka returns with thriller set around General Zia-ul-Haq’s coup

Harinder Sikka, author of the 2008 novel “Calling Sehmat”, which later inspired Alia Bhatt-starrer “Raazi”, is making his return with new espionage thriller unfolding amid General Zia-ul-Haq’s 1977 coup.

“The Chabimaster”, published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), is Sikka’s fourth novel after “Calling Sehmat”, “Vichhoda” and “Gobind”. The book will hit the stands on Wednesday.

Set during General Zia-ul-Haq’s 1977 coup, the story follows Samy, a RAW locksmith known as “Chabimaster”, as he infiltrates a shadowy network spanning India, Pakistan, London and Istanbul.

A hidden steel box and its secret papers drive a tense, fact-grounded plot where ingenuity and judgment are as crucial as bravery. It's touted to be a taut thriller that unfolds against real historical events without portraying real individuals.

“‘The Chabimaster’ is the electrifying true saga of a barefoot banana thief who rose against every law of fate to become one of India’s most formidable secret agents... Emotion, danger, love, betrayal, raw geopolitics, ‘The Chabimaster’ delivers it all. Above everything, it celebrates the unstoppable spirit of a young man who refused to break, and instead chose to rise,” said Sikka, who also served as the former lieutenant commander in the Indian Navy, in a statement.

According to the publisher, the book combines a timely look at procurement networks, counter-proliferation and the ethics of risk in covert action with unusually detailed tradecraft — floor plans, ingress routes, hotel logistics and technical problem-solving — offering a level of operational granularity rarely seen in Indian spy fiction.

“The new novel invites comparison while standing on its own as a precision-tooled narrative about method, consequence and the limits of certainty,” they added.

Sikka also served as the producer for the film “Nanak Shah Fakir”, which received three National Film Awards in 2016, including the Nargis Dutt Award for best feature film on national integration.