Sacred Games: 5 lessons to learn from Ganesh Gaitonde

In many ways, Ganesh Gaitonde's fearlessness and ability to think out of the box makes him rise above his adversities and temporarily become the king of Mumbai.

The first season of Sacred Games is easily one of the most watched thrillers of 2018. 

Originally written by Vikram Chandra and adapted for Netflix, it tells the story of Sartaj Singh, a troubled police officer who receives a call from Ganesh Gaitonde, a gangster who warns him to save the city of Mumbai within 25 days. The events that follow will decide the fate of a lot of people involved in their lives.

While Ganesh Gaitonde is a negative character, he displays ample potential and skills of a true leader.

As we get ready for the second season, here are a few important lessons we all can learn from Ganesh Gaitonde.

1. Leaders are born out of opportunities

Gaitonde realises very early in life that if he wants to rule over Mumbai, he has to milk every opportunity that comes in his way.

While you may not agree with the means he employs, Gaitonde always finds a way out of his adversities.

When he finds his boss alone in the river, he convinces his friend Mathu to help kill him so he could take his place.

Gaitonde displays exceptional skills of a leader -- he fights his fear, analyses the situation for risk and takes a bold decision to lead a team.

2. Never be afraid to dream big

When Gaitonde proclaims that one day Kukoo will be his, everyone thinks he is just being too ambitious.

He is not even allowed to enter the club where Isa's men and Kukoo meet every night.

But Gaitonde never lets his present dictate his future. He is never afraid to dream and aim for the skies.

It is this ambition that sets him apart from the rest. Eventually, he gets Kukoo and shows the world that nothing is impossible.

3. Think different

In the 80s when the small time goons of Mumbai were busy gambling in drugs and ammunition, Gaitonde senses the big picture.

He realises that the big bucks are in politics.

Even though he is born Brahmin, he understands vote bank and caste politics. So you'll see him eating non-vegetarian food so he can influence Muslim votes against Brahmins.

His ability to think like a visionary helps him expand his business, make new friends and improve his network.

4. No matter how powerful you are, failure is inevitable

Gaitonde loves to believe that he's the real showman. He often keeps saying: Kabhi kabhi to lagta hai apun hi bhagwan hai.

It is normal for anyone to get carried away with success.

Just when you want to believe that Gaitonde has it all sorted, the cracks begin to show.

With his growing success, Gaitonde makes a few wrong decisions and ends up earning a lot of enemies.

The rift between Bunty (one of his own men) and Badariya affect his business and eventually lead to his downfall.

5. Failure is not the end

When Gaitonde is sent to jail and put in solitary confinement, with each passing day, he loses his courage and will to survive.

One would think he would die out of hunger and loneliness and that would be the end of his story.

Yet, he sees a glimmer of hope in cop Dilbag Singh (Sartaj's father). The few seconds of comforting words he receives from a stranger is all he needs to rise up and fight. 

While Gaitonde eventually succumbs to his crimes and pays a hefty price, one cannot overlook his hunger for success, his fearlessness and the ability to think out of the box, all signs of a true leader.

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