Mumbai, 26 Aug (HS): Veteran Bollywood director Kuku

Kohli passed away at the age of 77. He breathed his last at Kokilaben Hospital

in Mumbai after suffering a cardiac arrest. The news of his death sent

shockwaves through the Hindi film industry. Kuku Kohli was among the directors

who gave a new direction to the careers of many popular stars of Hindi cinema

in the 1990s. He is particularly credited with giving actor Ajay Devgn his first

big break in the film industry.

Born as Avtar Kohli, Kuku Kohli started his film

career as an assistant director to actor and director Raj Kapoor. He worked

with Raj Kapoor for about 11 years. During this time, he was involved in the

production process of popular films such as Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, and

Prem Rog. After watching and understanding Raj Kapoor's filmmaking from close

quarters, he prepared his way to direction.

Kuku Kohli then worked with Rahul Rawail as a second

unit director. This period with films like Betaab and Arjun prepared him for

independent direction. In 1991, he got that chance, which changed his future.

With the film Phool Aur Kaante, he launched Ajay Devgn as an actor. The success

of the film gave Ajay Devgn overnight recognition and also established Kuku

Kohli's name in the industry.

Kuku Kohli then directed Suhaag, which marked the

first on-screen pairing of Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. Starring Karisma Kapoor

and Nagma, the film was also well received by the audience. In addition, he

directed films such as Haqeeqat with Ajay Devgn and Tabu, Anari No. 1 with

Govinda, and the Akshay Kumar-Twinkle Khanna starrer Zulmi.

Kuku Kohli's films were a mix of action, romance,

family sentiment and entertainment. Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa in 2002 was among the

memorable films of his career. The romantic film, starring Karan Nath and

Zeenat Aman, is particularly remembered for the music of Nadeem-Shravan. The

film was re-released in theatres in 2026, nearly two decades after its release,

reviving the audience's nostalgia for Kuku Kohli's films.

Kuku Kohli's last film as a director was Woh Tera

Naam Tha in 2004. The film marked the acting debuts of Arjan Bajwa and Kanchi

Kaul. He then moved away from direction but his films in the 1990s and early

2000s kept him in the league of popular directors in Hindi cinema.

Kuku Kohli's personal life was also often in the

news. He had married twice. He has two daughters, Pooja and Karishma, with his

first wife, Rita Kohli. In 1990, he remarried to popular actress Aruna Irani.

The two didn't have children. Kuku Kohli and Aruna Irani's relationship was a

topic of discussion in the film industry for a long time.

In a film career spanning nearly four decades, Kuku

Kohli went from being an assistant director to a successful film director. He

not only brought many popular films to the screen but also gave a big star to

Hindi cinema by launching a star like Ajay Devgn. His death marks the end of an

era of Bollywood and a filmmaker whose films and the artists associated with

them will be remembered for a long time.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar