Veteran Bollywood Director Kuku Kohli Dies at Age 77

Filmmaker Kuku Kohli, who gave Bollywood its first glimpse of Ajay Devgn on screen, passed away at 77 after suffering a heart attack. He's best remembered for directing Phool Aur Kaante in 1991, the film that launched Devgn's career with one of Hindi cinema's most talked-about entry scenes.

Kuku Kohli's Career

Kuku Kohli didn't start as a director;  he learned the ropes working under Raj Kapoor, one of Indian cinema's biggest names. From there, he assisted Rahul Rawail on two Sunny Deol hits, Betaab (1983) and Arjun (1985), before stepping into the director's chair himself.

His big break came with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991. The action thriller not only introduced Ajay Devgn but became a massive hit, remembered even today for its stunt-heavy opening. Kohli followed this up the same year with Kohraam, starring Dharmendra.

The 1990s turned out to be Kohli's most productive decade. Suhaag (1994), featuring Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Karisma Kapoor, was another major success. He reunited with Devgn again for Haqeeqat (1995), and then delivered the comedy hit Anari No. 1 (1999) with Govinda and Raveena Tandon. That same year, he directed Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna in Zulmi. After 1999, his output slowed considerably — he made just two more films, Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa (2002) and Woh Tera Naam Tha (2004).

About Kuku Kohli

Kuku Kohli's personal life was closely tied to the film industry too. His first marriage, to Rita Kohli, gave him two children, producer Pooja Kohli and director Karishma Kohli, known for co-directing the Netflix series The Fame Game. He later married veteran actress Aruna Irani in 1990; the couple didn't have children together. His last rites were performed at Oshiwara Crematorium in Mumbai.