Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli passes away aged 77

Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli, best known for directing the 1991 blockbuster ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ that launched Ajay Devgn’s career, has passed away at the age of 77 following a heart attack.

The news of Kohli’s demise was confirmed by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, a close friend and longtime associate, who expressed shock and grief over the loss.

“I don’t know how to react because I was very close to him. I can never imagine that he’ll get a heart attack and die. He was healthy. He was food conscious. He was physically very fit. This man was always smiling, laughing and full of positive energy. I’ve never seen him sad. Being sad was not written in his life,” said Pandit.

Kohli made his directorial debut with ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, a commercial success that marked the entry of Ajay Devgn into Bollywood and went on to become one of the defining films of the early 1990s.

Remembering Kohli’s contribution to the film industry, Pandit highlighted his work beyond filmmaking and his long association with legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor.

“Apart from being a great technician who launched Ajay Devgn in his film Phool Aur Kaante, he has a legacy. He worked with Raj Kapoor for the longest time; he was an assistant director. He was a great filmmaker, great thinker, great technician and a great human being,” Pandit said.

He also recalled working closely with Kohli through industry bodies, where the filmmaker served as General Secretary of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) and the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA).