Kuku Kohli, Veteran Director Who Launched Ajay Devgn’s Career, Dies at 77

Avtar “Kuku” Kohli, the veteran Bollywood filmmaker whose directorial debut famously launched the career of superstar Ajay Devgn, died at the age of 77 on August 25, 2026. Kohli passed away at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai after suffering a massive heart attack. His passing marks the end of a career that spanned more than three decades and helped define the action-drama landscape of Indian commercial cinema in the 1990s.

Early Life and Mentorship

Avtar Kohli was born on June 4, 1949, in Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan). Moving to India following the Partition, he developed a deep interest in cinema and eventually sought mentorship under the legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Kohli spent several years assisting Kapoor on landmark projects, including Bobby (1973), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), and Prem Rog (1982). He later served as the second unit director for Rahul Rawail on the hit films Betaab (1983) and Arjun (1985), both of which featured Sunny Deol.

Breakthrough and Career Accomplishments

Kohli made his independent directorial debut in 1991 with Phool Aur Kaante. The film was a massive commercial success, achieving diamond jubilee status and earning Ajay Devgn the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. The movie is widely remembered for Devgn’s iconic entry scene, where he balanced himself between two moving motorcycles—a stunt that became a hallmark of the actor's persona and Kohli’s visual style. Following this success, Kohli directed the action-drama Kohraam (1991) starring Dharmendra.

His career peaked in the mid-1990s with several high-grossing films. In 1994, he directed Suhaag, which brought together Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar for the first time. In 1995, he directed Haqeeqat, featuring Devgn and Tabu, which earned seven Filmfare Award nominations, including a nomination for Kohli as Best Director. He also received a Best Director nomination for the same film at the Screen Awards.

Notable Works

Kohli was known for his ability to blend high-octane action with emotional drama. His filmography includes:

• Phool Aur Kaante (1991)
• Kohraam (1991)
• Suhaag (1994)
• Haqeeqat (1995)
• Zulmi (1999)
• Anari No. 1 (1999)
• Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa (2002)
• Woh Tera Naam Tha (2004)

Personal Life

Kuku Kohli married veteran actress Aruna Irani in 1990. The couple met professionally on a film set, and their marriage remained a private matter for many years due to Kohli’s previous marriage to Rita Kohli. He had two daughters from his first marriage: Pooja Kohli, who became a film producer, and Karishma Kohli, a filmmaker known for her work as an assistant director on Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and for co-directing the Netflix series The Fame Game. Kohli is survived by his wife, Aruna Irani, and his two daughters.

Legacy

Kuku Kohli is remembered as a director with a keen eye for commercial appeal and a significant role in shaping the careers of 1990s stars. His legacy resides in his contribution to the action genre and his reputation for introducing fresh talent to the Indian film industry. His funeral rites were held at the Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai, attended by numerous members of the film fraternity who gathered to pay tribute to his long-standing career.