Veteran Hindi film director Kuku Kohli, who played a significant role in launching Ajay Devgn’s Bollywood career, has died at the age of 77. The filmmaker passed away in Mumbai on August 25, 2026, after suffering a heart attack. His death has left the Hindi film industry mourning the loss of a director associated with several popular films of the 1990s.
Kuku Kohli is particularly remembered for Phool Aur Kaante, the 1991 action drama that marked Ajay Devgn’s debut as a leading actor. The film became an important turning point in Devgn’s career and established him as a promising new face in Hindi cinema.
Following the news of Kohli’s death, Ajay Devgn paid tribute to the filmmaker and remembered the confidence Kohli showed in him at the beginning of his career. Devgn described Kohli as someone who changed the course of his life and expressed his gratitude for the faith the director had placed in him.
The relationship between the actor and director began with Phool Aur Kaante. Released in 1991, the film became closely associated with Devgn’s arrival in Bollywood. His memorable introduction in the movie, involving two moving motorcycles, became one of the most recognised sequences of his early career.
For Devgn, the success of Phool Aur Kaante provided an important foundation for what would become a career spanning more than three decades. He went on to establish himself across action films, dramas, comedies and other genres, eventually becoming one of the most prominent actors in Hindi cinema.
Kohli’s contribution to Devgn’s career was therefore more than simply directing his first film. He provided the young actor with an opportunity to lead a commercial Hindi film at a time when establishing oneself as a newcomer was a major challenge.
The filmmaker and actor continued their professional association after Phool Aur Kaante. Kohli later directed Devgn in films including Suhaag and Haqeeqat. Their collaborations formed part of Devgn’s important career period during the 1990s.
Kuku Kohli himself had a career that extended well beyond the film that introduced Devgn.
He directed several Hindi films during the 1990s and early 2000s, including Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No. 1, Zulmi and Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa. His films frequently combined action, romance, family drama and commercial entertainment, reflecting the popular Hindi cinema style of that period.
Although Phool Aur Kaante remained his most widely remembered work, Kohli’s filmography demonstrates his contribution to mainstream Hindi cinema during a period when action-oriented commercial films enjoyed considerable popularity.
The filmmaker’s death also prompted tributes from other members of the film fraternity.
Kohli’s final rites were held in Mumbai on August 26, with several members of the film industry attending to pay their respects. His wife, veteran actor Aruna Irani, was present at the funeral. Actors and other industry personalities also gathered to remember the filmmaker.
Kohli’s professional journey was closely connected to the commercial Hindi film industry. His work during the 1990s coincided with a period when filmmakers were creating films built around action heroes, family relationships, romance and memorable music.
His films reflected the storytelling style that was popular with audiences during that era.
Among his most enduring contributions is the opportunity he gave to Ajay Devgn. The actor’s debut remains one of the defining moments associated with Kohli’s career.
More than three decades after Phool Aur Kaante, Devgn continues to be one of Bollywood’s leading actors. His career has included a wide range of roles and numerous commercially successful films.
The beginning of that journey is still strongly associated with Kuku Kohli.
Devgn’s tribute therefore carried particular significance. Rather than simply remembering Kohli as a filmmaker, the actor acknowledged the personal impact the director had on his career.
The message highlighted the importance of the opportunities that filmmakers provide to newcomers. For an actor at the beginning of a career, the confidence of a director can have a lasting influence.
Kohli’s decision to cast Devgn as the lead in Phool Aur Kaante helped introduce a new actor to Hindi cinema audiences. The film’s success subsequently gave Devgn the platform to build a long and successful career.
The filmmaker’s passing has consequently been remembered not only as the loss of a veteran director but also as the departure of a person who played an important role in the history of one of Bollywood’s enduring stars.
Kohli’s contribution also extends to the many actors and technicians who worked with him throughout his career. His films remain part of the commercial Hindi cinema catalogue of the 1990s.
His death marks the end of a filmmaking journey that lasted several decades.
Kohli was 77 when he died. Reports said he suffered a heart attack in Mumbai and was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. His death was subsequently confirmed by family members and industry colleagues.
The news came as a shock to many in the industry because Kohli continued to be remembered for his contribution to Hindi cinema.
Ajay Devgn’s tribute added a personal dimension to the farewell. His words reflected the long-lasting relationship between an actor and the director who gave him his first major opportunity.
For Bollywood audiences, Kuku Kohli’s name will remain particularly connected with Phool Aur Kaante and Ajay Devgn’s emergence as a leading actor.
The film continues to be remembered for its action sequences, music and Devgn’s distinctive introduction. Its success helped establish the actor at a time when he was entering an intensely competitive Hindi film industry.
Kohli later continued working in mainstream cinema, directing films across different genres. His career included action dramas, romantic stories and comedy-oriented commercial films.
While his later works did not achieve the same lasting cultural impact as Phool Aur Kaante, his contribution to the careers of performers and to 1990s Hindi commercial cinema remains part of his professional legacy.
The filmmaker is survived by his wife, actress Aruna Irani, and his daughters Pooja and Karishma from his first marriage, according to reports.
The Hindi film industry has now said goodbye to a filmmaker whose name is permanently linked with the beginning of Ajay Devgn’s journey.
For Devgn, Kuku Kohli was not simply the director of his first film. He was the person who trusted a newcomer and gave him an opportunity that would ultimately lead to one of the longest careers in contemporary Hindi cinema.
That connection explains why Devgn’s tribute carried a deeply personal tone.
Kohli’s legacy will therefore be remembered through his body of work, his contribution to 1990s Bollywood and, most significantly, the career he helped set in motion with Phool Aur Kaante.