Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli’s funeral in Mumbai has brought together some of Bollywood’s biggest names, as Ajay Devgn paid an emotional tribute to the director who launched his career with Phool Aur Kaante. Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Sharvari and Rohit Shetty were among those who attended the funeral and paid their respects to the filmmaker, who died at 77 after a heart attack.

For Ajay Devgn, however, the loss carries a particularly personal weight. Kohli was not simply another director from the actor’s early career. He was the filmmaker who took a chance on a young Devgn in 1991 and gave him his first major screen opportunity.

That connection made Devgn’s tribute one of the most poignant moments following Kohli’s death.

“Some people change the course of your life forever.”

Devgn shared the message on X on August 26, adding that he would remain “Forever grateful” for the faith Kohli had placed in him.

Kuku Kohli Funeral Draws Bollywood Stars

Kuku Kohli’s final rites were held in Mumbai on Wednesday, with members of the Hindi film industry arriving to pay their respects.

According to NDTV and The Times of India, Aruna Irani, Kohli’s wife, arrived at the crematorium visibly devastated by the loss. Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Sharvari and Rohit Shetty were among the celebrities seen at the funeral.

The gathering offered a striking reminder of Kohli’s long-standing connections within Hindi cinema.

Although his name may not carry the same immediate recognition among younger audiences as the stars who appeared at his funeral, his influence can be traced through one of Bollywood’s most recognizable leading men: Ajay Devgn.

And that is the story behind the renewed interest in Kuku Kohli today.

Key Points

• Kuku Kohli died at 77 following a heart attack in Mumbai.
• He directed Phool Aur Kaante, which launched Ajay Devgn’s acting career.
• Ajay Devgn paid an emotional tribute to his former director on X.
• Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Sharvari attended Kohli’s funeral, according to NDTV.
• Rohit Shetty and other members of the film industry also came to pay their respects.

Ajay Devgn Pays Tribute to the Man Who Changed His Career

The emotional significance of Kohli’s death becomes clearer when looking back at Phool Aur Kaante.

Released in 1991, the film marked Ajay Devgn’s debut as a leading actor and became a commercial success. Kohli directed the film, which also featured Madhoo, Amrish Puri, Aruna Irani and Jagdeep.

Devgn was still at the beginning of his journey when Kohli cast him.

More than three decades later, that professional decision remains one of the defining moments of Devgn’s career.

In his tribute, Devgn did not focus on Kohli’s filmography or industry status. Instead, he focused on what the filmmaker meant to him personally.

That distinction is important.

Kuku Kohli gave Ajay Devgn his beginning.

And Devgn’s words suggest that the relationship remained meaningful long after their early films together.

The actor also reunited with Kohli for Suhaag in 1994, a film that also starred Akshay Kumar, Karisma Kapoor and Nagma.

Why Kuku Kohli’s Death Has Hit Bollywood So Hard

Kohli’s death was sudden.

According to filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who spoke to media outlets including PTI, Kohli had been feeling uncomfortable and was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Reports said he subsequently suffered a major heart attack.

The details surrounding his final hours have made the news particularly difficult for people who knew him.

Hindustan Times reported Pandit saying Kohli had been healthy and had not been suffering from a known illness.

India Today separately reported information from Kohli’s brother-in-law Balraj Irani about Kohli being hospitalized after feeling unwell and undergoing treatment before his condition suddenly worsened.

Those accounts help explain why the news came as such a shock to people in the industry.

Kohli was 77, but colleagues remembered him as energetic and active.

Ashoke Pandit described him as physically fit and positive, while also emphasizing the filmmaker’s importance to the industry.

From Raj Kapoor’s Camp to Bollywood Director

Kohli’s story did not begin with Ajay Devgn.

Before becoming a director himself, he worked as an assistant in Hindi cinema and was associated with Raj Kapoor, one of the most influential filmmakers and actors in Indian cinema.

He later worked with director Rahul Rawail, gaining experience before making the transition to directing.

That background is an important part of understanding his career.

Kohli emerged during an era when directors could build their reputations through mainstream Hindi entertainers that blended action, romance, family drama and music.

His directorial debut, Phool Aur Kaante, became the launchpad for Devgn.

He followed it with films including Kohraam, Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No. 1, Zulmi and Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa. His final directorial film was Woh Tera Naam Tha, released in 2004.

The Ajay Devgn Connection Is More Than a Bollywood Trivia Fact

For audiences discovering Kuku Kohli because of today’s funeral coverage, the most important piece of context is his connection to Ajay Devgn.

Phool Aur Kaante did more than give Kohli his first major directing credit.

It introduced a future Bollywood superstar.

The film’s famous opening helped establish Devgn’s action-hero image almost immediately. The young actor went on to build a career spanning action films, dramas, comedies and acclaimed performances, eventually becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most recognizable stars.

That makes Kohli’s role in Devgn’s career particularly significant.

When Devgn wrote that Kohli was one of the people who “change the course of your life forever,” he was effectively acknowledging the lasting impact of that first opportunity.

It is a reminder that some of Bollywood’s biggest careers begin with a decision made decades before the audience knows the name attached to it.

Anupam Kher Also Remembers Kuku Kohli

Ajay Devgn was not the only prominent actor to publicly mourn Kohli.

Anupam Kher also shared an emotional tribute, describing Kohli as a talented director but, more importantly, as a kind and gentle person.

Kher recalled knowing Kohli before he became an independent director and said his talent and dedication were already evident during his association with Rahul Rawail.

That tribute adds another dimension to Kohli’s legacy.

His career was not defined only by the films he directed. It was also shaped by the relationships he built during decades in the Hindi film industry.

Aruna Irani Faces a Devastating Loss

Kohli’s death is also a deeply personal loss for veteran actor Aruna Irani.

The couple had been married, and Irani was present at the funeral as family members helped escort her to the crematorium.

ETimes reported that Irani’s spokesperson had initially confirmed Kohli’s death because she was not in a condition to speak following the tragedy.

Kohli is survived by Irani and his two daughters, Pooja and Karishma Kohli, from his earlier marriage to Rita Kohli. Karishma has also worked in the film industry, including as an assistant director and filmmaker.

The presence of several generations of Bollywood figures at the funeral underlined how wide Kohli’s professional circle had become over the decades.

Why Kuku Kohli Is Trending Again

The renewed interest in Kuku Kohli is being driven by a very specific combination of events.

His death was reported on August 25, but the story gained another major wave of attention on August 26 when Ajay Devgn publicly paid tribute and Bollywood celebrities attended the funeral.

That creates a different news story from the initial death announcement.

Instead of simply reporting that a filmmaker died, the developing story is now about how Bollywood is remembering him — particularly the relationship between Kohli and the actor whose career he helped launch.

For readers searching today, that distinction matters.

The questions are no longer only “Who was Kuku Kohli?” or “How did Kuku Kohli die?”

People are also searching for:

• Who attended Kuku Kohli’s funeral?
• What did Ajay Devgn say about Kuku Kohli?
• Who launched Ajay Devgn in Bollywood?
• Who was Kuku Kohli’s wife?
• What movies did Kuku Kohli direct?
• What happened to the director of Phool Aur Kaante?

Those questions help explain why the funeral coverage is attracting fresh attention even after the initial death report.

What Was Kuku Kohli Best Known For?

Kohli’s most enduring association will likely remain Phool Aur Kaante, because of its importance to Ajay Devgn’s career.

But his filmography extended well beyond that debut.

He directed Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No. 1, Zulmi and Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa, among other films. His work reflected the commercial Hindi cinema of the 1990s and early 2000s.

For longtime Bollywood viewers, his films represent a particular period when theatrical entertainers were built around stars, songs, romance and action.

For younger audiences, however, his most important legacy may be easier to understand through one name:

Ajay Devgn.

Kuku Kohli’s Legacy Lives Through the Stars He Helped Shape

There is an interesting irony to the way Kuku Kohli’s death is being remembered.

The director himself had largely stepped away from the center of Bollywood’s spotlight.

Yet the career of the actor he launched never stopped growing.

That means Kohli’s influence continued even when his own name appeared less frequently in entertainment headlines.

His funeral brought that hidden connection back into public view.

As Ajay Devgn mourned the filmmaker who gave him his first major opportunity, and as Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Sharvari, Rohit Shetty and others arrived to pay their respects, Bollywood was effectively saying goodbye to a filmmaker whose most visible legacy may be the career he helped begin.

Kuku Kohli’s final chapter may have ended in Mumbai this week, but the opening chapter he helped write for Ajay Devgn remains part of Hindi cinema history.

FAQs About Kuku Kohli

Who was Kuku Kohli?

Kuku Kohli was a veteran Bollywood filmmaker best known for directing Phool Aur Kaante, the 1991 film that launched Ajay Devgn’s career as a leading actor. He also directed films including Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No. 1, Zulmi and Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa.

How did Kuku Kohli die?

Kuku Kohli died at the age of 77 after suffering a heart attack in Mumbai. Reports from India Today and other outlets said he had been hospitalized after feeling unwell before his condition suddenly deteriorated.

What did Ajay Devgn say about Kuku Kohli?

Ajay Devgn said Kohli was one of the people who changed the course of his life, adding that he was forever grateful for the filmmaker’s faith in him.

Who attended Kuku Kohli’s funeral?

Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Sharvari and Rohit Shetty were among the celebrities reported at the funeral, while Aruna Irani arrived with family members to pay her final respects.

What movie launched Ajay Devgn?

Phool Aur Kaante, directed by Kuku Kohli, marked Ajay Devgn’s breakthrough as a leading actor in 1991.

Why This Story Matters

Kuku Kohli’s funeral is not simply another Bollywood celebrity death story. It connects a veteran filmmaker’s final farewell with the early history of one of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars.

That connection — Kuku Kohli, Ajay Devgn and Phool Aur Kaante — gives the story enduring search value beyond today’s breaking-news cycle.

Did you watch Phool Aur Kaante when it first released, or do you think Kuku Kohli’s biggest legacy is the career he gave Ajay Devgn? Share your thoughts below.

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