Ajay Devgn pays emotional tribute to ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ director Kuku Kohli: ‘Forever grateful for the faith you had in me’

Following the death of veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli at 77, Ajay Devgn took to social media to pay an emotional tribute, remembering the man who had launched his career in Bollywood with ‘Phool Aur Kaante’. Kohli succumbed to a heart attack on Tuesday, and news of his passing has left the Hindi film industry mourning a director credited with shaping the trajectories of many actors

Ajay Devgn’s heartfelt note for the filmmaker

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Ajay penned a touching note for the filmmaker, reflecting on how deeply Kohli had shaped both his personal journey and career. “Some people change the course of your life forever. Kuku ji was one of those people for me. Forever grateful for the faith you had in me. You will be deeply missed, Kuku ji. Om Shanti,” the actor wrote.

Ajay Devgn’s iconic debut with Kuku Kohli

Ajay and Kohli’s professional bond began in 1991 with ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, the film that gave Devgn his start in Hindi cinema. The action-romance proved to be a big hit, positioning Devgn as an exciting fresh face in the industry. His daredevil entrance scene, riding two moving motorcycles at once, has since become one of the most celebrated hero debuts in Bollywood.

Kuku Kohli’s mainstream Hindi films after Ajay Devgn’s debut

Following the success of ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, Kohli went on to direct several other mainstream Hindi films, including ‘Suhaag’, ‘Haqeeqat’, ‘Kohram’, ‘Baadshah’ and ‘Hulchul’. His work was characterised by a mix of action, romance, family drama and music, a formula that captured the pulse of mainstream Bollywood through the 1990s and into the early 2000s.

Kuku Kohli’s hospitalisation and family

As per reports, the filmmaker was rushed to Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital after suffering a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, veteran actress Aruna Irani, along with two daughters from his first marriage.

Kuku Kohli’s journey before directing Ajay Devgn

Kuku Kohli began his career working under Raj Kapoor and later served as second unit director on ‘Betaab’, the film that launched Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh. He made his directorial debut with ‘Phool Aur Kaante’, which similarly proved to be a launching pad, this time for Ajay Devgn. He later directed ‘Suhaag’, featuring Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Karishma Kapoor and Nagma, which went on to achieve golden jubilee status. In 1990, Kuku Kohli married actress Aruna Irani.