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Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli died at the age of 77 after suffering a heart attack at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday, with members of the film fraternity, including actor Gajendra Chauhan, Bollywood stars Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Rohit Shetty, paying their last respects at the crematorium on Wednesday.
Kohli's final procession commenced at 10 am from his residence at Green Acres in Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West, and proceeded towards Oshiwara Crematorium. Actor Gajendra Chauhan, FWICE President BN Tiwari and Vice President Ashok Dubey were among those who arrived at the crematorium to bid a final farewell to the filmmaker. His wife, actor Aruna Irani was in tears as she reached the crematorium. Actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, along with filmmaker Rohit Shetty, Rajpal Yadav, and Javed Akhtar, also arrived to pay their respects. Remembering Kohli, actor Raza Murad said the filmmaker was his schoolmate at St Theresa's High School in Bandra and was two years senior to him. "He was my schoolmate, two years senior to me at St. Theresa's High School in Bandra. So, we were together in school," Murad said. Murad recalled Kohli's early association with filmmaker Raj Kapoor at RK Studios, where he worked as an assistant director, before becoming an associate of Rahul Rawail. "And in R.K. (Studios), he was an assistant director to Raj Sahab. Then he was an associate of Rahul Rawail. So, we worked with Raj Sahab as well, and also with Rahul Rawail in the film 'Gunaahgar'," he said. Murad also recalled working in Kohli's directorial debut, 'Phool Aur Kaante', which marked Ajay Devgn's debut and became a commercial success. "And after that, in his first film, 'Phool Aur Kaante', I had a very important role," Murad said, adding that Kohli was known as Avtar Kohli during his school days. "He was a low-profile person, not media savvy, spoke very little, and minded his own business," Murad said. While remembering his longtime friend, Murad also expressed concern for Aruna Irani, saying companionship becomes particularly important in old age. "I just feel bad for Aruna ji. In this advanced age, there is a great need for companionship. If that companionship is taken away at this age, loneliness becomes very painful," he said. "Companionship is all that remains; you live for each other. So, I feel very sorry for Aruna ji as well," Murad added. He said Kohli appeared healthy when he recently attended a memorial service with Aruna Irani. "He seemed perfectly fine, but the thing is, you never know when someone's station will arrive. We are all sitting on a train. The train is life. No one can say when or where someone might have to get off," Murad said. "It's all in the hands of the Almighty. He sends us, and He calls us back. We can only pray for the peace of his soul, and we can also pray for Aruna ji, that God gives her patience and the strength to bear this shock," he added. Kohli made his directorial debut with 'Phool Aur Kaante', which also featured Madhoo, Amrish Puri, Aruna Irani and Jagdeep. The film's success launched Ajay Devgn's acting career. He went on to direct films including 'Suhaag' in 1994, starring Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Karisma Kapoor and Nagma. His other directorial projects included 'Haqeeqat', 'Zulmi', 'Anari No. 1' and 'Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa'. Kohli's last directorial venture was 'Woh Tera Naam Tha', which was released in 2004. He is survived by his wife Aruna Irani and two daughters, Pooja and Karishma, from his first marriage to Rita Kohli. (ANI)
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