# Filmmaker Kuku Kohli dies at 77, Ajay Devgn, Madhoo pay tribute 2026-08-26T08:32:42+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 4 independent outlets Filmmaker Kuku Kohli died of a heart attack on Tuesday at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He was 77. Kohli directed the 1991 film Phool Aur Kaante, which launched both Ajay Devgn and Madhoo as leading actors in Hindi cinema. Ajay Devgn posted on X that Kohli changed the course of his life and that he was "forever grateful" for the filmmaker's faith. Madhoo told IANS she met Kohli less than a year ago and called his death unbelievable, crediting one phone call from him for making her a star. Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Rohit Shetty attended the last rites. Kohli is survived by wife and veteran actress Aruna Irani and two daughters from his first marriage. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The coverage is uniform straight reporting: all outlets lead with Kuku Kohli's death and Ajay Devgn's tribute, and give the same basic facts about the filmography and cause of death. The one difference is a relative emphasis point: Times Now and Bollywood Hungama build the story entirely around Devgn's gratitude, while Times of India gives equal weight to Madhoo's separate recollection of the phone call that changed her career. Cinema Express provides the most biographical detail about Kohli's earlier assistant work and his family. The balanced reading is that both the male and female lead of his breakthrough film publicly credited him, and neither framing distorts the event. ## Coverage Coverage: 4 sources, 4 neutral - timesnownews.com (neutral report) story built entirely around Devgn's gratitude, no other viewpoints - cinemaexpress.com (neutral report) straight news agency style, most biographical detail - bollywoodhungama.com (neutral report) led with Devgn's tribute, no other actor quoted - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) equal weight to Madhoo's reaction alongside Devgn's tribute This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources. Last updated 2026-08-26T10:35:35+00:00. Tags: Ajay Devgn, Aruna Irani, Kuku Kohli Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kuku-kohli-who-launched-ajay-devgn-dies-at-77/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kuku-kohli-who-launched-ajay-devgn-dies-at-77/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/