# Salman Khan mourns filmmaker Kuku Kohli, last rites held 2026-08-26T19:27:45+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Salman Khan mourned the death of filmmaker Kuku Kohli, who passed away at 77 after a massive heart attack in Mumbai. Khan called him 'Kuki ji' and offered strength to Kohli's wife, actress Aruna Irani. His funeral was held on August 26 at the Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai. Times Now reports Kohli had heart-related issues and underwent a stent procedure on August 24 after doctors found a blockage. He collapsed suddenly while talking to family. The filmmaker directed the 1991 hit Phool Aur Kaante, which launched Ajay Devgn's career, and other films including Suhaag and Haqeeqat. Assam Tribune reports Aruna Irani arrived visibly bereaved at the crematorium. The outlet details the couple's relationship, including that they married in 1990 when she was 40, and that Kohli had a first wife and two daughters. Kohli is survived by Irani and his two daughters. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets report the death and funeral factually. Times Now leads with Salman Khan's tribute and the medical details, framing the story around celebrity mourning. Assam Tribune leads with Aruna Irani's grief and includes the couple's personal backstory, giving a more intimate angle. The coverage is neutral straight reporting, neither source editorialises. The key takeaway is Kohli's commercial impact on 1990s Bollywood, with Phool Aur Kaante launching Ajay Devgn's career, and the private nature of his long relationship with Irani. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesnownews.com (neutral report) Leads with celebrity tribute and medical cause, no editorial slant - assamtribune.com (neutral report) Leads with widow's grief and adds personal backstory, factual This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-26T20:56:32+00:00. Tags: Aruna Irani, Bollywood, Kuku Kohli, Phool Aur Kaante, Salman Khan Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/salman-khan-mourns-filmmaker-kuku-kohlis-death-at-77/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/salman-khan-mourns-filmmaker-kuku-kohlis-death-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/