Rajkumar Kohli, filmmaker known for Nagin, Jaani Dushman, passes away at 93

Filmmaker Rajkumar Kohli, best known for directing fantasy fiction hits like Nagin and Jaani Dushman in the 70s, passed away in Mumbai on Friday. He was 93. The filmmaker had a heart attack on Friday morning at 8 and passed away soon after. Sources inform us that a funeral is set to take place later in the evening.

Rajkumar Kohli was born in 1930 and began his journey in films in the 1960s with the 1963 release Sapni and directing Punjabi film Dulla Bhatti in 1966. He followed it up with moderate successes in Hindi cinema like Lootera (1970) and Kahani Hum Sab Ki (1973). But it was with the 1976 multi-starrer superhit Nagin that he broke through. He followed it up with another multistarrer hit Jaani Dushman, one of India’s first horror hits, released in 1979.

Kohli’s subsequent career was not as successful even as he gave a few hits, namely Naukar Biwi Ka (1983) and Inteqaam (1988). He moved away from filmmaking in the 90s, directing only one film after the turn of the century. His last release – Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani – was a throwback to his 70s’ hits, complete with big stars and modern VFX. However, its failure meant that Kohli quit the industry.

Kohli was married to Nishi, a Punjabi film star whom he worked with in his 1963 Punjabi film Pind Di Kudi. Kohli has two sons – Gogi and Armaan. His younger son Armaan is an actor, whom he directed in his final film – Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahaani – released in 2002.