Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli passed away on August 25 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai after suffering a heart attack. He was 77. Kohli had been admitted to the hospital a day earlier and underwent an angioplasty, but his condition took a turn for the worse and he suffered a cardiac arrest before he could be revived. His funeral, held the next day at the Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai, drew a large turnout from the film industry, and his wife, actor Aruna Irani, was seen in visible grief as she said her final goodbye.
Here is a full look at who Kuku Kohli was, his marriage to Aruna Irani, his daughter Karishma Kohli, and everything else that has come up since news of his passing broke.
Who Is Kuku Kohli?
Kuku Kohli, born Avtar Kohli, was one of Bollywood’s reliable commercial filmmakers through the nineties and early two thousands. Before he sat in the director’s chair, he worked as an assistant under Raj Kapoor and a few other established names of that era, learning the craft from the ground up.
His big break came in 1991 with Phool Aur Kaante, a film that is remembered today as much for its box office success as for the actor it introduced to the world, Ajay Devgn. The film also starred Madhoo and became one of the biggest hits of that year, setting Kohli up as a director who knew how to build a commercial hit.
He went on to direct a string of films that defined a certain kind of mainstream Bollywood cinema of the time, including Kohram, Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No. 1, Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa, Woh Tera Naam Tha, and Zulmi, which paired Akshay Kumar with Twinkle Khanna in 1999. Ajay Devgn, the actor whose career Kohli launched, posted a tribute after the news broke, saying he remained grateful for the faith Kohli placed in him at the start of his career.
Kuku Kohli’s Wife: Aruna Irani
Kuku Kohli was married twice. His second wife is veteran actor Aruna Irani, a familiar face in Hindi cinema for several decades, known for her supporting roles across film and television. The two were married for many years and Aruna Irani was by his side through his final days at the hospital.
So when people search for Aruna Irani’s husband, the answer is Kuku Kohli, the filmmaker behind Phool Aur Kaante and Zulmi. At his cremation in Oshiwara, Aruna Irani was seen holding back tears as members of the film fraternity gathered to pay their respects.
Before his marriage to Aruna Irani, Kuku Kohli was married once before. That first marriage ended, and different reports have referred to his first wife by different names, though there is no official confirmation on record. What is consistent across reports is that the couple had two daughters together.
Karishma Kohli And Pooja Kohli: His Daughters
Kuku Kohli is survived by two daughters from his first marriage, Karishma Kohli and Pooja Kohli. Unlike their father and stepmother, both of whom spent their lives in front of the camera or behind it, Karishma Kohli and Pooja Kohli have largely kept away from the public eye. Neither has pursued a career in the film industry, and there is little public information available about their current work or personal lives, which appears to be a choice both sisters have made deliberately.
Aruna Irani does not have biological children of her own. Karishma and Pooja are Kuku Kohli’s daughters from his first marriage, and reports so far do not indicate any children from his marriage to Aruna Irani.
Katrina Kaif And Others At Kuku Kohli’s Funeral
Kuku Kohli’s funeral on August 26 was attended by a number of familiar faces from Bollywood. Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal, and director Rohit Shetty were among those who came to the Oshiwara crematorium to pay their last respects. Their presence reflects the wide network Kohli built over a directing career that spanned decades and touched multiple generations of actors.
Filmmaker and friend Ashoke Pandit was the one who first confirmed the news of Kohli’s death to the press, describing the heart attack that led to his passing.
Bollywood filmmaker Kuku Kohli died at 77 on August 25, 2026, after suffering a heart attack and undergoing stent treatment at a Mumbai hospital. His condition later worsened, highlighting an important medical question: can a person still die after receiving a heart stent?
Doctors explain that a stent restores blood flow through a blocked artery but cannot reverse heart muscle already damaged during a heart attack. Severe damage can lead to heart failure, cardiogenic shock or dangerous abnormal heart rhythms. Rarely, a blood clot can also form inside a stent.
A stent is therefore a potentially lifesaving treatment, but it does not eliminate the underlying risk of coronary artery disease.
Kuku Kohli’s Best Known Films
A Filmography Built On Commercial Hits
– Phool Aur Kaante (1991), his directorial debut, which introduced Ajay Devgn
– Kohram
– Suhaag
– Haqeeqat
– Anari No. 1
– Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa
– Woh Tera Naam Tha
– Zulmi (1999), starring Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna
Can A Heart Attack Still Be Fatal After A Stent?
Kuku Kohli’s death has brought up a question many people ask when they hear that a patient received treatment but did not survive: if doctors placed a stent, how could he still die?
According to Dr Sameer Bhate, Head of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, a stent works by physically holding open a blocked artery so blood can flow through it again. What it cannot do is undo damage that has already happened to the heart muscle before the stent was placed. If a large section of the heart has gone without adequate blood supply for too long during the attack, that tissue can be permanently injured, and the heart may struggle to pump effectively even after normal blood flow is restored. In some cases, this weakened heart muscle can lead to further complications, including a second cardiac event, in the days that follow the procedure.
In simple terms, a stent treats the blockage. It does not automatically reverse the harm the heart attack already caused, which is why doctors continue close monitoring for several days after a stent is placed, particularly in patients with pre-existing heart conditions or delayed treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kuku Kohli?
Kuku Kohli, born Avtar Kohli, was a Bollywood filmmaker best known for directing Phool Aur Kaante, the 1991 film that launched Ajay Devgn’s acting career. He also directed Suhaag, Zulmi, Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa, and several other commercially successful films across the nineties and early two thousands.
Who is Kuku Kohli’s wife?
Kuku Kohli’s wife at the time of his death was veteran actor Aruna Irani. She was his second wife, and the two were married for a long stretch of his life, with Aruna Irani present at his final rites in Mumbai.
Who is Aruna Irani’s husband?
Aruna Irani’s husband was filmmaker Kuku Kohli, director of Phool Aur Kaante and Zulmi, who passed away on August 25 following a heart attack.
Does Aruna Irani have children?
Aruna Irani does not have biological children. Kuku Kohli’s two daughters, Karishma Kohli and Pooja Kohli, are from his first marriage, before he married Aruna Irani.
Who is Karishma Kohli?
Karishma Kohli is one of Kuku Kohli’s two daughters from his first marriage. She and her sister Pooja Kohli have stayed out of the public eye and have not pursued careers in the entertainment industry.
Why was Katrina Kaif at Kuku Kohli’s funeral?
Katrina Kaif attended Kuku Kohli’s funeral along with Vicky Kaushal and Rohit Shetty, joining several other members of the film fraternity who came to Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai to pay their respects to the veteran filmmaker.
How did Kuku Kohli die?
Kuku Kohli died after suffering a heart attack. He was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai and underwent an angioplasty, but his condition worsened and he suffered a cardiac arrest, passing away on August 25 at the age of 77.
Can a person die from a heart attack even after getting a stent?
Yes. A stent restores blood flow through a blocked artery, but it cannot repair heart muscle that was already damaged during the attack. Severe damage to the heart can still lead to further complications or a second cardiac event even after a stent has been placed, which is why doctors monitor patients closely in the days following the procedure.
