Mumbai, August 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Veteran actor Madhoo has remembered filmmaker Kuku Kohli, saying a single phone call from him transformed her life and turned her into an overnight star.
Reacting to Kohli’s death at the age of 77, Madhoo told IANS that she was unable to believe the filmmaker had passed away. She recalled meeting him less than a year ago and said he had appeared “hale and hearty and happy” at the time. Kohli died in Mumbai on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.
Madhoo said she had recently reconnected with the filmmaker after several years and they spoke about their first meeting and his initial impression of her.
“And that one phone call from Kuku ji made me a star. I went from being an ordinary girl to becoming an overnight star because of that one phone call I received from him on a random evening,” she said.
Madhoo collaborated with Kohli on his 1991 directorial debut, Phool Aur Kaante, which also marked Ajay Devgn’s entry into Hindi cinema. She played Pooja, the female lead opposite Devgn. The film became a commercial success and featured Amrish Puri, Aruna Irani and Jagdeep.
Remembering her first interaction with Kohli, Madhoo said his call had changed the course of her career and expressed her disbelief over his sudden passing.
“Oh my God, may he rest in peace. Dear God,” she said.
Kohli, who was 77, was known for films including Phool Aur Kaante, Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Zulmi, Anari No. 1 and Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa. His death was confirmed by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, among others, who described him as a fit and positive person before his fatal heart attack.
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