Acclaimed Bollywood lyricist and poet Dev Kohli died at 80 on Saturday after a long battle with illness. A prominent news agency reported that Kohli had been under medical care at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital for several months. Sadly, he took his last breath peacefully in his sleep.
Pritam Sharma, Kohli’s representative, confirmed the sad news and mentioned that after a prolonged stay at the hospital, Kohli was brought home about 10 days before his demise.
Over his illustrious career, Kohli penned lyrics for more than 100 films. Some of his iconic works include songs from movies like ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya,’ ‘Baazigar,’ ‘Judwaa 2,’ ‘Musafir,’ ‘Shoot Out At Lokhandwala,’ and ‘Taxi No. 9211.’ His collaborations with eminent music directors like Anu Malik, Raam Laxman, Anand Raaj Anand, and Anand Milind are celebrated in the Bollywood music industry.
His funeral is scheduled in Jogeshwari West at 6 pm today, where Bollywood personalities, including Anand Raaj Anand, Anu Malik, and Uttam Singh, are expected to pay their last respects.
Born on November 2, 1942, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Kohli moved to Delhi post-partition in 1949 and spent his formative years in Dehradun. His journey in Bollywood began when he arrived in Mumbai in 1964. He first tasted success with the film ‘Gunda’ in 1969 and further solidified his status in the industry with hit songs such as ‘Geet Gaata Hoon Main’ from ‘Laal Patthar’ in 1971. Over the decades, he continued to grace Bollywood music with memorable lyrics in songs like ‘Aate Jaate Hanste Gaate’ and ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun,’ leaving an indelible mark on Indian cinema.