Filmmaker Raj Kaushal passed away on June 30. (Photo: Raj/Instagram)
Ad filmmaker Raj Kaushal, who also directed three films including Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, has died at the age of 49. Married to actor Mandira Bedi, Raj died of a heart attack at his residence in Mumbai on Wednesday morning. He is survived by Mandira and children Vir and Tara.
He started as a copywriter but went on to produce, write and direct films. He also made hundreds of ad films in over two decades of his career. Raj assisted directors such as Mukul S Anand and Subhash Ghai in the beginning but soon set up his own production house. He directed commercials for leading brands such as Birla Plus, Nestle, Surf and Hero Honda.
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The 90s kids remember this as the film with memorable music and that one chartbuster of a song – Musu Musu Haasi. Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi was Raj’s directorial debut and starred Rinke Khanna, Dino Morea and Sanjay Suri. The film was ground-breaking for Bollywood, as it presented 300 debutantes in cast and crew, an industry first in Indian cinema. While Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi failed to make a mark at the box office, the album continues to be loved even today.
Shaadi Ka Laddoo team at the audio release. (Photo: Express Archive)
Raj Kaushal helmed his next Shaadi Ka Laddoo, which starred Sanjay Suri, Ashish Choudhary, Mandira Bedi and Divya Dutta in the lead roles. It dealt with the complication of love and marriage and was quite a forgettable project. However, the film is still remembered for its promotional song “Chal Hatt” featuring Negar Khan.
My Brother… Nikhil (2005)
Sanjay Suri and Juhi Chawla while shooting My Brother Nikhil. (Photo: Express Archive)
One of the first films in India to talk about AIDS, My Brother…Nikhil was based on the life of activist Dominic d’Souza. Raj Kaushal produced the film for director friend Onir. While Sanjay Suri played the titular role, Juhi Chawla enacted the role of his supporting sister. The film was highly appreciated worldwide and Juhi even won the Zee Best Actress Critic Award for her performance.
Arshad Warsi and Sanjay Dutt in Anthony Kaun Hai? (Photo: Express)
Set in Bangkok, Anthony Kaun Hai had Sanjay Dutt play Master Madan, an underworld killer, who takes Anthony Gonsalves (Arshad Warsi) as his hostage. However, he is in for a shock when he realises that he is not the Anthony he was looking for. Apart from some action-packed drama, the film also had some fun elements. Fans were also treated to Sanjay driving the sleek Ferrari 360 in the film. Anthony Kaun Hai is the last film directed by Raj Kaushal.
Sana Farzeen is an assistant editor at Indian Express Online and covers Entertainment across platforms. Apart from writing articles, features and opinions, she enjoys interviewing celebrities on video. An alumna of Calcutta University, Sana has previously worked with the Times Group and Tellychakkar. You can contact her at sana.farzeen@indianexpress.com. ... Read More