Veteran lyricist Dev Kohli passes away at 81

Dev Kohli, Pic/Agency Image

Veteran lyricist and poet, Dev Kohli, passed away in Mumbai on August 26. His demise was confirmed by his spokesperson, Pritam Sharma, to Indian Express As reported by India Today, his last rites will be conducted at Oshiwara Crematorium, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai, with the antim darshan taking place at his residence in Lokhandwala Complex. Prominent figures of the film fraternity, such as Anand Raaj Anand, Anu Malik, and Uttam Singh, are expected to attend to honor his memory.

Born on November 2, 1942, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Dev Kohli moved to Delhi post the partition in 1947. He subsequently relocated to Dehradun in 1949, where he spent his formative years. Making significant contributions to Bollywood, Kohli wrote lyrics for over a hundred films, including memorable titles like "Baazigar,' 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun,' 'Maine Pyaar Kiya," and "Shoot Out At Lokhandwala." His most recent collaboration was with Uttam Singh for the soundtrack of the film "Rajjo" starring Kangana Ranaut.

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Dev Kohli has had a legendary legacy amongst Bollywood artistes. Having worked from 1969 to 2013, Kohli's prolific career saw him collaborate with an array of music composers, from the legendary Shankar-Jaikishan to contemporary artists like Vishal-Shekhar. Reminiscing his journey in an interview with Planet Bollywood, Kohli fondly recalled his professional relationship with music composer Anu Malik. Their partnership yielded iconic songs, notably "Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein" from 'Baazigar' (1993), which garnered Malik a Filmfare Award. Kohli shared, "The first song I wrote for him (Anu Malik) was Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein... He used to praise me a lot among his peers, particularly about my ability to write songs very fast."

Kohli was celebrated for his unique ability to pen down lyrics swiftly. Speaking about his knack for 'writing songs very fast', he revealed, "I would always write the song in the studio itself... I have written most of my songs at one go."

The Indian literary and musical landscape has indeed lost a luminary, but Dev Kohli's songs will continue to resonate with fans for generations to come.