The news of his passing has left the film industry in mourning. A statement from his close circle read, “With profound grief we inform you the passing of our renowned Producer and our esteemed member Pahlaj Nihalani on 4th June 2026.” The last rites are expected to be attended by family members, friends, and colleagues from the film fraternity who worked with him across decades.
Nihalani had been associated with Bollywood since the early 1980s, beginning his journey as a producer with Haathkadi (1982). He went on to deliver several commercial successes including Ilzaam (1986), Aag Hi Aag (1987), Paap Ki Duniya (1988), and Aag Ka Gola (1989). His strong hold on mass-market cinema became even more evident in the 1990s with major hits such as Shola Aur Shabnam (1992), Aankhen (1993), and Andaz (1994), which cemented his place as a key commercial filmmaker of that era.
Beyond production, Nihalani also played a significant role in film certification in India. He was appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on January 19, 2015, and served until August 11, 2017, after which he was succeeded by Prasoon Joshi. His tenure was widely discussed across the industry due to his strict stance on film certification and censorship decisions.
In later years, he continued producing films, with Rangeela Raja (2019) marking his last theatrical release, which also featured actor Govinda in his final big-screen outing associated with Nihalani’s banner.
As the industry prepares to bid farewell, attention now turns to the cremation scheduled at Santacruz Hindu Crematorium at 3 PM, marking the final goodbye to a filmmaker whose career spanned over four decades of Hindi cinema.
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