Pahlaj Nihalani passes away, producer and former censor board chief was 76

MUMBAI: The curtains have fallen on one of Hindi cinema’s most colourful and controversial figures. Veteran film producer and former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani passed away in Mumbai on Thursday following a prolonged illness. He was 76.

According to reports, Nihalani had been battling liver-related health issues and had been unwell for some time. His last rites will be held at a crematorium in Santa Cruz, Mumbai.

A prominent force in Hindi cinema during the 1980s and 1990s, Nihalani built a reputation for backing mainstream commercial entertainers that connected with mass audiences. Through his banner Chirag Deep International, he produced several successful films including Ilzaam, Aag Hi Aag, Gunahon Ka Faisla, Paap Ki Duniya, Mitti Aur Sona, Shola Aur Shabnam and Aankhen.

He is widely credited with launching the careers of actors Govinda and Chunky Panday. While Shola Aur Shabnam and Aankhen became major box-office successes, the latter remains one of the defining comedy hits of 1990s Hindi cinema.

Beyond filmmaking, Nihalani played an influential role in industry affairs. He served as president of the Association of Pictures and TV Programme Producers for nearly three decades before being appointed chairman of the CBFC in January 2015.

His tenure at the censor board, which lasted until August 2017, was among the most debated periods in the organisation’s history. Known for his conservative approach to film certification, Nihalani frequently found himself at the centre of public controversies over censorship decisions.

Several high-profile films, including Udta Punjab, Lipstick Under My Burkha, Spectre and Jab Harry Met Sejal, became flashpoints in wider debates around artistic freedom and censorship. His strict stance earned both criticism and support, while also leading to the viral social media moniker “Sanskari James Bond”.

In one of the most notable episodes of his tenure, the CBFC’s proposed cuts to Udta Punjab were largely overturned by the Bombay High Court, turning the film into a national conversation about creative expression.

Nihalani was removed as CBFC chief in 2017 and succeeded by lyricist and advertising professional Prasoon Joshi. He later returned to film production and, in an ironic twist, found himself challenging censorship decisions imposed on his own film Rangeela Raja. The film was eventually cleared with far fewer cuts than originally demanded.

Despite the controversies that often surrounded him, Nihalani remained a significant figure in both Hindi cinema and India’s film certification ecosystem. Whether as a producer delivering mass-market hits or as a regulator shaping debates on cinema and censorship, he left a mark that few in the industry could ignore.

With his passing, Indian cinema bids farewell to a producer, administrator and industry veteran whose career spanned more than four decades and reflected both the evolution and the contradictions of Hindi cinema itself.