Bollywood Bids Farewell to Pahlaj Nihalani at Mumbai Cremation Ceremony

Veteran film producer and former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani was cremated in Mumbai on Thursday, with members of the Hindi film industry coming together to pay their final respects. Nihalani passed away on June 4 at the age of 76.

Several prominent personalities from the film fraternity attended the cremation ceremony at the Santacruz Hindu Crematorium. Among those present were Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, actor Govinda, filmmaker David Dhawan, actor Varun Dhawan, filmmaker Rohit Dhawan, producer Boney Kapoor, producer Bunty Walia, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, Poonam Sinha, Gaurav Kapoor and filmmaker Sunil Darshan.

How were the final rites performed?

The final rites were conducted according to traditional Vedic rituals. Acharya Bhupendra Sastry, who performed the ceremonies, told ANI, "Yahan par hum sab logon ne milkar vaidik vidhi ke anusar swargiye Pahlaj ji Nihalani ka antim sanskar kiya...unke liye hum sabhi ne sharandhanjali samparpit ki...(Here, all of us together performed the last rites of late Pahlaj ji Nihalani as per Vedic rituals...we all paid our tribute to him.)"

What did the family say?

Nihalani’s family confirmed his passing in an official statement and announced details of the cremation ceremony.

"With profound grief, we inform you of the passing of our beloved Pahlaj Nihalani on 4th June 2026. The cremation ceremony will be held today, 04.06.2026, at 3 pm at Santacruz Hindu Crematorium. We are grateful for your thoughts and prayers as we bid a final farewell," the family said in a statement.

What was Pahlaj Nihalani’s contribution to Indian cinema?

Pahlaj Nihalani was a prominent figure in the Hindi film industry for more than four decades. He produced several commercially successful films, including 'Ilzaam', 'Shola Aur Shabnam', 'Aankhen' and 'Andaz'.

His journey as a producer began in the early 1980s with 'Haathkadi' in 1982. He followed it up with 'Aandhi-Toofan' in 1985 and went on to establish himself as a successful producer associated with mainstream Hindi cinema.

How did he influence the film industry beyond production?

Apart from his work as a producer, Nihalani also served as the chairperson of the CBFC, where he played a significant role in India's film certification process. Over the years, he remained an influential voice in the entertainment industry, contributing both as a filmmaker and as an administrator.

With his passing, the Indian film industry has lost a veteran producer whose career spanned decades and whose work left a lasting impact on Hindi cinema.

(With inputs from ANI)