Noted filmmaker Gulshan Rai died in Mumbai on Monday after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 80. He is survived by a son and a daughter.
Born and educated in Lahore, Rai came to Mumbai in 1947 and, within a short span of two years, become a film distributor.
He released more than 180 films in Bombay territory, 40 of which have celebrated silver jubilees. Besides Mumbai, he also opened distribution offices in West Bengal, Punjab and Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
In the seventies, Rai started his own production banner Trimurti Films Pvt Ltd and his very first film, Johny Mera Naam, was a box office hit, breaking all previous records.
His other productions were Joshila, Deewar, Trishul, Yudh, Tridev, Vishwatma, Mohra, Pyar Ishq aur Mohabbat and Asambhav.
