Veteran Filmmaker And Ex-Censor Board Chief, Pahlaj Nihalani Dies At 76, Cause Of Death Revealed

Veteran filmmaker and former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson, Pahlaj Nihalani bid adieu to the world on June 4, 2026. The veteran film producer breathed his last at the age of 76 at 9:30 am in his Mumbai residence. The last rites will be performed at a crematorium in Santa Cruz, Mumbai at 3 pm.

What was the cause of Pahlaj Nihalani’s death?

Though the reason of his death is not publicly disclosed by his family but as per multiple reports, he was battling liver-related ailment from a long time. As per journalist Vickey Lalwani, the senior producer had been ailing for the last four months and had been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. He was being shifted from one hospital to the other for the last thirty days.

More about Pahlaj Nihalani’s professional life

Pahlaj began his career as a film producer and backed several Bollywood films over the years. Pahlaj began his journey as a film producer in the early 1980s. His first production, Haathkadi, was released in 1982, followed by Aandhi-Toofan in 1985. He was known for producing films like Ilzaam, Shola Aur Shabnam, Aankhen, and Andaz. He had a long association with director, David Dhawan and actor, Govinda. Aankhen emerged as one of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of the 1990s and cemented his reputation as a successful producer. Pahlaj also produced the 2017 erotic thriller, Julie 2.

Pahlaj Nihalani’s political support and entry into CBFC

Not just movies, Pahlaj gained a lot of attention during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after he produced the promotional song Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi in support of Narendra Modi. In 2015, the veteran filmmaker was appointed as the chairman of the CBFC and his appointment soon became a subject of massive discussion due to his strict take on film certification and censorship.

Soon after his appointment, Pahlaj introduced stricter certification guidelines for films. He proposed restrictions on profanity, violence against women and content that could hurt religious sentiments. He gained a lot of attention for shortening kissing scenes but the biggest controversy came during the 2016 film, Udta Punjab as he suggested numerous cuts to the film. Nihalani had openly opposed the inclusion of bold or explicit content in films and was critical of actors like Sunny Leone for appearing in mainstream cinema. 

During his tenure, Pahlaj had clashes with other filmmakers over cuts in films like Omkara and Gangs of Wasseypur. Not just this, Pahlaj also objected to using the term, ‘intercourse’ in the trailer of film, Jab Harry Met Sejal. In 2017, Pahlaj was removed from the position of CBFC chairman and was replaced by lyricist and advertising professional Prasoon Joshi. While exiting from his position, Pahlaj claimed that his removal was because of his disagreements over film certification decisions.

Pahlaj Nihalani spoke about Govinda’s sinking career

Pahlaj Nihalani never minced his words and his association with Govinda went way back. The veteran filmmaker once addressed Govinda’s downfall and revealed how people stabbed him in his back. Speaking about the same, he told Pinkvilla:

“After Partner, everything went against him. He didn’t get any films after that. Many of his big films got shut down, including one with Priyanka Chopra. If someone stabs you in the back, there’s not even a single mark left behind. You don’t even get to know. So, he has been stabbed in the back many times.”

As Pahlaj Nihalani bid adieu to the world, we extend our condolences to his bereaved family.

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