Stardust Magazine owner Nari Hira, who launched Urmila Matondkar, passes away at 86

In Pic: Filmmaker Nari Hira

Senior journalist, filmmaker, and owner of Stardust magazine, Nari Hira, passed away on August 23, 2024. The reason for his demise is not known at the time of writing this article. The news of his passing was shared by his family members. Nari Hira, the producer of several feature films, including Urmila Matondkar's well-known movie Scandal, passed away on Friday at the age of 86. As per Amar Ujala, family sources have confirmed that his funeral will take place on Saturday afternoon at Banganga Crematorium in Worli.

In an official statement, the family of the late journalist shared the news of his demise. Exchange4media quoted the family, saying, "It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of his passing. A pioneer in print media, a family man, and a father beyond compare, he leaves us heartbroken in his absence."

Born in Karachi in 1938, he and his family moved to Mumbai after the India-Pakistan partition in 1947. During the early phase of his career, he started as a journalist but later ventured into publishing. He eventually moved to the publishing business and started Magna Publishing. His first and largest success came through the magazine Stardust, launched in 1971. Nari Hira's Stardust became one of the leading magazines in the country, known for its controversial and shocking revelations related to Bollywood and its big names.

Nari Hira was a significant figure in the film industry as well, recognized for pioneering the trend of direct-to-DVD movie releases. Through his production company, he produced over a dozen films that were released directly on video. Hira launched several well-known stars, including Aditya Pancholi and Urmila Matondkar. Most of his films were aimed at an adult audience.

His gossip and sensationalized stories often landed the magazine in legal trouble. Stardust faced several defamation cases from celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan, among others.

A social media user, while reacting to the news, shared, "Oh no, the most gutsiest film editors of one time, gone. We owe you. Do rest in peace sir"

Hira was also recognized with numerous awards for his contributions to Indian publishing, including the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Indian Magazine Congress.