Stuntman, action director, filmmaker Veeru Devgan dies at 76

Veteran action director and filmmaker Veeru Devgan died in Mumbai today. Devgan, father of the popular actor Ajay, had been admitted in the morning to Surya hospital in Santa Cruz, Mumbai. He died later in the day from cardiac arrest.

The well-known stuntman and action director had come to Mumbai from Amritsar in 1957 as a teenager bitten by the film bug and aspiring to be an actor. He eventually worked on over 80 films in the stunts and action department, beginning in the mid-1970s.

Starting out as a stuntman, he got his big break as action director with Manoj Kumar's Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974). From Khel Khel Mein (1975) to Lahu Ke Do Rang (1979), Namak Halaal (1982) to Mr India (1987), Devgan became to the go-to action director in Hindi cinema.

He even mentored others like Sham Kaushal, father of popular new-generation actors Vicky and Sunny, and Rohit Shetty, son of stuntman and fellow action director MB Shetty, to get a foothold in the industry.

Veeru Devgan's son Ajay was launched with Phool Aur Kaante (1991) and soon became a popular action star.

Devgan turned director himself with Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999), starring Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala and Sushmita Sen. Later that year, he produced Dil Kya Kare (1999), starring Ajay, his daughter-in-law Kajol and Mahima Chaudhry.

Devgan's funeral will be conducted today in Santa Cruz at 6 pm. He is survived by wife Veena and four children, including Ajay and director Anil.