Kamlesh Kumar Kohli, a creative thespian who had staged several plays, musicals and many a baithak under his Impresario Asia and Nashist banners, passed away in Delhi on February 1, 2024
By Mannu Kohli
Born in Rawalpindi on 28 September 1941, my father came to Delhi in 1947 after the partition – and continued to remember his watan very fondly until his last breath.
The singular aspect of his life, which permeated into his cultural activities, was the influence of Sufi saints and the Sufi movement.
A lot of this influence – that came through in the music and art that he enjoyed and wove into his productions – was from his homeland, now in Pakistan.
Impresario Asia, a very boisterous and vociferous platform that he created for secular and inclusive art – ardently championing the Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, and an inclusive India and an inclusive world, that stands up strong against the fascist establishment.
Vocal he was – about his stand – and remained so. Passionate he would be, for it was a movement that he would have continued. Very much against the divisive fascist powers, standing up for the right thing, and raising his voice against injustice.
Authored by Kamlesh Kumar Kohli: A tribute to the lady with silver bells in her voice – THE NEWS PORTER
Using his art and craft to spread the message of peace and harmony – like the play Dara Shikoh, and many of his productions.
Schooling was mostly in Delhi – DPS I think for the last couple of years. Subsequently, Kirorimal College of Delhi University.
Thereafter, he went to Germany, Heidelberg University – remembering the halcyon days very fondly, and going back quite a few times to reconnect and rejuvenate.
Another source of inspiration was his elder brother O. P. Kohli – and that’s how he got introduced to theatre, and as a youngster worked with a lot of these theatre greats who were there at that time. Oh yes, my father was so much enamoured by that world of art, music and theatre.
Sometime in those years, he got into business – successfully running leather and garment export businesses for many years.
Authored by Kamlesh Kumar Kohli: With Jagjit already gone, Bhupi’s demise leaves the world of melodious ghazal singing orphaned – THE NEWS PORTER
From 1991, after his wife passed away, my father came back to the world of arts, which he then never left. Ever since, he put up many, many concerts, and hundreds and hundreds of shows of plays.
Thus, was born Inpresario Asia and Nashist that promoted many an artiste like the Wadali Brothers, Pandit Chhannulal Mishra. He had invited Shubhaji when she was, you know, wasn’t yet the Shubha Mudgal.
Often, he would organise baithak in his home and his friends’ homes, bringing all these renowned artists from across the country, and often from across the border – poets like Ahmed Faraz, singers like Mehdi Hassan Sahib who once even came for a baithak organised in England.
For long, Impresario Asia has put up so many events – theatre productions. And that’s what he wanted to keep on doing.
My father was 82 but didn’t feel his age. Though battling cancer, he was very active until the last. His cultural calendar for 2024 was ready.
The last show, Ghalib Ke Khatoot, the 134th production that he staged on January 7, was a runaway success, a full house. In a way, it was the perfect send-off for him, though we didn’t know then.
He would always joke that he was going to be around for another 10 years putting up these shows, and he wasn’t going anywhere – but he did, on a high, doing exactly what he loved best.
Even a few hours before leaving for the hospital, for the last time, my father was rehearsing for his next production Shyam Rang – with his theatre group in his house. For three hours he was sitting, reading and rehearsing with them.
His next production is still going to happen – but in a shorter form – and will also serve as a memorial service for him, and for the people who would like to remember him for what he did in the cultural scene for years.
It’s now up to his people – his group, and the people he’s leaving behind – to keep the flag flying high. That’s our promise.
(As told to Priyanka Bhaskar of Nashist)
The main picture on top of Kamlesh Kumar Kohli from Nashist evening, 19th September 2019.
Kamlesh Ji’s passing is a big loss to the world of performing arts across the subcontinent. Despite the brutalities of partition and communal carnage that he witnessed first hand, he chose love over hatred and used his talents to build bridges and highlight commonalities of culture across religious and national divides. At a time when popular culture is increasingly marked by a lack of sense of history or used to promote divisiveness, Kamlesh Ji’s work could not be more relevant.
An inspired life inspiring many. The best a person can do in his lifetime is to create and leave a legacy of an art form – music, dance, theatre, cinema. More power to Kamleshji’s theatre group to continue to strengthen the platform for creative expression and story-telling. May he continue to bless and inspire many, many artistes from up above the world so high. With respect.
I remember my first concert in the year 1993 when I was I was worried but sang my own composed ghazals..The show was hosted by the legend Rais Mirza Sahab He had got his friend a ghazal lover who came with his son and daughter and that was Kohli sahab..Concert went off well and I came home and forgot about it .After few days Rais sahab called me and said I had a friend Mr KK KOHLI who loved ur voice and composition and he wants to organise ur mehfil ..which I immediately agreed .And with that mehfil started a relation which lasted till his death ,.Where ever there was a chance of ghazals he would promote and offer the stage ..I was blessed that he came for my concert on 2nd Dec 2024 in Delhi although he was not well but he still came ..It is because of people like him I dare to sing the rarest of poetry and Ghazals .
His guidance and his love for me and my family will remain with us always .
And now his daughter Mannu will take forward this wondeful legacy ..
I would very seriously suggest a festival in his name so that we can keep promoting good undiluted music
I would be the first to perform
A very appropriate tribute written by daughter Mannu for her father KK Kohli. The onus now will rest on Mannu and his core associates to carry on with the work as he would have done. I wish everyone the best .
A very appropriate tribute written by daughter Mannu for her father KK Kohli. The onus now will rest on Mannu and his core associates to carry on with the work as he would have done. I wish everyone the best .
He will inspire us always.
Mannu has shared some wonderful highlights of Mr Kohli’s life. It feels wonderful that Mr Kohli, Mannu and I have had so many wonderful discussions together on varied topics. As I write, am reminiscing those discussions so fondly and with a sense of pride of having the privilege of knowing him.
Impresario Asia has done so much amazing work in the past and it should continue the same. That would be the best way to celebrate the life of Mr Kohli and the be best tribute.
We love you Mr Kohli. Rab Rakha
Kohli Saheb led by example. An inspiration to all whose lives he touched with his brilliance and selfless pursuit of creative excellence, his legacy needs to be carried forth with the same passion and principles he stood for. A Sufi by soul indeed, his invaluable contribution to the literary, visual and performing arts especially in Delhi shall never be forgotten.
What a beautiful and heartfelt tribute. And what a rich life your father lived. A true legacy.
I must have met Kohli Saheb in the days after the attack on Safdar and rare would be the occasion when he missed the annual Safdar Memorial.
He had seen the senseless violence and the irrational hate that flowed in the wake of the partition and knew where it can lead us. Perhaps that is why he stood up so firmly against bigotry and hate mongering. He foreground tye syncretic in our culture and in our lives through all his productions and the Nashist baithaks that he organised.
Deeply creative and committed to our inclusive cultural traditions Kohli Saheb has left behind a tradition that has to be carried forward.
Our existance as civilised humans depends on defending and promoting the values that Kohli Saheb lived and worked for all his life.
What a beautiful and heartfelt tribute from a daughter to her father! Mr Kohli has built such a rich and vast artistic legacy and body of work which I’m sure his daughter Mannu will take forward.
Oddly satisfying to know that Uncle led a full life, with zest and was engaged in what he loved till his final moments.
Kohli sb was kind gracious and a true gentleman. He was a lover of the arts. Spent many Sunday afternoons with him and our other friends in our Baba Bulley Shah di Baithak discussing the philosophy of Sufi poetry and enjoyed many lighthearted moments. We Shared the same city and he enjoyed talking about Rawalpindi with me. May he rest in peace and May God bless his soul.