Nari Hira, founder and editor of once popular film magazine Stardust, died at the age of 86.  He was also a renowned film producer and owner of Magna Publishing.

Stardust brought style and glamour to the coverage of Hindi film industry and most stars and those wanting to reach the pinnacle were eager to be featured in the magazine.

Moreover, it was a favourite of travellers, mostly those on long-distance train journey, who would pick up a copy of rather thick Stardust in the 1970s and 80s to keep abreast with the latest in Bollywood, including juicy snippets about the life of their favourite film icons in front of the camera and off it.

Hira’s contributions to Indian journalism have left a lasting legacy.

Hira was a prominent figure in the Indian media industry, known for his pioneering work in publishing popular magazines such as Stardust, Savvy, Showtime, Society, and Health.

His family broke the news about Hira’s passing away in a statement saying, “It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of his death, a pioneer in print media, a family man and father beyond compare, he leaves us behind heartbroken in his absence.”

Novelist-columnist Shobhaa De and prominent journalist Vir Sanghvi posted for Nari after his death. The former wrote, “Farewell, Boss... (sic)” while the latter wrote, “RIP Nari Hira, the genius of Indian publishing.

The magazine revolution began when he launched Stardust. He broke every convention of film coverage & then created a magazine empire based on those principles; be sharp, be blunt but write well & make it look good I will miss him (sic).”

As a senior journalist and media mogul, Hira’s contributions to Indian journalism have been widely recognised. His death marks the end of an era in the world of print media, where his publications played a crucial role in shaping celebrity culture and public discourse for decades.