Nari Hira, founder and editor of Stardust Magazine, died on August 23 at the age of 86.

His family said in a statement: “It is with deep sadness that we share the news of his passing. He was a pioneer of print media, a family man and a father without equal. His absence breaks our hearts.”

A well-known film producer and owner of Magna Publishing, Hira was a prominent figure in the Indian media industry and was known for his pioneering work in publishing popular magazines such as Stardust, Savvy, Showtime, Society and Health.

Hira was born in 1938 in what is now Karachi. After the partition of Mumbai in 1947, he and his family had to move to Mumbai. He began his career as a journalist in the 1960s, but later ventured into publishing.

Many also called him the “King of Indian Magazines.” Hira also received several awards for his contributions to Indian publishing.

He was involved in film production through Hiba Films, which produced about 15 video films in the 1980s, and later through Magna Films, which he founded in 2007.

Not much is known about Hira’s private life. He was considered a reserved person. After him, his son Rahuul Hira took over the management of Magna Publishing.

Novelist and columnist Shobhaa De and journalist Vir Sanghvi expressed their condolences on his death.

“RIP Nari Hira, the genius of Indian publishing. The magazine revolution started when he launched Stardust. He broke all the conventions of film reporting and then created a magazine empire based on these principles: Be sharp, be direct, but write well and make it look good. I will miss him (sic),” Sanghvi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).