Nari Hira, the founder and editor of Stardust Magazine, passed away on August 23 at the age of 86.
A prominent figure in the Indian media industry, Hira was a pioneer in publishing popular magazines and also made significant contributions to film production, leaving a lasting legacy in the media landscape.
Hira owned Magna Publishing, a Mumbai-based company known for publishing popular magazines like Stardust, Savvy, Showtime, Society, and Health. He expanded into film production with Magna Films, a subsidiary of his publishing company.
Hira was born in Karachi in 1938 and relocated to Mumbai with his family after the partition in 1947. He began his career as a journalist before transitioning into publishing, where he earned the title ‘King of Indian Magazines.’
His magazine, Stardust, launched in 1971, quickly became a huge success, renowned for uncovering shocking controversies, sensationalised stories, and Bollywood gossip.
Hira earned numerous accolades for his contributions to Indian publishing, including being honored with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Indian Magazine Congress.
Hira, originally known as Hiranandani before shortening his name, had a keen ability to stay ahead of media trends. In addition to film magazines such as Stardust and Showtime, he launched Society, one of the first magazines to spotlight India’s elite, well before the rise of ‘Page 3’ celebrity culture.
Many journalists took to social media to share their condolences.
Farewell, Boss…. pic.twitter.com/euIC4ne1S3
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) August 24, 2024
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 pic.twitter.com/KgJ6rfluk8— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) August 24, 2024
The Legend #NariHira https://t.co/IoLKz0h2dW
— Hiren Kotwani (@HirenKotwani) August 25, 2024
The Legend #NariHira https://t.co/IoLKz0h2dW
— Hiren Kotwani (@HirenKotwani) August 25, 2024
Thanks Zorawar. I remember your work with us at Sterling Newspapers group. I ran into #NariHira briefly over the years though he spent most of his time in New York. May he rest in peace. https://t.co/YeVv3OJQHl
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) August 25, 2024
