Noted Gujarat exhibitor Ashok Purohit passed away this morning (21st September) at his Gandhinagar residence. He had not been keeping well since a year. He died in his sleep in the early morning hours. He was 78 years old. His funeral will be performed tomorrow as one of his two daughters was in Amsterdam at the time of his demise, and is on her way back to India. He is survived by two daughters, four brothers and their families.
Actually, Ashok Purohit had suffered a paralytic stroke several years back, after which he never really recovered. Although he was rendered semi-immobile following his paralytic attack, his spirits were always high.
Ashok Purohit was a first-generation exhibitor and had started a multiplex — City Pulse — in Gandhinagar in 1999. The multiplex was the first in Gujarat and only the second in India, after PVR Saket in Delhi. City Pulse multiplex was such a hit with the public that Purohit designed many more multiplexes after that in Gujarat as well as other states, along with his daughters, one of who is an architect and the other, an interior designer. That Ashok Purohit was himself an architect made matters easier for the man who was extremely passionate about cinema in particular and the arts in general. In fact, City Pulse did not remain just a multiplex, it soon became a cultural hub. Nothing gave Purohit more joy than when someone told him that watching a film at his multiplex was a phenomenal experience. In fact, he rarely bothered to keep track of the box-office collections at his multiplex, leaving that to be done by his well-trained staff. It was not rare for him to invite singers and musicians to Gandhinagar for their recitals/performances. Entry for such shows used to be only by invitation. He loved to entertain friends which included intellectuals, artistes, diplomats, government officials and even international dignitaries, and could go to any lengths to make his guests comfortable. He and his wife, Veena Purohit (who passed away some years ago), made excellent hosts.
There is a beautiful temple built on the spacious lawn of his well-done up bungalow in Gandhinagar. He used to make it a point to tell all his guests that he had built the temple there because God was his permanent partner in every business enterprise of his. For several years after building the City Pulse multiplex in Gandhinagar, he used to invite stars, producers and directors of films at the time of the release of their films. Subhash Ghai (Taal), Aamir Khan (3 Idiots), Shah Rukh Khan, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik Roshan, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Om Puri and many other celebrities have been witness to his gracious hospitality. Ashok Purohit had such a smiling disposition that it would seem, he never took tension of any kind.
Ashok Purohit had also started a film institute — City Pulse Institute of Film and Television — in Gandhinagar. It was the first of its kind in Gujarat with degree courses in filmmaking, direction and acting.