Dhallywood’s legendary filmmaker, producer and organiser Sohanoor Rahman Sohan passed away due to a brain stroke on Wednesday evening at Crescent Hospital, Uttara in the capital. He was 57.

He breathed his last at 7 pm, according to Director’s Guild Bangladesh General Secretary S M Kamruzzaman Sagar.

This happened after his wife died on Tuesday evening, after suffering a stroke. Sohan himself was suffering from neuro disease for a long time, according to the people close to him. The director was supposed to go to Japan for better treatment.

News of his death has cast a shadow of mourning in the film fraternity.

Known as the modern-day ‘Starmaker’ for launching the successful careers of superstars such as Salman Shah, Moushumi, Shakib Khan, Poppy and others - Sohanoor Rahman Sohan started his film career as an assistant director to the eminent filmmaker Shibli Sadiq.

He made his directorial debut with 'Bisshash Obisshash' (1988). However, his breakthrough film hit the theatres in 1993 with the movie ‘Keyamot Theke Keyamot’, starring the debutant duo Salman Shah and Moushumi. The film was a remake of the Bollywood film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ (1988).

With the film ‘Ananta Bhalobasha’ in 1999, Sohan offered Shakib Khan, the biggest superstar in the current day Dhallywood.

‘Amar Ghor Amar Behesht’, ‘Shotter Bijoy’, ‘Amar Desh Amar Prem’, ‘Poran Jai Joliya Re’, ‘Koti Takar Prem’, and ‘Ek Mon Ek Pran’ are some of his other notable films.

Besides his successful directorial career, Sohan also served as the President, Secretary General and Vice President for the Bangladesh Film Directors Association, and also served as a member of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board.