Mumbai: Noted filmmaker Gulshan Rai died in Mumbai today (Oct 11, 2004) after a prolonged illness, family sources said.

He was 80 and survived by a son and a daughter.

Born and educated in Lahore, Gulshan Rai came to Bombay in 1947 and within a short span of two years, become a film distributor.

As a distributor, Rai was successful and released more than 180 films in Bombay territory, 40 of which have celebrated Silver Jubilees.

He obtained more than 15 films on world right basis and almost 50 films for overseas distribution.

Besides Mumbai, he also opened distribution offices in West Bengal, Punjab and Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. In the seventies, Rai started his own production banner Trimurti Films Pvt Ltd and his very first film, "Johny Mera Naam" was a box office hit, breaking all previous records.

His other productions were "Joshila", "Deewar", "Trishul", "Yudh", "Tridev", "Vishatma", "Mohra", "Pyar Ishq aur Mohabbat" and "Asambhav".