It is with profound sadness that we share the news of actor Mukul Dev’s tragic passing. He was 54. While the exact cause of his demise remains unknown, the actor had been battling an illness for the past few days and was under intensive care. Mukul Dev, who made his debut in the 1996 film Dastak, was last seen on screen in the 2022 movie Anth: The End. Mukul Dev Dies: 'Son of Sardaar' Actor Passes Away at 54.

Born in New Delhi on September 17, 1970, Mukul was a trained pilot from the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi. A few weeks ago, he had shared a nostalgic post on Instagram - a picture of his 1990 batch - revealing that he had passed his flying test on the very first attempt.

In fact, his final Instagram post, uploaded weeks before his death, was also about flying. He had shared a video from the cockpit, soaring above the clouds. The accompanying caption, however, was rather sombre, "And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too... I'll see you on the dark side of the moon."

Mukul Dev's Last Instagram Post

 

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These haunting lines are from "Brain Damage", a song by Pink Floyd. They evoke feelings of anxiety and existential dread - the "dark side of the moon" symbolising a place untouched by light, perhaps reflecting his own inner turmoil. Given that this was his last social media post, the words now carry an eerie weight.

Mukul Dev’s Acting Career

Mukul was initially set to begin his film career with Naam Kya Hai, an Amitabh Bachchan production that was eventually shelved. Instead, he made his official debut in 1996 with Dastak, a film that gained attention for marking former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen’s Bollywood entry. The Mahesh Bhatt-directed thriller, which bore similarities to Darr, featured Sharad Kapoor as the antagonist and Manoj Bajpayee in a supporting role. Mukul Dev Dies: Manoj Bajpayee Condoles Demise of Actor, Says ‘Miss You Meri Jaan, Until We Meet Again’.

When Mukul Dev Shares BTS Video From His Debut Film

 

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Though Dastak was noted for its music and Sushmita’s debut, it underperformed commercially. Mukul went on to play leading and secondary roles in films like Wajood (opposite Madhuri Dixit, intriguingly sharing thematic parallels with Dastak), Iski Topi Uske Sarr, Qila, Mere Do Anmol Ratan, and Kohram. Eventually, he transitioned into supporting and antagonistic roles, delivering memorable performances in Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Son of Sardaar, R... Rajkumar, and Omerta (which also marked his writing debut). Beyond Hindi cinema, he acted in Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Gujarati, and Malayalam films.

Mukul was equally prominent on television, with notable roles in serials like Gharwali Uparwali, Kahin Diyaa Jale Kahin Jiyaa, Kutumb, K Street Pali Hill, Kasshish, and Kumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan. May his soul rest in peace.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2025 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).