Hansal Mehta Slams X User Calling His Mukul Dev Tribute ‘Narcissistic': ‘When A Friend Dies…'

News18

04-07-2025

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A netizen criticized Hansal Mehta's tribute to his late friend Mukul Dev, accusing him of 'hyping' his film Omertà in the post. Here's how the filmmaker reacted!
After Mukul Dev passed away on May 23, his friend and filmmaker Hansal Mehta shared an emotional tribute on social media. In his post, Hansal Mehta recalled how Mukul gave him the story for Omertà in 2003 and later felt proud and joyful seeing his name in the writing credits when the film was finally made. An X user recently slammed Hansal Mehta, accusing him of being a 'narcissist' and 'hyping' his film Omerta in his tribute for Mukul Dev. He reacted strongly to the netizen, and stated that the film was Mukul's dream, and that his pride in it was real. He added that if narrating that is 'narcissism', then they need to look up the meaning of grief and decency.
On Sunday, the X user shared a screenshot of Hansal Mehta's emotional tribute to Mukul Dev. 'Hansal Mehta is such a narcissist. Even here he is hyping himself and his film through his words…and why would you say that he was disappointed in himself and all after Mukul Dev passed away," wrote the netizen. Hansal Mehta hit back at the netizen, and wrote, 'When a friend dies, grief expresses itself in memories, in stories, in guilt, in unfinished conversations. I shared mine with honesty and affection. If you see narcissism in that, it says more about your lens than my intent. Also, I don't need to 'hype" a film made over seven years ago. That film was Mukul's dream. His pride in it was real. His credit on it gave him some joy. If narrating that is narcissism, maybe you need to look up the meaning of grief and decency."
When a friend dies, grief expresses itself in memories, in stories, in guilt, in unfinished conversations. I shared mine with honesty and affection. If you see narcissism in that, it says more about your lens than my intent.Also, I don't need to 'hype" a film made over seven… https://t.co/fZ5pCl6kgZ
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 29, 2025
Hansal Mehta's Tribute For Late Mukul Dev
'Mukul's career became a 'collection of missed opportunities and near breakthroughs'," wrote Hansal Mehta. He shared that Mukul had acted in multiple projects of his, even though some never made it to the screen. 'He acted in two of my unreleased films and a TV show—somehow in the shadows of it all, we became very close. We bonded over booze, broken hearts, and the foolish hope that things would one day make sense. For years, we were gym buddies, pushing each other through reps and regrets."
Their collaboration extended to Omerta, the critically acclaimed film starring Rajkummar Rao. Mukul contributed significantly behind the scenes as well.
'He was also a gifted writer. He gave me the story of Omertà back in 2003. I remember the joy in his voice when the film was finally made, the pride when he saw it with festival audiences, and that infectious excitement when his name came up in the writing credits. Every time we spoke, he'd chuckle and say, 'Hansie, kya film banayi yaar. International. Soch bhi nahi sakta tha ki aisi film mein I'd have a writing credit. This is so good for me.' That credit made him feel seen. Respected. Validated. I just wish we had done more together," wrote the filmmaker.
Concluding the note, he wrote, 'The last time we spoke was a few months ago. The same gregarious laugh, the same fake Feroz Khan accent we always used with each other. But behind the laughter, I sensed something heavier—a quiet sadness, an air of disappointment, a kind of loneliness he never really shared."
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