"Fly high and free, my friend": Pooja Bhatt recalls late actor Mukul Dev one month after his demise with a heartfelt tribute
Picture Credit: X
A month since actor
Mukul Dev
's untimely passing, filmmaker and longtime friend
Pooja Bhatt
took to Instagram to honor his memory with a poignant tribute. Mukul, who passed away on May 23, 2025, at the age of 54, left behind not just a rich legacy of screen performances but also a deep emotional imprint on those who knew him personally.
Sharing a candid picture of Mukul, Pooja penned a deeply reflective caption, capturing both the pain of loss and the poetry of remembrance:
"One month. In the blink of an eye. The world, meanwhile, is in disarray. I take solace in thunder & see you often in the stars that shine down defiantly through mottled skies. Fly high & free, my friend. You shall be forever loved, felt, & missed. Too little, too late? Perhaps. But never enough...
never, ever enough.
Mukul Dev 17 Sept 1970 – 23 May 2025."
A Life in Frames: Mukul Dev's Journey in Entertainment
Mukul Dev began his acting journey with the television series Mumkin in 1996. He soon transitioned to films, making his Bollywood debut with Dastak. Over the years, he carved a niche for himself with versatile roles in films like Ek Se Badhkar Ek, Son of Sardaar, R... Rajkumar, and Jai Ho. He also won hearts as the host of Fear Factor India: Season 1 and was last seen in the film Anth The End.
Known for playing both intense and light-hearted characters, Mukul balanced mainstream cinema with grounded performances that resonated with audiences across generations.
A Man of Many Cultures and Convictions
Born in New Delhi on September 17, 1970, into a Punjabi family with ancestral roots in a village near Jalandhar, Mukul had a unique upbringing. His father, Hari Dev, served as an assistant commissioner of police and played a pivotal role in shaping Mukul's worldview.
A polyglot with fluency in Pashto and Persian, Hari Dev introduced his son to Afghan culture early on—an influence that contributed to Mukul's multicultural sensibilities and nuanced performances.
Mukul's presence in the entertainment industry may have been modest in publicity, but his craft, humility, and warmth made him unforgettable to colleagues and friends.
A Friend Remembered
Pooja Bhatt's tribute not only reflects a shared personal bond but also echoes the collective sentiment of the industry—a sense of loss too profound to articulate. Her words, poetic yet raw, remind us that sometimes, even a lifetime of knowing someone feels like 'too little, too late.'
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