Rahul Dev remembers brother Mukul Dev: He was gifted, sensitive, and full of charm

Time of India

16-06-2025

Rahul Dev and Mukul Dev
The sudden passing of actor
Mukul Dev
at 54, on the late night of May 23, left the industry in shock. While tributes poured in, some also speculated about his health and emotional state. His elder brother, actor
Rahul Dev
, now addresses these conversations, offering clarity and an honest account of Mukul's final days.
Rahul shares, 'He was in the ICU for eight and a half days. Medically, it was a result of poor eating habits. In the last four-five days, he had stopped eating altogether. Of course, he felt lonely, and he had lost interest in life. Usko zindagi jeene ka jazba nahi tha. He would turn down several work offers.'
Mukul had shifted to Delhi in 2019 to care for their ailing father, who passed away that same year. Their mother passed away in 2023.
Rahul says, 'He never recovered from our father's loss. And now, losing Mukul — the month of May has been cruel. I lost my father, my wife, and now my brother in May. I wish I could erase this month from the calendar. People say time heals, but these wounds are still raw. Only now, after completing all the rituals, is the reality sinking in — and I know the pain will only deepen.
'
Rahul recalls how Mukul increasingly withdrew into himself, turning to writing — a solitary pursuit.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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He says, 'He invested himself in writing and grew reclusive. I always encouraged him to return to acting. He missed his daughter immensely, who wasn't living with him. He wasn't looking after himself and living alone didn't help.'
Addressing the circulating claims of Mukul being in depression or unwell, Rahul says, 'The people who are speaking out now weren't even in touch with him. They say he was unfit, but he ran half-marathons.
Yes, he had gained weight — when someone stops caring about themselves, it shows. He felt isolated. Who really stayed in touch with him between 2019 and 2024? Did they visit him when he was in hospital or attend his prayer meet? He had two upcoming releases and had recently shot in England for Son of Sardaar.
No one will cast you if you're not fit.'
Though Mukul had transitioned into writing and co-wrote Omerta for Hansal Mehta, Rahul believes the solitary nature of writing may have deepened his sense of isolation.
'He was a gifted writer, but writing is lonely work. He needed companionship and a sense of purpose, and those were missing.'
Mukul and Rahul
The sense of loneliness, Rahul says, defined a large part of Mukul's life. 'I'm a widower, and he was a divorcee. Sometimes I wonder — is it a kind of curse? When you separate from someone you've loved deeply, it's incredibly hard. Har koi akele aata hai, akele jaata hai, people say — but it's different when you're living that aloneness.
Mukul split at a young age, and while he had a strong bond with his child, he was never really meant to be on his own,' Rahul shares, and recalls, 'He was always surrounded by people, especially women — from childhood, he was effortlessly charming.
I, on the other hand, was always shy around girls. He was a star before he became one. And the irony is, someone so naturally social ended up so alone. He never remarried or tried again.
His life was full of such ironies. I wish he had been more receptive — things could have turned around.'
Rahul, who is just under two years older than Mukul, often took on a more parental role. He recalls, 'I would scold him about his health, and he'd avoid me, especially towards the end. I remember a moment from our childhood — our mother was narrating the story of Shravan taking his blind parents on a pilgrimage. While I quietly teared up, Mukul said, 'I'll take you and dad around the world when you turn blind.'
Our mom laughed and said, 'We're perfectly fine, why do you want to blind us just to travel with us!' (laughs!).
'
As he reflects on his brother's legacy, Rahul says, 'I choose to remember him not as the man who faded away, but as the super charming, intelligent, and sensitive person he truly was.
Kamaal tha woh
. His memory was razor sharp — he could learn South Indian dialogues in a snap while I'd take hours. He wasn't a bechara. He was incredibly gifted — he could've been anything: a pilot, a writer, an actor. He brought joy, wit, and energy into every room. That's the Mukul I knew and that's how I want the world to remember him.'