Actor Mukul Dev Dies at 54; Final Instagram Post Carried a Haunting Message

Actor Mukul Dev, known for his versatile performances across Hindi, Punjabi, and South Indian cinema, passed away at the age of 54 on Friday in New Delhi. Though not very active on social media, Mukul occasionally shared glimpses from his life — including his passion for flying, a lesser-known facet of his life.

A Grim Farewell on Instagram

Mukul’s final post on Instagram, shared earlier this year on February 26, now feels eerily poignant. The actor, a trained pilot, posted a video from inside the cockpit as he soared above the clouds. Set to Dark Side of the Moon, the video was accompanied by a cryptic caption:
“And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too… I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon. #crosscountry”

On the same day, he also shared a photo of an aircraft, captioning it, “Echo November India. She gave me wings and taught me a few tricks in the skies. #learningtofly.”

A Passion for Flying

Few knew that Mukul was a trained pilot before turning to acting full-time. As per a Times of India report, he completed his aviation training at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli. Mukul worked as a commercial pilot for nearly a decade and even ran an aeronautical training institute in Delhi.

In a 2011 interview, Mukul had spoken about his decision to step away from flying:
“That’s because I haven’t been flying. The point is, one cannot say, ‘I’ll be shooting for a month, come back, and fly again.’ So I had to quit it.”

A Stalwart Across Industries

Born on September 17, 1970, in New Delhi, Mukul Dev carved a niche for himself across multiple film industries. He began his acting career in 1996 with the TV series Mumkin, followed by his film debut in Dastak, where he starred alongside Sushmita Sen. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, he appeared in a wide range of films including Son of Sardaar, R… Rajkumar, and Jai Ho, leaving an indelible mark across Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, and Malayalam cinema.

Industry Mourns His Loss

The entertainment industry poured out tributes in memory of the late actor. Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who shared screen space with Mukul in Dastak, posted an emotional message on Instagram:
“It’s impossible to put into words what I’m feeling. Mukul was a brother in spirit, an artist whose warmth and passion were unmatched. Gone too soon, too young. Praying for strength and healing for his family and everyone grieving this loss. Miss you meri jaan… until we meet again. Om Shanti.”

Actor Vindu Dara Singh also expressed his sorrow in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“Rest in peace my brother #MukulDev! The time spent with you will always be cherished and #SonOfSardaar2 will be your swansong, where you’ll spread joy and laughter for one last time.”

Mukul Dev leaves behind a rich legacy of cinematic work, remembered both for his acting prowess and his unfulfilled passion for the skies.