Mukul Dev dies at 54 after week-long battle in ICU

THE TIMES OF INDIA (May 25, 2025)

Mumbai: Well known actor of Hindi and Punjabi cinema, Mukul Dev, passed away in New Delhi at the age of 54 Friday. He had been hospitalized for an unspecified ailment. The news of his death caused a ripple of shock within the film industry as well as viewers who had watched him in films and on television since the 1990s.

Born in New Delhi to a Punjabi family in 1970, Mukul was the son of a senior police officer. He trained to be a pilot before finding his call in acting. He was initially cast in a movie ‘Naam Kya Hai’ by Amitabh Bachchan's ABCL but it was shelved. He launched his career with Doordarshan through a serial named ‘Mumkin’ in 1996. The same year he made his cinematic debut with Sushmita Sen starrer ‘Dastak’ where he played a police officer.

Mukul went on to feature in 'Qila', 'Wajood', 'Kohram', 'Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao', 'Yamla Pagla Deewana', 'Son of Sardaar', 'R... Rajkumar', 'Jai Ho' and several Punjabi films including 'Sarabha'.

On television, he was the host of 'Fear Factor India: Season 1'. He acted in serials like 'Kahin Diyaa Jale Kahin Jiyaa', 'Kashish', 'Gharwali Ooparwali', 'Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki', 'Sshh.. Phir Koi Hai', 'Kumkum... Pyara Sa Bandhan' and 'Pyar Zindagi Hai'. Mukul was the brother of actor Rahul Dev.

He is survived by a 22-year-old daughter Sia. Rahul performed the last rites in Delhi. Friends and peers from the entertainment industry mourned his loss. Actress Deepshikha Nagpal who announced his demise on social media recalled how they met whenever he came to Mumbai. Actor Vindoo Dara Singh remarked that Mukul had kept to himself and stopped stepping out after his parents' death.
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S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 25, 2025)

Mukul Dev, former model and familiar face in Hindi and Punjabi films, died at the age of 54 on Friday night. The actor succumbed to severe health complications after a week-long battle in the Intensive Care Unit in a hospital in Delhi. His cremation was conducted on Saturday.

Born into a Punjabi family in Delhi, Mukul was the younger brother to actor-model Rahul Dev. He is survived by his daughter Sia. After the news of his death broke, tributes from the industry began pouring in.

Actor Mugdha Godse (Rahul Dev’s partner) confirmed the news, telling us, “We are still in a state of shock. He was in ICU at a hospital in Delhi, for a week; severe health complications, and he couldn’t survive. None of us in our wildest imagination could think of this coming.”

Veteran actor Puneet Issar, who worked with Mukul in Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), says, “Not possible, he was so fit and fine... Achcha ladka tha... Saari baatein maanne wala, khush rehna wala insaan — that was him.”

Actor Divya Dutta, a close friend and co-star in Shaatar (2023) and Iski Topi Uske Sarr (1998) shares her grief, saying, “Life is so unpredictable... And how frivolous this life is. I still can’t believe it. He was a dear friend and adorable guy.”

Actor Dipshikkha Nagppal says, “We were part of the same friend circle. Whenever he was in Mumbai from Delhi, we made it a point to catch up. He was only 54 — such a kind and wonderful soul. I can’t wrap my head around it.”
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Actor Arjan Bajwa, who was a close friend and co-star in Son Of Sardaar (2012) and web show State Of Siege 26/11 (2020), says, “What I’m feeling can’t be expressed in words. Though we worked together in Son Of Sardaar, we knew each other way before that. We’ve been in touch and talking about working together. He was writing something for me in a script. He had a great sense of humour. We’d often talk in Punjabi. It was just the Punjabi humour we would share and laugh... His laughter is ringing in my ears as I recall those precious moments.”

Yashika Mathur