Mukul Dev 7 Lesser Known Facts: Actor's Debut Film Was Shelved, He Was Replaced By Saif Ali Khan In Kya Kehna And Returned To Television When His Bollywood Career Was 'In A Lurch'

Mukul Dev passed away on May 23 in New Delhi. While the exact reason for his death remains unknown, friends and family close to the actor have confirmed that he was battling health-related issues and passed away peacefully at the age of 54. The actor was best known for his performance in movies like Son of Sardaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana, as well as television shows. In a career spanning more than 2 decades, Mukul shared the screen with top personalities of the Hindi film industry, including Dilip Kumar, Sushmita Sen, Madhuri Dixit and Ajay Devgn, among others. Here's a list of lesser-known facts about the actor who was Rahul Dev's younger brother.

Mukul Dev's debut film was shelved 

Mukul Dev made his acting debut with the television serial Mumkin in 1996. In the same year, the actor made his big screen debut with the movie Dastak, which also marked the first film of Sushmita Sen. However, Mukul was supposed to make his first big screen appearance in a film produced by ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited), however, the movie never saw the light of day.

Also Read: Mukul Dev Will Make His Last Screen Appearance In Son Of Sardaar 2

Speaking to Planet Bollywood in an old interview, Mukul shared, “Yes, the film was complete, but it could never get a release for itself. ABCL was going through a financial crisis, and a couple of other films that were produced by the company during that time were not released.” As per reports, the film was titled Naam Kya Hai.

Jaya Bachchan paid ₹75,000 to Mukul Dev as a signing amount

Mukul Dev also revealed getting a hefty amount for his debut film ABCL. He hosted a comedy show, Ek Se Badh Kar Ek, on Doordarshan, which is where the actor caught the attention of Amitabh Bachchan. Speaking to Lehren, Mukul had shared, “My first income was Rs 75,000 and they were given by Jaya Bachchan for the ABCL film. When she met me, she had said, ‘I want to sign you. We are making three films, and you are doing at least one film with us among the three films that we are producing. I don’t know which of these films you will do, but you will do a film with us."

Also Read: Mukul Dev Cause Of Death: Vindu Reveals Actor Was 'Depressed' After... 

Mukul Dev, not Saif Ali Khan, was supposed to play the lead role in Kya Kehna 

Mukul Dev was also the first choice for the Preity Zinta starrer Kya Kehna. Producer Ramesh Turani confirmed in an interview that he was signed for the movie but was later fired due to an unprofessional attitude. Speaking to a leading publication, the producer recalled Mukul not showing up on the set on the first day of shoot. He admitted that the actor came back later to explain his absence, but without listening to his reason, he fired him and replaced him with Saif Ali Khan.  

Mukul Dev's claim to fame was an impersonation of Michael Jackson

Also Read: Mukul Dev Dies: Brother Rahul Dev Shares Official Statement

As per many reports, Mukul rose to fame in class 8th, when the world first recognised his talent. He impersonated the pop legend Michael Jackson on a show organised by Doordarshan, which not only gave him exposure but also earned him big bucks.

Mukul Dev was a trained pilot 

Acting was not the only passion of Mukul. He was a trained pilot from the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi. In fact, his last Instagram post before his passing was also of a video he made from the cockpit. Sharing the video, in which he was seemingly flying an aircraft, the actor wrote in the caption, “And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too.... I'll see you on the dark side of the moon. #crosscountry”

Mukul Dev was married to Shilpa Dev and has a 23-year-old daughter

Very little is known about Mukul Dev's private life. The actor was married to Shilpa Dev, but the couple got divorced later. A friend close to the actor told India Forums, "I think it all started with differences over trivial matters. You can't blame either one; it takes two to make a marriage work. But after the breakdown of his marriage, Mukul has changed a lot."

Mukul and Shilpa are parents to a daughter, Sia Dev. In December 2022, Mukul Dev took to his Instagram account to share a photo of his daughter and wish her on her 20th birthday.

Mukul Dev's mental health took a toll after his mother's demise

Mukul Dev's Son of Sardaar 2 co-star Vindu Dara Singh shared that the actor's health took a major turn after the passing of his mother. He told ANI, “He was very close to his mother, and when she passed away, he became depressed. He didn't have the same person to guide him after her passing." He also recalled Mukul gaining weight following the incident and that he was extremely anxious about the rising COVID-19 cases. He said, “He was very scared of COVID. He kept telling me, 'Vindu, I think I have a heart issue,' and I would laugh and say, 'It's all in the mind.' But he was genuinely concerned.”