Hansal Mehta Reveals Missed Opportunities ‘Chipped Away’ at Mukul Dev’s Spirit After Actor’s Death at 54

Hansal Mehta: Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who collaborated with the late actor Mukul Dev on the film Omerta, shared his heartfelt sorrow in a touching post as he reminisced about their time together. On Sunday, Hansal took to Instagram to share a collection of photos featuring Mukul.

Hansal remembered Mukul's booming laughter, their inside jokes and his storytelling gift. He said, "As the weight of this loss settles in, I realise there’s still so much more I want to say about my friend Mukul. I will miss Mukul deeply. His booming laughter at our inside jokes, his unmatched gift for storytelling, that unmistakable voice…"

He wrote about Mukul being a part of his projects. "He acted in two of my unreleased films and a TV show—somehow in the shadows of it all, we became very close. We bonded over booze, broken hearts, and the foolish hope that things would one day make sense. For years, we were gym buddies, pushing each other through reps and regrets," he added.

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Hansal wrote about Mukul's not-so-successful career and what didn't make him happy. "Mukul was devastatingly handsome—his presence could light up a stadium, his charm could hold a room in thrall. He had what most people only dream of: a dream launch, big directors, prominent co-stars. He had the look, the talent, the pedigree. But his career became a collection of missed opportunities and near breakthroughs. A story of what could’ve been. A string of ‘what ifs’," he further said.

He added, "And I think those what ifs chipped away at his spirit. Slowly, quietly, they filled him with a sense of defeat and resignation—an ache that often found its only solace in booze. Behind the laughter and bravado was a man struggling to reconcile with the dreams that eluded him."

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Hansal opens up on his last conversation with Mukul

Hansal also recalled the last time he spoke with Mukul. "The last time we spoke was a few months ago. The same gregarious laugh, the same fake Feroz Khan accent we always used with each other. But behind the laughter, I sensed something heavier—a quiet sadness, an air of disappointment, a kind of loneliness he never really shared. Go well, my beautiful, broken, brilliant friend. Phir milenge (We will meet soon)," concluded his note.

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