Mukul Dev Death: From Being a Pilot to Becoming an Actor, Everything About The ‘Jai Ho’ Actor, Career, Family, Marriage

Mukul Dev Biography: The film fraternity is mourning the sudden demise of television and film actor Mukul Dev, who breathed his last on Friday, 23rd May, 2025. The family shared the news on social media, with Mukul’s brother and actor Rahul Dev sharing a heartfelt post about his younger brother’s death. Mukul was best known for his roles in movies like Yamla Pagla Deewana, Son of Sardaar, and R… Rajkumar. The actor showcased his tremendous acting skills through various genres of comedy, drama and action.

Without any acting background, Mukul made it to big screens after recognising his potential during his childhood. Let us know more about the actor’s family background, career before stepping into the entertainment industry, marriage, girlfriends, and more.

Education & Family Background

Mukul Dev was born in New Delhi to a Punjabi family with roots in a village near Jalandhar and raised in Delhi. He was the younger brother of Rahul Dev, who is also an actor and model.  They also have a sister. In an interview, Mukul stated that he was introduced to Afghan culture through his father, who spoke Pashto and Persian. His father, Hari Dev, a former assistant commissioner of police, died in 2019 at the age of 91. 

He was introduced to the world of entertainment at a young age when, in class 8, he received his first pay cheque for impersonating Michael Jackson in a Doordarshan dance show. He was a pilot trained at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi.

Film Career

Mukul Dev made his television acting debut in 1996, playing “Vijay Pandey” in the serial ‘Mumkin’. He also appeared in Doordarshan’s comedy series ‘Ek Se Badh Kar Ek’, alongside Asrani, Tiku Talsania, and Annu Kapoor. He also hosted Fear Factor India Season 1. Apart from this, he participated in various television daily soaps in the 2000s, including ‘Kahin Diyaa Jale Kahin Jiyaa’ (2001), ‘Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii’ (2003), and ‘Pyar Zindagi Hai’ (2003). In 2008, he took part in a dancing competition called ‘Kabhi Kabhii Pyaar Kabhi Kabhii Yaar’.

Mukul Dev Bollywood Movies

After spotting his potential as an actor, Amitabh Bachchan’s company ABCL offered him a role in the film ‘Naam Kya Hai’, which was later shelved. Later, in 1996, he made his Hindi cinema debut as “ACP Rohit Malhotra” in Dastak, co-starring Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen. The film also marked Sushmita’s debut in the film industry. He has appeared in various films, including ‘Qila’ (1998), ‘Wajood’ (1998), ‘Kohram’ (1999), and ‘Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao’ (2001).  He also appeared in supporting roles in ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’ (2011), ‘Son of Sardaar’ (2012), ‘R... Rajkumar’ (2013), and ‘Jai Ho’ (2014).

He also gave his voice for dubbing prominent characters in Hindi versions of Hollywood films such as ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Captain Marvel’. Dev has also appeared in OTT web series such as ‘21 Sarfarosh - Saragarhi 1897’ and ‘State of Siege: 26/11’. Mukul Dev has recently appeared in Punjabi films, including ‘Sarabha’, ‘Shaatar’, and ‘Saak’, where he delivered strong performances. Mukul Dev last appeared in the film ‘Anth The End’, which was released in 2022.  The film was directed by K.S. Malhotra and starred Divya Dutta, Dev Sharma, Samikssha Batnagar, and Mukul Dev. 

Mukul Dev Personal Life

According to multiple media reports, Mukul Dev was married to Shilpa Dev but got separated in 2005. They have a 24-year-old daughter named Sia.

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Mukul Dev Cause of Death

The cause of Mukul Dev’s death is still unknown, however, his close friend and actor Vindu Dara Singh shared that the actor was unwell from some time and got hospitalised. Several Bollywood and television celebrities paid tribute to Mukul Dev including Deepshikha Nagpal and Manoj Bajpayee.