Filmmaker and actor Pooja Bhatt shared a profoundly symbolic passage from Richard Bach's cherished novella Jonathan Livingston Seagull in a heartfelt and poetic ode to the late actor Mukul Dev, highlighting the character's uniqueness and spirit.
This post was shared in remembrance of Mukul Dev, who passed away on May 23, 2025, and it struck a deep chord of quiet strength and significance.
The excerpt chosen by Pooja captures the essence of a being driven by freedom, purpose, and self-realisation over societal norms or conventions. It reads:
"He spoke of very simple things — that it is right for a gull to fly, that freedom is the very nature of his being, that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form."
The passage goes on to question authority and blind obedience:
"‘Set aside,’ came a voice from the multitude, even if it be the law of the flock?”
To which the gull replies, "The only true law is that which leads to freedom. There is no other."
In a world where most are consumed by survival, the excerpt ends with a reflection on deeper purpose:
"For most gulls it was not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight."
By choosing this particular passage, Pooja Bhatt subtly, yet powerfully, encapsulated Mukul Dev’s journey — an artist who, like the titular gull, perhaps sought more than convention, who valued the journey over the destination, flight over familiarity.
Also Read: Mukul Dev's last film Son of Sardaar 2 to release in July 2025, says friend Vindu Dara Singh
Bollywood actor Mukul Dev, known for films like Son of Sardaar, R… Rajkumar, and Jai Ho, passed away at 54 in Delhi after a brief illness. He was admitted to the ICU and breathed his last on Friday night. His final Hindi film was Anth The End.
The younger brother of actor Rahul Dev, Mukul had a parallel career in film and television. Born in New Delhi to a Punjabi family, he was exposed to diverse cultures early on. His father, a police officer with a passion for Afghan culture, influenced Mukul’s love for languages and literature.
Mukul’s first performance came in childhood when he impersonated Michael Jackson for a Doordarshan show. He also trained as a pilot at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, reflecting his wide range of talents.
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