Veteran actor Mukul Dev, who earned admiration for his versatile performances over the years, sadly passed away on Friday at the age of 54. Reports reveal that the actor had been battling illness for an extended period and was receiving treatment in the ICU when he breathed his last.
Many may not know that Mukul was originally selected to star opposite Preity Zinta in the 2000 film Kya Kehna, produced by Ramesh Taurani. The movie, which ultimately became a beloved box office success, was initially set to mark a major milestone in Mukul’s career. However, destiny chose a different path for him.
According to accounts from the time, Mukul failed to report to the film set on the scheduled day, leading to his abrupt removal from the cast. The producers, disappointed and pressed for time, replaced him with Saif Ali Khan. Additionally, Mukul was asked to refund the Rs 50,000 he had received as an advance payment.
Recalling the incident in an interview with Showsha, producer Ramesh Taurani said, “Saif wasn’t our first choice. It was Mukul Dev. But on the first day of the shoot, he didn’t turn up. Around 11 a.m., someone from production tried to contact him. He said he was on his way. They called again an hour later, and he claimed to be outside RK Studio — but he never arrived.”
The situation quickly escalated. Ramesh convened an urgent meeting with his production team at his Andheri office to discuss the crisis. Inside the room, the conversation shifted toward recasting the male lead, with Saif Ali Khan’s name brought into serious consideration. Unknown to the team, Mukul was quietly waiting outside, hoping for a chance to explain himself and salvage the opportunity.
“We were ready to start filming, and we couldn’t afford more delays,” Ramesh recalled. “I called Saif to ask if he was free to meet that evening, and he agreed. Just then, someone informed me that Mukul was waiting outside. I told them I didn’t want to speak to him. But he waited. As we were leaving, I eventually did talk to him.”
Despite his hours-long wait and earnest effort to reconcile, Mukul was informed that he had been removed from the project. Ramesh told him their professional trust had been broken and instructed him to return the signing amount.
Kya Kehna, directed by Kundan Shah, later turned into a massive success, with Saif Ali Khan joining a cast that included Preity Zinta, Chandrachur Singh, Farida Jalal, and Anupam Kher. Mukul’s lost opportunity remained a poignant footnote in his career—one that could have rewritten his fate.
Many may not know that Mukul was originally selected to star opposite Preity Zinta in the 2000 film Kya Kehna, produced by Ramesh Taurani. The movie, which ultimately became a beloved box office success, was initially set to mark a major milestone in Mukul’s career. However, destiny chose a different path for him.
According to accounts from the time, Mukul failed to report to the film set on the scheduled day, leading to his abrupt removal from the cast. The producers, disappointed and pressed for time, replaced him with Saif Ali Khan. Additionally, Mukul was asked to refund the Rs 50,000 he had received as an advance payment.
Recalling the incident in an interview with Showsha, producer Ramesh Taurani said, “Saif wasn’t our first choice. It was Mukul Dev. But on the first day of the shoot, he didn’t turn up. Around 11 a.m., someone from production tried to contact him. He said he was on his way. They called again an hour later, and he claimed to be outside RK Studio — but he never arrived.”
The situation quickly escalated. Ramesh convened an urgent meeting with his production team at his Andheri office to discuss the crisis. Inside the room, the conversation shifted toward recasting the male lead, with Saif Ali Khan’s name brought into serious consideration. Unknown to the team, Mukul was quietly waiting outside, hoping for a chance to explain himself and salvage the opportunity.
“We were ready to start filming, and we couldn’t afford more delays,” Ramesh recalled. “I called Saif to ask if he was free to meet that evening, and he agreed. Just then, someone informed me that Mukul was waiting outside. I told them I didn’t want to speak to him. But he waited. As we were leaving, I eventually did talk to him.”
Despite his hours-long wait and earnest effort to reconcile, Mukul was informed that he had been removed from the project. Ramesh told him their professional trust had been broken and instructed him to return the signing amount.
Kya Kehna, directed by Kundan Shah, later turned into a massive success, with Saif Ali Khan joining a cast that included Preity Zinta, Chandrachur Singh, Farida Jalal, and Anupam Kher. Mukul’s lost opportunity remained a poignant footnote in his career—one that could have rewritten his fate.
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