Actor and former model Mukul Dev passed away on Friday, leaving the entertainment industry and his fans grieving. Known for his roles in films like Son of Sardaar, R…Rajkumar, and Jai Ho, Dev was also a trained pilot with a deep-rooted passion for aviation—something that remained close to his heart till the end.

His last Instagram post has since gone viral, showing a serene video of him flying his aircraft above the clouds. Set to the haunting karaoke track of Pink Floyd’s Brain Damage, the video is captioned with a line from the same song: “And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too… I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.” The poetic farewell has struck a chord with fans and friends alike.

Before stepping into films and television, Mukul trained at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udaan Akademi in Raebareli and worked as a commercial pilot for nearly a decade. He also ran an aeronautical training academy. Speaking to Eastern Eye in an earlier interview, he had recalled, “I was a pilot before I became an actor. So I will never forget clearing my flying academy exams and getting a scholarship to become a commercial pilot. I could not have asked for anything better.”

Tributes have poured in across social media. A fan wrote, “RIP sir. One of the finest actors of the 90s,” while others posted crying emojis and farewell notes. One of his earlier posts featured a Cessna light aircraft with the caption: “Echo November India. She gave me wings and taught me a few tricks in the skies.”

Celebrities including Manoj Bajpayee, Vindu Dara Singh, and Deepshikha Nagpal shared emotional tributes. Vindu revealed Dev had been unwell and was struggling emotionally after his mother’s death.