“That credit made him feel seen”: Hansal Mehta defends his emotional tribute to late friend Mukul Dev

Mukul, who passed away on May 23, was a long-time friend and collaborator of Filmmaker Hansal Mehta’s, and their bond extended far beyond professional ties. Hansal Mehta has now come forward to defend his heartfelt tribute to late actor-writer Mukul Dev after an X (formerly Twitter) user accused him of being “narcissistic” for referencing his film 'Omertà' in the post.Filmmaker Recalls Bond with Mukul DevIn his tribute, Mehta reflected on their years of friendship, struggles, and shared hopes, a journey that culminated in Omertà, a film Mukul helped shape behind the scenes. “Mukul gave me the story of Omertà in 2003,” Mehta recalled, emphasizing how much pride Mukul took in seeing his name in the writing credits. “That credit made him feel seen, respected, and validated,” Mehta wrote, noting how much joy it gave his friend when the film premiered to international acclaim.

Despite Omertà releasing in 2018, Mehta stressed that he had no intention of hyping an old film but only wished to honor the emotional truth of their shared journey.

“If narrating that is narcissism, maybe you need to look up the meaning of grief and decency,” he retorted."I shared mine with honesty and affection" Mehta reminded followers that when a friend dies, grief manifests in many forms, stories, memories, and even guilt.

“I shared mine with honesty and affection,” he said. The filmmaker also offered a glimpse into Mukul’s emotional struggles, including a sense of missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. He concluded the note by saying, "Also, I don’t need to “hype” a film made over seven years ago. That film was Mukul’s dream. His pride in it was real. His credit on it gave him some joy. If narrating that is narcissism, maybe you need to look up the meaning of grief and decency."