13 May,2026 08:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rahul Dev (Pic/Instagram)
Paparazzi culture and behaviour in India has long been a debated topic. Especially when it comes to coverage of sensitive or private matters, several celebrities have come forward to slam the paps. Last year, videos of Sunny Deol lashing out at the paparazzi when his father, veteran actor Dharmendra, was admitted to a hospital, reignited the debate. Now, actor Rahul Dev, who lost his brother Mukul Dev last year, opened up about the way photographers behaved during his brother's final rites.
Speaking to Hindi Rush, Rahul shared, "The media should be a little responsible. It's not like I don't have very good friends in the media, but I experienced it at Mukul's funeral as well," said Rahul. "I didn't invite anyone. Where did they come from? I just had to reach the crematorium within one hour from Max Hospital that day. It was just a one-man show. Our parents are no more."
Rahul added that though he didn't inform the media about his brother's funeral, he had posted the information on his Instagram Stories for relatives. The photographers reached the location after seeing his post. He stated, "That caused pagalpan (chaos). They should think I've lost my brother, and you're there to click photos. It's very weird."
The actor also opened up about confronting the photographers and said, "I didn't feel any embarrassment. I did what I thought was best then. The one who's covering it should feel embarrassed instead. It just shows their depth. I was just doing my duty as a brother. So, the media should be sensitive, but they're not. That's the truth."
Notably, this is not the first time Rahul has spoken up about the media's insensitive behaviour during his brother's funeral. While speaking to Bollywood Bubble earlier, he shared that he requested photographers not to cover the funeral with folded hands, but they still continued clicking. Rahul also recalled how the photographers gave him a thumbs-up from a distance but continued shooting regardless. He later found the videos online.
Actor Mukul Dev died at the age of 54 on May 23, 2025. The actor passed away following a brief illness and time in the ICU. In the past, Rahul has shared how Mukul suffered from deteriorating health due to poor eating habits. He also shared that Mukul has lost interest in life, especially after their parents passed away.
