As a youngster, Rahul Dev hoped to be a cricketer but opted instead to be an engineer. In 1993, his final year of college, he was approached by late designer Rohit Khosla for modelling assignments. At the time, Raymonds too was looking for a face for their campaign and he was snapped up. Meanwhile, Rahul had a job with a garment company called Tedco, after which he opened his own company, Rap Overseas, producing leather garments and exporting them. He became a regular on the ramp 1994 onwards and continued till 2002. “But it doesn’t really excite me,” says the model-turned-actor who has acted in films such as Champion, Asoka, Footpath and Supari. “What I want now is to work with people like Sudhir Mishra and Ram Gopal Varma, in credible films,” he says. Rahul is all set to star in Vicky Chopra’s Fight Club and Anees Bazmee’s Benaam.

Mukul Dev got his first pay cheque (Rs 800) while he was still in class VIII by doing a spoofy Michael Jackson dance for Doordarshan. But he really wanted to become a pilot and enrolled in the Rae Bareli flying school. Unfortunately though, Mukul couldn’t drum up the huge donations of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh that were needed at the time to secure a job,and hence was unable to follow his dream. Thereafter, Mukul stood in for some modelling assignments for his elder brother and landed a few plum advertisement projects for himself. Soon Dastak came his way and there’s been no looking back since for Mukul who is currently working on a reality show for Sony called Fear Factor. He’s also to be spotted in the films Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena and Raghu.

Rahul:

I am just two years older than Mukul, but have always felt very paternal where he’s concerned. There were times in school (St Columba’s in Delhi) when Mukul would fall asleep in the bus on the way back home. I’d get anxious then wondering whether the driver would bother to wake him up at the right stop. So I’d pull his hair, or try another way of waking him up.

Mukul was quite naughty sometimes, especially when we were playing cricket. He would refuse to get out and if he did, he claimed it was a no ball. Otherwise he’d threaten to carry the bat away with him. We used to fight then. Yet he always knew that I had given up my dream of cricket to be an engineer. I remember an incident that was very emotional. I had just got my first job. Even before I could break the news at home, Mukul did it for me.

While I was the boring brother, he was the cool dude. I wanted him to work out in the gym but he was not so concerned. As we grew older, we partied together. But I despised the fact that he smoked and berated him for it. And to his credit, Mukul has cut down a lot now.

Then Mukul went to Mumbai and began acting when he was just about 21 years old. Suddenly my kid brother was living alone in a city and was taking care of everything by himself. I was in Delhi at the time and still modelling. Mukul made his debut in Dastak in 1996. First spotted by Amitabh Bachchan’s company ABCL, Mukul even shot a film with them called Naam Kya Hai, but it got shelved.

Mukul went through his share of problems, but we didn’t have a clue back home. I realised it only when I came to Mumbai. I had it easy though as I was already an established name. All the more reason to be proud of him. When I saw him on the big screen for the first time, I thought he was brilliant.

Nowadays, we hardly meet though we live in the same building. But we stay in touch over the phone as both of us are always on the move.

If I want Mukul to change any thing, it would be his smoking habit and being selfless. He recently helped two boys (personal attendants you get on the sets of a film) go abroad. And most importantly, he should take out time for himself.

Mukul:

From the very beginning, Rahul has been protective of me. I could fight with anyone as long as I knew he was there to back me up. I’d love getting into brawls and would warn people that my big brother was there, so they dare not mess with me. After getting back home though, I’d get a good spanking. But in front of others, he never let me down.

I was a sore loser. So when we used to play cricket, he’d inevitably bowl me out. He was an incredible bowler. And I’d always throw tantrums. One time he beat me at a game of table tennis. I was so irritated that I threw the bat and it hit him. I got a spanking. I remember the film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. It struck home because the relationship between Aamir Khan and Manek Singh echoed mine and Rahul’s.

Once my dad made us stand in the backyard as we’d arrived home late and I wasn’t wearing my shoes. Rahul made me stand on his feet the entire time that we were punished. Even today when we’re together, I believe nothing can trouble me if he’s by my side. Our relationship has matured over time and now, he’s like a father to me.

Rahul has always been a very talented sportsman. I’m sure that had he not been in the glamour industry, he’d have been India’s best fast bowler. He played cricket till very late in college. He was representing Delhi in the under-19 squad and was coach Gurcharan Singh’s blue-eyed boy. But Indian cricket can be very political. It’s not easy to break into.

I remember our cricketing days, of how he used to get easily chosen for the state team’s XI. I’d inevitably be the twelfth man but Rahul would always ensure I was one of the 11 players.

At the risk of sounding mushy, I can safely say that in Rahul, God gave me the perfect brother.