Veteran Actor Mushtaq Khan Passes Away at 56 After Cancer Battle

Veteran character actor Mushtaq Khan has died at the age of 56 on Thursday following a battle with cancer, plunging the Hindi film industry into grief. Known widely for his sharp comic timing and memorable supporting roles, he gained massive popularity playing the henchman Ballu in Anees Bazmee's hit comedy Welcome. In that film, he served as a sidekick to the gangster character Uday Shetty, played by Nana Patekar, and delivered the iconic dialogue about having a fake leg after previously being a hockey player—a line that later transformed into popular internet meme culture. Despite the film's huge success and his widely praised performance, Khan revealed in an interview last year with Filmymantra Media that he was paid only one lakh rupees for his work, despite having to shoot extra days beyond the original agreement without any bump in pay. He contrasted his flat fee with the production staff who were paid per day. Director Anees Bazmee expressed shock and grief on social media, posting a tribute to describe him as a remarkable artist and a kind soul. Khan started his acting journey in the 1980 film Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai and went on to appear in numerous notable Bollywood projects over the decades, including Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke.