Mushtaq Khan, celebrated for his role as Ballu in Welcome, died at 56 after a cancer battle.  

Updated on: Sep 25, 2026, 18:57:55 IST

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Mushtaq Khan's death has left the film industry mourning the loss of a veteran actor known for his comic timing and memorable character roles. The actor, who passed away at 56 on Thursday after battling cancer, was particularly loved for his role as Ballu in Anees Bazmee's multi-starrer Welcome. While Mushtaq received immense praise for his role, in a previous interaction he had expressed that he felt he wasn't properly compensated for the film.

Mushtaq Khan was paid ₹1 lakh for Welcome

Speaking to Filmymantra Media last year, Mushtaq shared that he was paid only ₹1 lakh by the makers of Welcome, which was much lower than what was promised to him despite him shooting for extra days for the role. He said, “When we sign an agreement, we’re told it’s a 20-day or 25-day shoot. Based on that, we decide our payment. But when, after the 25-day shoot is over, they ask for 10 more days, and then another 15 days after that, I felt that was not right. The payment wasn’t increased."

He added, “I’ll tell you the reason. For us, it was fixed that we would do the film for ₹1 lakh, whether it took 20 days or 25 days. But their staff worked on a per-day basis. Just imagine how much money we would have made if we were also paid per day."

Mushtaq's role in Welcome

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Mushtaq played the character Ballu in Welcome, a henchman of gangster Uday Shetty, played by Nana Patekar. He had one particular line in the film that Uday would ask him to say to scare his targets. The line was, “Meri ek taang nakli hai, main hockey ka bohot bada khiladi tha (One of my legs is fake. I was a great hockey player).”

Mushtaq's role in Welcome has since become part of meme culture. The film also starred Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Mallika Sherawat and Feroz Khan, among others. It was directed by Anees Bazmee.

Anees Bazmee remembers Mushtaq Khan

Remembering the late actor, Bazmee shared a picture of Mushtaq Khan and wrote, “Shocked and speechless by the passing of Mushtaq Bhai (my balu). A truly remarkable artist and a beautiful soul. May Allah bless his soul and give strength to his family and loved ones.”

About Mushtaq Khan

Mushtaq made his debut with Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai in 1980. Known for his versatile performances, the actor featured in a wide range of Hindi films, including Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Welcome and several others. He passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 56.

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