Veteran Actor Mushtaq Khan Dies at 75

Veteran Bollywood actor Mushtaq Khan, known for his memorable roles in films such as Welcome and Aashiqui, passed away on Thursday at the age of 75. He had been battling lung cancer for several years.

According to his son, the actor’s last rites will be performed after Friday prayers, following which he will be laid to rest at the Yari Road cemetery in Mumbai.

Several members of the film industry, including Sunny Deol and Anupam Kher, expressed grief over the actor’s death. Actor Rajpal Yadav said that he had met Mushtaq Khan just two hours before his death.

Cancer Returned Days Before His Death

Mushtaq Khan’s business partner Shivam said that the actor passed away at around 7 pm on Thursday.

The actor had reportedly been diagnosed with cancer around five years ago and had recovered after treatment. However, the disease returned about eight days before his death. He was subsequently admitted to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai, where he was undergoing treatment for advanced-stage cancer.

Worked in More Than 250 Films

Born in Baihar town of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, Mushtaq Khan began his acting journey in theatre before making his Hindi film debut with Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai in 1980.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, he appeared in over 250 films. During the 1990s, he featured in several popular movies, including Aashiqui, Sadak, Saathi, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Kranti Veer, Raja, Major Saab and Mann.

His portrayal of Tailor Rafu Master in Aashiqui and Bhagwat Prasad Mishra in Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke earned him recognition among audiences.

Popular Role in ‘Welcome’

Mushtaq Khan received widespread recognition for playing Ballu, an associate of Majnu Bhai, in the 2007 comedy film Welcome. He later appeared in films including Welcome Back, Stree and Stree 2.

Besides films, the veteran actor also worked in television and remained active in the entertainment industry for several decades.

Survived by Wife and Three Children

Mushtaq Khan is survived by his wife, Salma Khan, two sons and a daughter. His elder son is Mohammad Arshad Khan, while his younger son is Mohsin Khan. His daughter is Saba Sheikh.

In an earlier interview, Mushtaq Khan had spoken about his personal life and revealed that he had fallen in love in the past, but the relationship did not work out. He later decided to stay away from marriage before eventually marrying Salma Khan at the wishes of his parents.

Mushtaq Khan Was Kidnapped in 2024

In November 2024, Mushtaq Khan was reportedly kidnapped after being lured with the promise of attending an award function as the chief guest in Meerut.

The accused allegedly gained his confidence by transferring Rs 25,000 to him and arranging a flight ticket from Mumbai to Delhi. After arriving at Delhi airport on November 20, he travelled towards Meerut in a cab.

During the journey, he was allegedly forced to transfer to another vehicle and was subsequently kidnapped at gunpoint. He was taken to a house in Bijnor and held captive for around 12 hours.

The kidnappers reportedly demanded Rs 1 crore for his release. The incident had triggered a police investigation at the time.

Mushtaq Khan’s death marks the loss of a veteran character actor who entertained audiences through a career spanning more than four decades.