Actor Mushtaq Khan dies after cancer battle at 67

MUMBAI: Bollywood has lost one of its familiar faces, and the laughter comes with a pause. Actor Mushtaq Khan, whose supporting roles and comic timing made him a recognisable presence across generations of Hindi cinema, died on Thursday after battling cancer.

Khan passed away at Nanavati Hospital at around 7 pm, his son Mohsin confirmed. He said the actor had initially complained of stomach pain and was taken to hospital, where doctors discovered that he had cancer. His condition worsened over the past few days.

According to Mohsin, Khan had been working until shortly before his hospitalisation and had been shooting for the debut film of the son of Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera.

Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) president BN Tiwari also confirmed the actor’s death, saying he was trying to contact Khan’s family.

Khan’s funeral will take place on Friday at Yari Road Kabristan.

His death marks the end of a career spanning more than four decades. Khan made his screen debut with Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai in 1980 and went on to build a steady body of work across Hindi films and television.

His filmography included Aashiqui, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Raja, Hera Pheri, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Jodi No. 1, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Welcome, Wanted and Oh My God!.

He continued working across newer generations of filmmakers and actors, appearing in Stree, Badhaai Do, Gadar 2 and Stree 2. His later credits included Vanvaas, Baby John, Dhoom Dhaam and Jaat. On television, he appeared in shows including Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi.

Among his most remembered performances was his role in Anees Bazmee’s Welcome in 2007. Khan’s comic monologue about a fake leg after an injury involving Uday Bhai became one of the film’s most quoted sequences.

The performance stood out despite Khan sharing the screen with a heavyweight ensemble that included Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.

Khan also played Gul Khan in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha in 2001, returning to the franchise more than two decades later with Gadar 2 in 2023.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who said he had known Khan for decades, remembered their early days together in theatre, plays and television. Pandit described Khan as a close friend and said his journey from a small town to Mumbai, his theatre training and commitment to acting made his loss particularly painful.

“We were both groomed together. We grew up together like brothers,” Pandit said, recalling the difficult early years they experienced together.

For audiences, however, Khan’s legacy will remain scattered across the many characters that turned up, delivered their lines, landed a laugh and left an impression without always occupying the centre of the frame. His career was built in those supporting spaces but his performances often made sure he was anything but forgettable.