# Mushtaq Khan
**Mushtaq Khan** (मुश्ताक ख़ान; 31 December 1969 – 24 September 2026) was an Indian film and television actor and comedian who worked in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) for more than four decades, chiefly in supporting and comic roles.[1](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor) • [2](https://www.moviebuff.com/mushtaq-khan) He was best known for playing the disabled hockey player Ballu in *Welcome* (2007), the Rafoo Master in *Aashiqui* (1990), and roles in *Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke* (1993), *Gadar: Ek Prem Katha* (2001), and *Hera Pheri* (2000).[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) • [1](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969, Baihar, Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, India[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mushtaq_khan) • [5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) |
| Died | 24 September 2026, Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, after a battle with cancer; reported ages at death ranged from 56 to 76[5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mushtaq-khan-dies-at-76-actor-comedian-who-lit-up-films-tv-with-unforgettable-comic-timing/amp_articleshow/134467295.cms) |
| Screen debut | *Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai* (1980)[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-death-cancer-kidnapping-story-escaped-azaan-one-crore-10892737/lite/) |
| Break | Recommended by screenwriter Salim Khan to director Mahesh Bhatt; first Bhatt film was *Kabzaa* (1988)[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-first-meeting-with-salim-khan-people-would-queue-up-meet-mahesh-bhatt-8912581/lite/) |
| Signature roles | Rafoo Master in *Aashiqui* (1990); Ballu in *Welcome* (2007), source of the widely shared "Meri ek taang nakli hai" monologue[1](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) |
| Output | Roughly 80 to 100 screen credits across films and television, including recent releases such as *Stree 2* (2024), *Jaat* (2025), and *Gadar 2* (2023)[9](https://cinegraph.org/people/mushtaq-khan) • [10](https://www.zee5.com/global/blog/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-actor-who-brought-laughter-and-warmth-to-generations/) |
| Final film | *Poniiy*, scheduled for 16 October 2026; he died before dubbing his dialogues[11](https://theprint.in/feature/mushtaq-khan-was-working-on-his-last-film-poniiy-he-died-before-he-could-dub-it/3053432/) |
## Early life and start in Mumbai
Khan was born in the town of Baihar in [Madhya Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/madhya-pradesh)'s Balaghat district, into a Muslim family, and began his career in theater before moving to Mumbai to pursue acting.[5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) • [10](https://www.zee5.com/global/blog/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-actor-who-brought-laughter-and-warmth-to-generations/) He was doing plays when he first arrived in Mumbai, and it was on stage that the screenwriter [Salim Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salim-khan) noticed him.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-first-meeting-with-salim-khan-people-would-queue-up-meet-mahesh-bhatt-8912581/lite/) His screen debut came in *Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai* in 1980.[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-death-cancer-kidnapping-story-escaped-azaan-one-crore-10892737/lite/)
## The Salim Khan recommendation and Mahesh Bhatt
**The introduction.** Salim Khan called Khan over after watching him perform, praised his work, and later told him he had recommended his name to [Mahesh Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-bhatt) for the film *[Naam](https://www.edgepedia.org/naam-1986-film)* (1986), Khan's first solo script after his professional separation from [Javed Akhtar](https://www.edgepedia.org/javed-akhtar).[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-first-meeting-with-salim-khan-people-would-queue-up-meet-mahesh-bhatt-8912581/lite/) • [12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms) By then Bhatt, after *Arth* and *Saaransh*, was an established director whom aspiring actors found very difficult to meet; Khan recalled that getting even two minutes with him seemed impossible, and that Bhatt spoke largely in English while Khan described himself as a village guy.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms)
**The grocer's messages.** Khan met Bhatt at a studio where the director was shooting, but Bhatt said he had no suitable part in *Naam* and directed him to his brothers, producer [Mukesh Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/mukesh-bhatt) and screenwriter [Robin Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-bhatt), who promised to call when a role opened.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms) Khan had no telephone at home, so he paid a nearby grocer Rs 1 per message to take calls for him and visited every evening to ask. After 15 days the grocer finally told him a call had come from Mahesh Bhatt.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms)
**The Bhatt partnership.** The call led to *Kabzaa* (1988), an action-crime drama starring [Raj Babbar](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-babbar), Sanjay Dutt, Dimple Kapadia, and [Amrita Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/amrita-singh), which became Khan's first film with the director.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms) In Khan's words, after that "Bhatt saab ne mujhe nahi chhoda" (he didn't leave me).[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-first-meeting-with-salim-khan-people-would-queue-up-meet-mahesh-bhatt-8912581/lite/) He went on to appear in a run of Bhatt films: *Aashiqui* (1990), *Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin* (1991), *Saathi* (1991), *Sadak* (1991), *Junoon* (1992), *Gunaah* (1993), *Sir* (1993), *Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke* (1993), *Gumrah* (1993), *Naaraaz* (1994), and *Chaahat* (1996), before Bhatt stepped back from direction after *Zakhm* (1998).[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-reveals-unusual-way-he-got-mahesh-bhatts-call-10849038/)
## Career and signature roles
The career-defining break came as the Rafoo Master in *Aashiqui* (1990), a small but memorable part whose warmth stood out in a film packed with chartbuster songs, and which began the partnership that made Khan one of the most recognizable faces in Bhatt's cinema.[1](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor) Over the following decades he became a dependable character actor who could carry comic relief without pulling attention from the leads, then deliver a moment audiences remembered.[1](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor)
His best-known later role was Ballu in *Welcome* (2007), the disabled hockey player whose monologue "Meri ek taang nakli hai, main hockey ka bahut bada khiladi tha" ("One of my legs is artificial. I was a very good hockey player.") became iconic and later circulated widely as internet memes.[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) • [10](https://www.zee5.com/global/blog/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-actor-who-brought-laughter-and-warmth-to-generations/) Other familiar appearances included *Hera Pheri* (2000), *Gadar: Ek Prem Katha* (2001) as Gul Khan, *Mujhse Shaadi Karogi* (2004) as Chutki Baba, *Rowdy Rathore* (2012), *Stree* (2018), *Bala* (2019), *[Badhaai Do](https://www.edgepedia.org/badhaai-do)* (2022), *Gadar 2* (2023), and *Stree 2* (2024).[14](https://www.moviemeter.com/celebrities/32335/mushtaq-khan/filmography) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) On television he played Baldev Tripathi in *Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi* across 424 episodes from 2016 to 2021.[15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451272/)
## 2024 abduction
In November 2024 Khan was abducted after being lured to [Uttar Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/uttar-pradesh) on the pretext of attending an event. He was taken on 20 November from Delhi to Bijnor, held captive, and allegedly forced to pay a ransom of Rs 220,000 (Rs 2.20 lakh); he escaped a day later.[5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) He later recounted the episode publicly, saying he escaped after hearing the azaan and that "God was with me".[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-death-cancer-kidnapping-story-escaped-azaan-one-crore-10892737/lite/)
## Illness and death
Khan was first diagnosed with cancer around five years before his death, recovered, and saw the disease relapse shortly before he was hospitalized.[5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) Reports differed on the diagnosis: his business partner Shivam and the All Indian Cine Workers Association described lung cancer that spread to the liver, while India Today and Zee5 reported liver cancer.[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) • [16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/bollywood-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-57-10892618/) • [5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) His age at death was likewise reported variously as 56, 57, 75, and 76.[5](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24) • [16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/bollywood-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-57-10892618/) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mushtaq-khan-dies-at-76-actor-comedian-who-lit-up-films-tv-with-unforgettable-comic-timing/amp_articleshow/134467295.cms)
He died at Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai on the evening of 24 September 2026, and his funeral was held the next day at the Yari Road Kabristan.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/bollywood-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-57-10892618/) He remained professionally active almost to the end: his son, the producer-director Mohsin Khan, said his last shoot took place on 4 September at Madh Island for *Tarzan*, the debut film of Tiger, son of [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan)'s bodyguard Shera, and that Khan also had roles pending in Mohsin's Hindi-Marathi film and other projects.[17](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-mohsin-khan-on-mushtaq-khan-despite-being-in-hospital-father-went-away-smiling-he-kept-shooting-till-sept-4-101790333446001.html)
His final completed film, *Poniiy*, a family drama directed by Shibesh Motilal and scheduled for release on 16 October 2026, reached post-production without Khan's dubbed dialogues. Motilal said preserving the actor's original voice from the shoot was his top priority, describing Khan as a humble "one-shot" actor who pulled through a 14-hour shooting day while visibly unwell.[11](https://theprint.in/feature/mushtaq-khan-was-working-on-his-last-film-poniiy-he-died-before-he-could-dub-it/3053432/)
## Legacy
Khan is survived by his wife, Salma Khan, and his children.[10](https://www.zee5.com/global/blog/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-actor-who-brought-laughter-and-warmth-to-generations/) Tributes after his death came from actors, filmmakers, and politicians; Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked him for "making us laugh with your impeccable comic timing", and actor [Ravi Kishan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-kishan) called him "a versatile actor with unlimited range".[11](https://theprint.in/feature/mushtaq-khan-was-working-on-his-last-film-poniiy-he-died-before-he-could-dub-it/3053432/) The Federation of Western India Cine Employees noted that only six months earlier the union had helped him recover old dues a producer owed him while he was undergoing treatment.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mushtaq-khan-dies-at-76-actor-comedian-who-lit-up-films-tv-with-unforgettable-comic-timing/amp_articleshow/134467295.cms)
## References
1. [Remembering Mushtaq Khan: The Beloved 'Rafoo Master' of Aashiqui and Mahesh Bhatt's Favourite Character Actor, Open Magazine](https://openthemagazine.com/entertainment/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-rafoo-master-from-aashiqui-who-became-mahesh-bhatts-favourite-character-actor)
2. [Mushtaq Khan, Moviebuff.com](https://www.moviebuff.com/mushtaq-khan)
3. [Welcome actor Mushtaq Khan dies at 75 after battling cancer, confirms business partner, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/welcome-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-56-after-battling-cancer-confirms-business-partner-101790259402807.html)
4. [Mushtaq Khan Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mushtaq_khan)
5. [Welcome actor Mushtaq Khan dies of liver cancer in Mumbai, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/mushtaq-khan-popular-for-his-roles-in-welcome-and-aashiqui-dies-at-56-of-liver-cancer-3002202-2026-09-24)
6. [Mushtaq Khan dies at 76: Actor-comedian who lit up films, TV with unforgettable comic timing, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/mushtaq-khan-dies-at-76-actor-comedian-who-lit-up-films-tv-with-unforgettable-comic-timing/amp_articleshow/134467295.cms)
7. [When Mushtaq Khan escaped Rs 1 crore kidnapping after hearing azaan, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-death-cancer-kidnapping-story-escaped-azaan-one-crore-10892737/lite/)
8. [Mushtaq Khan opens up about his first meeting with Salim Khan, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-first-meeting-with-salim-khan-people-would-queue-up-meet-mahesh-bhatt-8912581/lite/)
9. [Mushtaq Khan, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/mushtaq-khan)
10. [Remembering Mushtaq Khan: The Actor Who Brought Laughter and Warmth to Generations, Zee5 Blog](https://www.zee5.com/global/blog/remembering-mushtaq-khan-the-actor-who-brought-laughter-and-warmth-to-generations/)
11. [Mushtaq Khan was working on his last film Poniiy. He died before he could dub it, ThePrint](https://theprint.in/feature/mushtaq-khan-was-working-on-his-last-film-poniiy-he-died-before-he-could-dub-it/3053432/)
12. ['Welcome' fame veteran actor Mushtaq Khan reveals how Salim Khan helped him meet Mahesh Bhatt, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133536177.cms)
13. ['Paid grocer Rs 1 per message': Mushtaq Khan reveals unusual way he got Mahesh Bhatt's call, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mushtaq-khan-reveals-unusual-way-he-got-mahesh-bhatts-call-10849038/)
14. [Filmography Mushtaq Khan, MovieMeter](https://www.moviemeter.com/celebrities/32335/mushtaq-khan/filmography)
15. [Mushtaq Khan, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451272/)
16. [Bollywood actor Mushtaq Khan dies after battle with cancer, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/bollywood-actor-mushtaq-khan-dies-at-57-10892618/)
17. [Exclusive: Mohsin Khan on Mushtaq Khan, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-mohsin-khan-on-mushtaq-khan-despite-being-in-hospital-father-went-away-smiling-he-kept-shooting-till-sept-4-101790333446001.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1990s–2000s › Surnames K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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