Veteran actor and comedian Mushtaq Khan passed away in Mumbai on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the age of 56, bringing an end to a film career spanning more than four decades. He was admitted to Nanavati Hospital after his condition turned critical and took his last breath on Thursday evening, with his wife Salma by his side.
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A Battle With Cancer
Khan had been undergoing cancer treatment and had reportedly recovered before the illness relapsed roughly eight days before his death, according to his business partner Shivam. He was admitted in a last-stage condition. His death was confirmed by FWICE president BN Tiwari and AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupt.
The Role That Made Him A Household Name
Khan will forever be remembered for playing Balwish Dey, popularly known as “Ballu,” Uday Shetty’s sidekick in Anees Bazmee’s 2007 blockbuster Welcome, alongside Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Katrina Kaif. His character’s running gag about a fake leg and a past as a hockey player, delivered through the line “Meri ek taang nakli hai, main hockey ka bahut bada khiladi tha,” made Ballu one of Hindi cinema‘s most quoted comic characters. He reprised the role in Welcome Back (2015).
A Career Built On Theatre
Khan began on stage, where writer Salim Khan noticed him and recommended him to Mahesh Bhatt, leading to his debut in Kabzaa (1988). Over the decades, he appeared in more than 250 films, including Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Khal Nayak, Jodi No. 1, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, and its 2023 sequel, where he played Gul Khan. He remained active through Stree 2 and Jaat, and appeared on television in Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi.
A Legacy That Outlives Him
Khan is survived by his wife Salma and sons Mohammed Arshad Khan and Mohsin Khan. For an entire generation of moviegoers, he will always be remembered simply as Ballu Paaji.
