Mushtaq Khan—a beloved supporting fixture across five decades in Hindi cinema, celebrated for iconic roles in Welcome, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Aashiqui, and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke—passed away on Thursday, September 24, 2026, following a rapid relapse of cancer. He was laid to rest in Mumbai on Friday, September 25.
While the final rites saw a dedicated gathering of character actors, comedians, and senior industry peers—including Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Bedi, Annu Kapoor, Sulabha Arya, Manish Wadhwa, Shahbaz Khan, Sharad Malhotra, Ahsaan Qureshi, and filmmaker Anees Bazmee—not a single leading mainstream superstar was present in person.
Taking to Instagram in a video message that quickly went viral across film corridors, Raza Murad openly questioned the industry's selective loyalties and the transient nature of Bollywood fraternity.
Murad, who shared screen space and personal camaraderie with Khan for decades, did not hold back in expressing his heartbreak over the cold turnout from Bollywood’s elite: “Afsos ki baat yeh hai ki aise mauke par koi bhi star, jise hum star kehte hain, unhe apna aakhiri salaam pesh karne nahi aaya. Jabki unke bohot saare saathi, unke colleagues, actors, sab aaye... Lekin koi bada chehra nahi aaya [The sad part is that on such an occasion, no star whom we call a star came to offer their final respects. While many of his colleagues, actors, and friends were there, no big face showed up].”
Drawing a sharp, biting contrast between how celebrities show up for power versus how they honor departed colleagues, Murad added:
“Haan, lekin agar kisi industrialist ke bete ki shaadi hoti, toh yeh stars na sirf wahan shaamil hote, balki aise serve karte jaise waiters hon. Ya agar kisi political party ko unki zaroorat hoti, toh zaroor pahunchte... Par jis insaan ne film industry ko apni zindagi ke 50 saal diye, aap use aakhiri alvida kehne ke liye 50 minute nahi nikaal sake? [If it were the wedding of an industrialist's son, these stars would not only attend, but serve like waiters. Or if a political party required their presence, they would definitely be there. But for a man who gave 50 years of his life to this film industry, you couldn't spare even 50 minutes?]”
Murad highlighted that throughout his five-decade career, Mushtaq Khan worked on the strength of pure talent rather than lobbying influential production camps:
Earning His Stature:“Unhone kabhi kisi ki chamchagiri ya khushamad nahi ki. Woh sirf apne kaam ke balboote pe yahan tak pahunche [He never indulged in sycophancy or flattery. He reached this point solely on the strength of his craft and labor].”
Worked with Every Leading Star: Murad pointed out the irony that there is virtually no major hero in Hindi cinema—from Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan to Akshay Kumar, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Govinda, and Sanjay Dutt—whom Mushtaq Khan had not shared a frame with in landmark hits like Welcome, Gadar, Hera Pheri, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, and Rowdy Rathore.
A Warning on the Transience of Stardom: Closing his message with a philosophical reminder to today's stars, Murad cautioned:
“He didn’t need you in life, nor does he need you in death. But remember, name, fame, and wealth are fleeting. One day the limelight fades for everyone; humility and basic humanity are all that remain.”
Raza Murad’s candid outburst strikes at a persistent, uncomfortable reality within the Hindi film industry: the widening social divide between the marquee stars who headline films and the dependable character actors who supply their comic and dramatic spine. By articulating what many senior character artistes feel privately, Murad has reignited an urgent conversation about basic empathy, professional respect, and the transactional nature of Bollywood relationships.
