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Veteran actor Mushtaq Khan, known for his memorable supporting and comic roles in Hindi cinema, died on Thursday after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Weeks before his death, Khan had spoken in detail about a terrifying chapter of his life — his abduction in November 2024. Earlier this month, the actor recalled the ordeal during his appearance on the podcast Finding A Way With Deepti, recounting how he was lured to an event in Meerut, taken to a house in Bijnor and held captive before making an escape.
Mushtaq Khan said he felt fortunate to have made it out safely, while also acknowledging that he had trusted the people who approached him without making enough enquiries.
“God was with me. We also make mistakes because we trust people too much and don’t make enough enquiries.”
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Mushtaq Khan was lured with an event invitation
Mushtaq Khan said he received a call from a man who claimed to have met him at an event in Noida. The caller then invited him to an award function in Meerut.
“I received a call from a man. He told me, ‘You may remember that we were at an event in Noida where you had given us your number.’ He said, ‘I am organising a programme, an award function in Meerut. You have to attend it.’”
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After discussing his fee, Khan agreed to the event. He was paid half the amount in advance and received a flight ticket to Delhi.
“The payment was discussed and he agreed. The date was finalised. He sent half the total amount as an advance and sent the ticket.”
Police investigations later established that Mushtaq Khan had been invited to an event in Meerut on November 20, 2024, and was picked up from Delhi airport after arriving from Mumbai. He was then taken to Bijnor, where he was held captive.
‘They kept telling me they had kidnapped me’
Khan said a car was waiting for him when he reached Delhi. He initially had no reason to suspect that anything was wrong.
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“When I reached Delhi, the car was ready. I didn’t know what their plan was. I just couldn’t believe it. They kept telling me repeatedly that they had kidnapped me.”
His captors covered his face and drove him for several hours.
“They covered my face. We left Delhi at 7 pm, and by the time they took me to the place, it was 12 at night. So I thought either they had taken me to a jungle or to some farmhouse.”
Mushtaq Khan died on Thursday. (Photo: Instagram/Mushtaq Khan)
Mushtaq Khan said he was eventually taken to the second floor of a building, where the kidnappers removed the cloth covering his face and demanded money.
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“They took me to the second floor. Then they removed the cloth from my face and demanded money. They demanded Rs 1 crore. I said, ‘Where will I get Rs 1 crore from?’”
The actor said his abductors believed he had made a fortune from Gadar 2, which had been a major box-office success.
“At that time, my film Gadar 2 had been released and the film had earned Rs 500 crore. So they said, ‘Your film was released and earned Rs 500 crore, so you must have got Rs 5 crore.’ I explained to them that it doesn’t work like that.”
The ransom demand was eventually brought down to Rs 20 lakh.
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“Then we settled on Rs 20 lakh. So it was decided that in the morning, I would call my wife. She would arrange the money, then they would tell us where to bring it, and once she brought the money, they would release me.”
According to police records from the investigation, Mushtaq Khan’s abductors also forced transactions from his phone during his captivity. Reports at the time said the gang used a similar method to lure and abduct comedian Sunil Pal weeks later. Both men were held at the same guesthouse in Bijnor, according to police.
How Mushtaq Khan escaped his kidnappers
Mushtaq Khan’s opportunity to escape came after his captors began drinking. He said there were seven or eight people initially, but most eventually left, leaving two men in the room with him.
“They started drinking. There were seven or eight people and they kept drinking. Then four or five people left. Two people remained in my room and they fell asleep.”
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It was then that Khan heard the sound of the azaan. He realised the presence of a mosque nearby could help him find his way to safety.
“Then God was with me. I heard the sound of the azaan and understood that there must be a mosque nearby.”
With the two men asleep, the actor decided to take the risk and leave.
“Both kidnappers were asleep. I gathered courage, got up, kept my shoes beside me and left my suitcase there. Luckily, there was nobody on the first floor or the ground floor, and the main gate was also open. God was with me.”
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Once outside, Mushtaq Khan found himself in a populated area. He asked a local man for directions to the mosque and made his way there.
Mushtaq Khan died at the age of 56. (Photo: Instagram/Mushtaq Khan)
“When I came outside, I saw that there was a whole settlement there. I asked a man where the mosque was. I went to the mosque and then contacted my family.”
Police had earlier confirmed that Mushtaq Khan escaped from captivity and reached a nearby mosque, from where he contacted his family. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of several members of the gang, including its alleged main accused.
Police said the same gang was involved in the abduction of Sunil Pal, while other actors, including Shakti Kapoor and Rajesh Puri, were also allegedly approached.
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About Mushtaq Khan
Mushtaq Khan made his film debut with Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai in 1980 and went on to become a familiar face in Hindi cinema over a career spanning more than four decades. Known for his versatility as a character actor and his comic timing, he appeared in a wide range of films, including 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!.
Khan remained active on screen well into the 2020s, appearing in films such as Stree, Badhaai Do, Gadar 2 and Stree 2. His later credits included Vanvaas, Baby John, Dhoom Dhaam and Jaat.
