There are some film scenes that never really leave us. They keep appearing on television, in memes and on social media, making us laugh just as they did the first time. But sometimes, the same scene feels completely different when the people in it are no longer with us. The deaths of veteran actors Nana Patekar and Mushtaq Khan within weeks of each other have brought one such Welcome moment back into focus.
Patekar died at 75 on October 8 after a cardiac arrest, while Mushtaq Khan passed away on September 24 at the age of 62. For fans of Welcome, the two will always be remembered as Uday Shetty and Ballu Paaji, two members of the chaotic world that made the 2007 comedy such a beloved film.
That unforgettable Ballu Paaji moment in Welcome
Mushtaq Khan’s Ballu was a relatively small character, but he managed to leave a lasting impression. His hilarious story about his fake leg became one of the most remembered moments from Welcome. “Meri ek taang nakli hai, main hockey ka bahut bada khiladi tha” remains instantly recognisable to fans of the film. Today, watching that scene feels bittersweet. Nana’s Uday Shetty is standing there, reacting to Ballu’s story, while Mushtaq delivers the lines with the comic timing that made the moment work.
X users took to the platform to pay tribute to the two legends. One user wrote, “The iconic duo of movie ‘welcome’ Mushtaq khan and Nana Patekar passed away in quick succession. welcome scenes will hit different now”
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Another one shared, “Maybe even God needs good people and some laughter in his life. First mushtaq khan and now nana patekar. He has taken both comedy duo with him. Why he always takes the good people, when this whole world is full of bad people.”
Take a look at the X reactions:
Nana Patekar and Mushtaq Khan reunited in Welcome Back
Their Welcome connection did not end with the 2007 film. Nana Patekar and Mushtaq Khan returned as Uday Shetty and Ballu in the 2015 sequel, Welcome Back. Both actors were part of the sequel’s cast, with Patekar reprising Uday and Khan returning as Ballu.
So, for fans looking back at their work together, there are actually two Welcome films to revisit.
The first film gave audiences the original Uday Shetty-Ballu dynamic. The sequel brought them back into the same comic universe years later, giving fans another chance to see the two actors together.
Two actors, one unforgettable comic world
Nana Patekar had a career that stretched far beyond comedy. From Parinda and Krantiveer to Ab Tak Chhappan and Raajneeti, he built a reputation for powerful and intense performances before showing another side of himself as Uday Shetty in Welcome.
Mushtaq Khan, meanwhile, became a familiar face across Hindi cinema, appearing in films including Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Welcome, Rowdy Rathore, Gadar 2, Stree and Stree 2.
But perhaps that is what makes their Welcome scenes so special now. One gave us Uday Shetty’s unforgettable expressions and dialogue delivery, while the other could turn a few minutes on screen into a scene audiences remembered for years.
Nana and Mushtaq may no longer be here, but Uday and Ballu remain exactly where fans left them: together on screen, making people laugh.
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