Mushtaq Khan claims he got paid less than Akshay Kumar`s staff for `Welcome`

Senior actor Mushtaq Khan has played several memorable character roles in many films. Among his most iconic performances is the one in Anees Bazmee’s directorial Welcome. In the film, he portrayed the lawyer to Nana Patekar’s character, Uday Shetty. His comic timing was spot-on, making the role especially memorable.

Mushtaq Khan on pay disparity

The veteran actor recently spoke about the pay disparity he faced during the making of Welcome, which also starred Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, and Katrina Kaif. Khan revealed that despite being part of extended shooting schedules, he was paid less than Akshay Kumar’s staff.

In an interview with Filmymantra Media, Mushtaq Khan explained how his remuneration was fixed regardless of the number of days spent on the shoot.
“When we have an agreement for anything, it is said that it`s a 20-day shoot or a 25-day shoot. Accordingly, we decide our payment. I asked, ‘How much is the wage?’ They said it’s for 25 days, so we agree to that,” he said.

Khan also clarified that he didn’t bring up the issue with stars like Akshay Kumar or Anil Kapoor. “I have not discussed this with Akshay Kumar or Anil Kapoor. I have only approached them for work, not to raise this issue,” he added.

The actor went on to explain how Akshay Kumar’s staff was paid more than him, “I’ll tell you why the payment is higher for them. With us, it’s fixed—you will do this film for Rs 1 lakh. So you have to do it, even if it takes 20 to 25 days. But those people, the staff, are on a per-day duty. If we were also paid daily, just imagine how much money we would get.”

Mushtaq Khan on kidnapping incident

The Welcome actor was in the news last year after he was kidnapped in Delhi in November. The 54-year-old recounted the horrific incident, which began when he was invited to a fake event in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on November 20.

Recounting the ordeal from his studio in Jogeshwari, Mumbai, Khan said, “I was given an advance payment and flight tickets, so it all seemed convincing. I was told I’d be attending an awards function as the chief guest. I even spoke to Sunil Pal (comedian-actor), and he said something similar had happened to him too.”

Khan added, “I fell for it without verifying much, because we artists usually ask for the budget, and once the advance is transferred, it feels like a valid deal.”

He explained that he was traveling by car from Delhi airport to Meerut, and then on to Bijnor, when the situation turned dangerous.”Two people held me at gunpoint. That’s when I realized it was serious. This happened in Meerut after they switched cars,” he said.

Talking about his escape, Khan shared that he fled when his kidnappers fell asleep. “I heard the azaan at 5:45 a.m., and that prompted me to head to the nearest mosque,” he said. The actor also revealed that the kidnappers had transferred Rs 1.24 lakh from his bank account and Rs 1.06 lakh from his son’s account to cover their expenses.