Veteran Bollywood actor-writer-comedian and scholar Kader Khan died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Toronto in Canada. He was 81. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan led the tributes to the actor.
Khan is survived by his wife Hajra, son Sarfaraz, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
According to Ahmed Khan, a close relative, the actor died around 4am. (IST). Khan’s last rites was held in Toronto later.
Reported to be critical and on a ventilator, rumours of the actor’s death had been doing the rounds on social networks and some media outlets, since the past five days, which left the family and other relatives traumatised.
Kader Khan spent nearly four months in hospital, for various old-age related ailments including breathing issues and finally succumbed on December 31 evening (Toronto time).
Born on October 22, 1937 in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a Pashtun family, Kader Khan was educated in a municipal school and later graduated from Mumbai’s Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari, a government-run institution.
An avid reader and a film-buff, he had a huge collection of books on various subjects related to filmmaking, acting, screenplay writing, penning story-dialogues and other departments, and had a mastery over Urdu.
Starting with his first film as an actor in Daag (1973), over the next 35 years he went on to act in over 300 films in memorable roles, and also wrote the story or dialogues for more than 250 films in Hindi and Urdu, starting with Roti (1974).
Kader had contributed to several Amitabh-starring films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Laawaris and Coolie as a writer.
“Kader Khan passes away. Sad, depressing news. My prayers and condolences. A brilliant stage artiste, most compassionate and accomplished talent on film. A writer of eminence...in most of my very successful films. A delightful company and a mathematician,” 
Amitabh tweeted yesterday.
Veteran actor Dharmendra expressed his grief on Twitter. He wrote: “It is so sad. We have lost another loving co-star.” 
Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, on the other hand, wondered why was Kader Khan was in Canada during the time of his death. “Kader Khan has given so much to our entertainment industry...What a sad start to 2019. There is a lesson to be learnt from Kader Khan’s death in a foreign country. We need to take better care of our artistes so that they don’t feel neglected,” he said.
Actor Anupam Kher hailed Kader Khan as “one of the finest actors of our country”. 
The two had worked together in films like ChaalBaaz, Meherbaan and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
“It was a joy and a learning experience to be on the sets with him. His improvisational skills were phenomenal. His humour was eternal and original. He was a wonderful writer. We will miss him and his brilliance,” he tweeted.
Khan’s death left filmmaker Anees Bazmee feeling sad. “Had the privilege to work with him as a writer and direct him in my debut film Hulchul. RIP Kader Khan. You shall always be missed,” he tweeted.
Apart from members of the film fraternity, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several political leaders also condoled his death.