From his childhood Khan had the ambition to be a famous star in future. It is this urge that drove him study acting under celebrated Theatre Director Barry John, at Delhi's Theatre Action Group or (TAG). But still nothing happened to him so easily. Khan started out his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut with the hit Deewana (1992), and has been part of numerous commercial successes, delivering a variety of critically acclaimed performances as well. During his career years, he has won six Filmfare Best Actor Awards,, and has had significant box office success, with films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), being some of Bollywood's biggest hits, while films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Veer Zara (2004) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (2006) are the biggest Bollywood hits in the overseas market. It is to be noted that in the year 1993 Khan won acclaim for his performances as a murderer and obsessive lover respectively in the box office hits Baazigar and Darr. He won his first Filmfare Best Actor Award for his spectacular performance in Baazigar. He was also appreciated for his role as a young musician in Kundan Shah's Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa which earned him the Filmfare Best Actor Award (critics) that same year. In 1994 Khan once again played an obsessive lover/psycho role in Anjaam. Even though the movie was not a box office success Khan's performance in a negative role earned him the Filmfare Best Villain Award.

But whatever may be the films, throughout his life Aditay Chopra's directorial debut Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge shall deserve a special mention. This movie made in the year 1995 was indeed a critical and commercial success and has entered its twelfth year in the theatres of Mumbai, garnering to 12 billion rupees in all, making it as one of the biggest film blockbusters.

In 2003, Khan starred in the romantic drama Chalte Chalte which was a semi-hit. Khan then made his third film with Karan Johar as the writer and Nikil Avani as a director of the romantic drama Kal Ho Na Ho. The movie was one of the year's biggest hits in India and in the overseas market as well. Khan's performance in this film as a guy who has heart disease was also well received. Khan also won critical praise for his performance in Asutosh Gowariker's Swades, which won him the Filmfare Best Actor Award for the sixth time although the film was a box office failure. His only major film release in 2005 was the fantasy film Paheli which was not as successful at the box office, but won for him acclaim. In the year 2006 Khan had two major releases, one a melodrama film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna , which did well in India and became the biggest hit in the overseas market. The other one was Don, a remake of a 1978 film of the same name. In 2007, the first release of Khan had been Chak De India, which perceived good reviews for his performance as the coach of a girl's hockey team in the film. Despite a low start, the film was later regarded as a blockbuster. His lates film, Om Santi Om is in full motion at present and creating new records!